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Human Rights Commission
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the outgoing Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights applied for membership of the new Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and how many were successful. [75142]
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Mr. Paul Murphy:
Nine members of the outgoing Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights applied for a Commissioner post in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and two were successful.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evidence on the statutory requirement regarding representatives in section 53 (3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 was put before her relating to the list of candidates submitted to her from which to make the selection of Northern Ireland Human Rights Commissioners. [75147]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Of the 154 applicants 23 were interviewed, and the recommendations of the panel were submitted to the Secretary of State. The recommendations took into account the applicants' performance against the key criteria identified for the appointments and the requirements for the Commissioners, as a group, to be representative of the community in Northern Ireland.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who were the members of the interview panels for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and how many names were submitted to herself. [75140]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The panel that interviewed candidates for the Chief Commissioner post was chaired by Mr. J. Pilling and that for the other Commissioners by Mr. W. Jeffrey. The other panel members in both cases were Mr. G. Loughran and Mrs. J. Eve. The panels submitted their recommendations on all of those interviewed, 8 in the case of Chief Commissioner and 23 for Commission members.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for membership of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission were solicited by her Department; how many of these applications were successful; and how many of the members were proposed or endorsed by outside bodies. [75141]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
No candidates for Commissioner posts were solicited by the Department. Five candidates were endorsed by the Irish Government; of those, two were successful. All candidates completed the same application form and all were appointed on merit.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what basis she determined that the members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission as a group are representative of the community in Northern Ireland. [75146]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The recommendations of the interview panels were submitted to the Secretary of State. These took into account the applicants' performance against the key criteria identified for the appointment and the requirement for the Commission, as a group, to be representative of the community in Northern Ireland.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission recorded themselves as being or having been members of (a) the SDLP, (b) the Ulster Unionist Party and (c) the Democratic Unionist Party. [75143]
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Mr. Paul Murphy:
All applicants for the posts of Commissioners were asked to record their political activity over the past 10 years. One member was declared to have been a member of the SDLP, none of the UUP and none of the DUP.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission are legally qualified. [75144]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
66 per cent. of the members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission hold legal qualifications.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of (a) the applicants for and (b) those appointed to membership of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission were recorded as (a) Protestants, (b) Roman Catholics and (c) neither. [75145]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Of the 154 applicants 47 per cent. were recorded as Protestant, 47 per cent. Catholic and 6 per cent. as neither. The religious background of individual candidates is established for monitoring purposes only. It is not the Government's policy to release the affiliation of each member, but we are satisfied that the Commissioners, as a group, are representative of the community in Northern Ireland.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many application forms were issued for membership of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; how many were returned completed; and how many candidates were shortlisted and interviewed. [75139]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
283 forms were issued, 154 completed and returned and 23 candidates were shortlisted and interviewed.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make it her policy to ensure that members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission display in statements and external public activities the political detachment specified in the job description details provided to applicants for membership of the Commission. [75148]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
An extract from the Guidance in Public Appointments in Northern Ireland was included in the information pack for all candidates; it states that
Stricter limitations apply to full-time members. This guidance is based upon Government policy.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the human rights commissions were established in (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the implementation of the human rights section of the Belfast Agreement. [75046]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was established on 1 March 1999. This is the central feature of the additional protections for human rights in Northern Ireland envisaged in the Belfast
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Agreement. I understand that the Irish Government are preparing legislation to establish a human rights commission in the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will work to ensure the implementation of the entire Belfast Agreement by all participating Governments and political parties. [75086]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The Belfast Agreement must be implemented in full. That is the Government's objective and we will work with all the parties and with the Irish Government to ensure that this objective is achieved. We are living up to all our commitments under the Agreement and it is essential that every other party does likewise.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Republic of Ireland has taken, as a signatory to the Belfast Agreement, to demonstrate its respect for the different traditions in the island of Ireland since 10 April 1998; and if she will make a statement. [75042]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
I understand the Irish Government have taken a number of steps to demonstrate its respect for the different traditions in the island of Ireland. The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs has established an Interdepartmental Committee with the task of bringing forward proposals for the development of the site of the Battle of the Boyne. This will be a major project and is expected to be part of the Republic's Millennium Programme. In addition, the Irish Government contributed £150,000 towards the building of a memorial in Messines in Belgium in honour of Irish soldiers from both traditions who died in World War I.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Republic of Ireland introduced the equal status legislation required under the Belfast Agreement; and if she will make a statement. [75043]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
I understand that it is the intention of the Irish Government to publish an Equal Status Bill before the end of the Dail's Easter recess.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress the Republic of Ireland has made in implementing the enhanced employment equality legislation required under the Belfast Agreement; and if she will make a statement. [75044]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
I understand that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform announced on 8 March a new infrastructure for equality which will comprise an Equality Authority and an Office of Equality Investigations. In addition, I understand that he has appointed the members of the Equality Authority Designate. An Employment Equality Act was enacted last year and a target date of 1 September 1999 has been set for its complete implementation.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Republic of Ireland ratified the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities; and if she will make a statement about the implementation of this section of the Belfast Agreement. [75045]
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Mr. Paul Murphy:
I understand the Irish Cabinet recently approved proposals for the ratification of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities. These proposes will be debated shortly in Dail Eireann and formal ratification will take place immediately afterwards.
"members of public bodies should not serve as officers carrying out executive duties in any political party".
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