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NORTHERN IRELAND
Holding Centres (Lay Visitors)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she received a report on the outcome of consultations between the Police Authority and the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres on the role of lay visitors' access to suspects detained under emergency legislation; and if she will make a statement. [62263]
Mr. Ingram: The Secretary of State has received no such report. The Government did however consult on the Independent Commissioner's recommendation that Lay Visitors should have their sphere of operation extended to include the Holding Centres. It concluded that no change should be made to the remit of the Lay Visitors, not least because an extension of their role of the nature proposed might leave them open to duress and intimidation.
The Government look forward to the day when the Holding Centres are no longer needed. Meanwhile the Government do not envisage any merging of the roles of the Independent Commissioner and the Lay Visitors.
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Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the prisoners who have been released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 by (a) name, (b) organisation, (c) length of sentence actually served and (d) category of offence. [62941]
Mr. Ingram:
On 8 December 1998 the total of prisoners who have been released under the provisions of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 has reached 221. Of those released, 68 are life sentence prisoners (36 loyalist, 29 republican and 3 others) and 153 fixed term prisoners (64 loyalist, 84 republican and 5 others).
The Northern Ireland Prison Service does not release the names or the perceived affiliation of individual prisoners. The category of offences committed could only be given at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Grogan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations her Department has
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received from (a) the Association of Football Premier League and (b) Premier League clubs about basing a Premier League club in Belfast. [62693]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
No representations have been received by my Department from either organisation.
Discussions are ongoing between officials and a private sector consortium, on the consortium's proposal to build a new sports stadium in Belfast, which could host a Premier League club. There has been no direct contact between officials and either the football authorities in England or any Premier League club.
Mr. Robert Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in her Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if she will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62819]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The information for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is as follows:
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| Number | Company | Current responsibilities within government |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | British Telecom | Development of Electronic Service delivery |
| -- | -- | Special Adviser on Software Development |
| 1 | Capita Business Consultants | Industrial Accountancy |
| 1 | Helm Corporation Moore Stevens (Accountants) | Assisting Local Government Audit Branch with the completion of the statutory audits of local authority |
| 1 | Manufacturing and Technology Partnership | Green Economy--grant applications in Environmental Management Audit Scheme |
| 2 | Short Brothers PLC | Enhancing the continuous improvement unit's expertise in the drive to improve the level of take-up across the NICS and other customer organisations of self-assessment under the Business Excellence Model |
| -- | -- | Local Sourcing consultant |
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Victims of Violence
Mr. Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government will be taking to implement Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's recommendation that effective targeting of the special needs of victims of violence forms part of the Targeting Social Need objective (para. 5.17). [62686]
Mr. Ingram: As Minister with responsibility for Victims, I have established the Victims Liaison Unit to take forward implementation of the recommendations in Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report. The Unit has just concluded a period of extensive consultation with victims, their families and their representatives on Sir Kenneth's recommendations. The responses to that consultation are now being considered and will inform the process of prioritising the next steps in addressing the needs identified in the report. I intend to make further announcements on the way forward in the New Year, once the outcome of the consultation exercise is known.
Mr. Thompson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the review of compensation arrangements will cover the treatment of relatives of people who were not financially contributing to a household. [62677]
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Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 7 December 1998]: The Review has been asked to advise the Government on the fitness for purpose of the criminal injuries compensation arrangements in Northern Ireland. It is for Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, who is chairing the Review, to decide precisely what needs to be examined to fulfil this wide-ranging remit. I understand, however, that the whole question of compensation for the relatives of victims is being looked at as part of the Review Body's deliberations on the future of criminal injuries compensation arrangements in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the assessment of the responses to the housing policy review consultative document, Building on Success, has been completed; what further provision will be made relating to the safety and quality of houses in multiple occupancy in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [63238]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The assessment of the responses to the Housing Policy Review conducted under the previous Government, was completed in early 1996. Decisions based on that assessment were published in July 1996, in
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a document 'Building on Success--the Way Ahead'. With one exception, the decisions were subsequently endorsed by the present Government.
With specific reference to Houses in Multiple Occupation, it was proposed to monitor the introduction of the proposals in England and Wales, before considering the implications for Northern Ireland. That remains the case, in order to inform decision making by the Assembly, which will have responsibility for housing matters in future.
Dr. Julian Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mental health hospitals or psychiatric units in Northern Ireland have mixed-sex wards; and if she will list them. [63788]
Mr. McFall:
The following mental health hospitals and psychiatric units have mixed sex wards:
| Hospitals | Units |
|---|---|
| Holywell, Antrim | Whiteabbey Hospital, Whiteabbey |
| Gransha, Londonderry | Ross Thompson Unit, Ballymoney |
| Tyrone and Fermanagh, Omagh | Ards Hospital, Newtownards |
| Downshire, Downpatrick | Belfast City Hospital, Belfast |
| St. Lukes, Armagh | Lagan Valley Hospital, Lisburn |
| Mater Hospital, Belfast | |
| Craigavon Area Hospital, Craigavon |
Northern Ireland Compact
Ms Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the launch of the Northern Ireland Compact. [64124]
Marjorie Mowlam:
The Compact between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector in Northern Ireland will be laid before the House on Monday 14 December and launched the same day. It is a jointly- prepared, agreed statement of the general principles and
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the shared values which will govern the further development of the relationship between Government and the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Compact complements recently launched sister Compacts in England, Scotland and Wales and fulfils another of the Government's pre-election commitments. It will cement a partnership based on shared values and mutual respect, enabling us better to identify and tackle needs, to strengthen communities and to build a more tolerant, participative, inclusive and peaceful society in Northern Ireland.
Departmental Land, Lymington
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of his Department's land at Beckley Marsh, Lymington. [62774]
Mr. Doug Henderson: My Department has no record of any land holdings at Beckley Marsh and cannot identify the piece of land in question.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Robert Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62822]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
My Department is keen to build links with industry and commerce and believes the Whitehall-wide Interchange programme which encourages outward and inward secondment can assist this process. We encourage a range of options including non-executive advisory appointments to MOD boards, joint training, short attachments and secondments of three months or more. As at 1 December the MOD has twenty-one inward secondees from private companies as follows:
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(3) Sir Charles Masefield's appointment is due to end on 13 December 1998
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