| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Schools (Preparatory Departments)
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at which schools there are facilities for preparatory departments; and how many pupils are enrolled in each of these preparatory departments. [65484]
Mr. McFall: Schools with preparatory departments and their enrolments are as follows:
(4) Figures exclude nursery and reception pupils
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 421
Electricity
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints she received about Northern Ireland Electricity services during December 1998; what proposals she has to nationalise the electricity distribution systems in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [65485]
Mr. Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received some 30 complaints and inquiries about the disruption to power supplies caused by the storms in late December. In addition, the independent Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland, who has the statutory duty to protect the interests of consumers in respect of continuity of supply and quality of supply services provided, has received some 1,050 complaints and inquiries. The Director has sought a full and detailed report from NIE by 31 January 1999 on the company's response to the problems encountered by consumers over the Christmas holiday period. The Secretary of State met NIE on 6 January and expressed her concern about the difficulties faced by consumers. NIE agreed to provide the Secretary of State with a copy of the report being prepared for the Director. The Government have no plans to nationalise the electricity distribution system in Northern Ireland.
Natural Gas
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the estimated populations of the boroughs of (a) Ards, (b) Castlereagh and (c) North Down; what proposals there are to provide a natural gas supply in these three boroughs; and if she will make a statement. [65482]
Mr. Ingram: According to figures produced at the 1991 Population Census the population of these Boroughs is as follows:
| Male | Female | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ards | 31,527 | 33,237 | 64,764 |
| Castlereagh | 28,946 | 31,853 | 60,799 |
| North Down | 34,284 | 37,548 | 71,832 |
Under the terms of the Development Plan contained in the combined licences for the conveyance and supply of gas to the Greater Belfast area, issued to Phoenix Natural Gas Ltd. on 5 September 1996, the company is required to provide gas to these Boroughs as follows:
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 422
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at which grammar schools there are facilities for boarders; and how many boarders there are at each of these schools. [65483]
Mr. McFall:
There are facilities for boarders at 9 grammar schools in Northern Ireland and the number of pupils who board are as follows:
Ards by the end of the year 2006
Castlereagh by the end of the year 2005
North Down by the end of the year 2003.
| School | No. of boarders as at 1 January 1999 |
|---|---|
| Campbell College, Belfast | 46 |
| Friend's School, Lisburn | 35 |
| Hunterhouse College, Belfast | 54 |
| Methodist College, Belfast | 137 |
| The Royal School, Armagh | 64 |
| The Royal School, Dungannon | 31 |
| St. Colman's College, Newry | 47 |
| St. Patrick's Grammar, Armagh | 41 |
| Victoria College, Belfast | 36 |
Policing Commission
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she received the report of the June 1998 police investigation into the circumstances of departmental leaks concerning her telephone conversations about appointments to the Policing Commission; and if she will list (a) the principal conclusions of the report and (b) her responses to each recommendation. [66086]
Marjorie Mowlam: An internal Government investigation into the matter is ongoing. A separate rigorous review of document handling and distribution within the Department has been completed and its recommendations are being considered.
Equality Working Group
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she expects to receive the report of the equality working group chaired by Dr. Joan Stringer; and if she will make a statement. [65993]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Equality Commission Working Group has had four meetings and intend to consult interested parties before finalising its recommendations. They anticipate reporting to me in early March. However, the Secretary of State expects to receive an interim report shortly recommending a structure for the Board, following which the Secretary of State hopes to advertise Commissioner posts.
Wrongful Convictions (Compensation)
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 10 December 1998, Official Report, column 270, on compensation for wrongful conviction, how many persons have had their convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal in each of the last 10 years. [65994]
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 423
Mr. Ingram:
The numbers of persons whose convictions have been quashed by the Court of Appeal for Northern Ireland during the last 10 years are, by year:
| Year | Number of persons |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 3 |
| 1994 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |
One person had a separate conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal for England and Wales, has made an application for compensation to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in respect of the quashing of both convictions. In the case of another person, the court quashed his conviction but ordered a retrial.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Country Strategies
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list those country strategies which have been prepared in consultation with ambassadors for British business; and if those consultees have business interests in the country assessed. [66343]
Clare Short: We have, so far, published fifteen country strategy papers (Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, Vietnam). In developing these country strategies, we have consulted widely including the business community, both in-country and in the UK. Our approach has been to work with established business groups, rather than with individual companies. In developing countries we have consulted with British business associations and local chambers of commerce. In the UK, we have worked with the DTI Area Advisory Groups for specific countries as well as with business groups with a regional or country interest.
Overseas Students
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many students from sub-Saharan Africa were in receipt of her Department's awards to study in Britain in (a) 1989-90 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available; what was the percentage change in awards; and if she will make a statement. [66198]
Clare Short: The number of students from sub-Saharan Africa who were in receipt of my Department's awards to study in Britain in 1989-90 and 1997-98 are as follows:
- 1989-90: 7,671
- 1997-98: 1,585.
The percentage change in awards is--79 per cent.
This reflects the positive commitment shift from UK-based training to "in-country" and regional training and workshops over the past ten years.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's awards to students from sub-Saharan Africa for study in Britain are managed by the British Council. [66219]
19 Jan 1999 : Column: 424
Clare Short:
All the Department for International Development's awards for training in Britain for students from sub-Saharan Africa are managed by the British Council.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will increase the number of her Department's awards to students from sub-Saharan Africa to study in Britain. [66220]
Clare Short:
The provision of awards for study in Britain is determined by the priorities identified in our Country Strategy Papers, in line with my Department's White Paper on poverty elimination. We shall continue to address the needs of Sub-Saharan Africa for skills development by ensuring that training awards and centrally funded scholarship schemes are targeted on those countries which need them most.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what factors underlie her Department's policy for making awards to sub-Saharan Africans to study in Britain; and what assessment she has made of the benefits to (a) the students and (b) Britain. [66224]
Clare Short:
The provision of awards for study in Britain is intended to support the development goals and priorities outlined in the White Paper. For Sub-Saharan Africa the need is to build up skills which will contribute to their countries' social and economic development, including scientific and technological development.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |