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Carryduff Primary School
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to grant Carryduff Primary School integrated status; and if she will make a statement. [84570]
Mr. McFall:
The Department of Education is aware of local interest in the establishment of an integrated primary school in the Carryduff area, but I understand that
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developments are at a very early stage. The transformation of Carryduff Primary School to controlled integrated status is a matter for the school's Board of Governors and the South Eastern Education and Library Board to consider in the first instance. If the school decides to seek integrated status this would involve a ballot of parents and the publication of a statutory development proposal by the Education and Library Board.
Mr. Salter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she intends to lay before Parliament Mr. Jim McDonald's annual report as Independent Assessor of Military Complaints Procedures in Northern Ireland. [85206]
Marjorie Mowlam:
Mr. McDonald's report is being published today and copies are being placed in the Library.
I note that Mr. McDonald has said that the complaints procedures are given proper attention by the Army and are being operated fairly, I note also that there has been a marked decrease in the overall number of complaints received.
The Report provides valuable reassurances to Government and the public that the Army's complaints procedures stand scrutiny.
Mr. Salter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Northern Ireland Prison Service intends to publish its 1999-2002 Corporate and Business Plan; and what performance targets have been set for 1999-2000. [85207]
Marjorie Mowlam:
The Northern Ireland Prison Service's Corporate and Business Plan for 1999-2002 was published today. The following key performance targets have been set for 1999-2000:
20 May 1999 : Column: 409
Mr. Cox:
To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer of 19 April 1999, Official Report, column 467, on the death penalty in Commonwealth countries for how long each of the appeals and applications for appeal in Trinidad and Tobago have been outstanding; and when each person was sentenced to death. [84683]
Mrs. Beckett:
The seven appeals from Trinidad and Tobago referred to in my answer of 19 April were registered in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on the following dates:
1. To ensure 100 per cent. security for prisoners in high and top risk categories.
2. To ensure at least 99.5 per cent. security for prisoners in medium and low risk categories.
3. To ensure that the number of significant breaches of order and control does not exceed 7.1 per 100 prisoners.
4. To introduce a system of booked visits to a prison establishment by march 2000.
5. To increase the target number of hours of constructive activity undertaken each week by prisoners by 3 per cent. from 22.85 hours to 23.5 hours.
6. To offer sentence planning to all eligible prisoners and to achieve a 50 per cent. uptake.
7. To achieve an average of 5 days training and development per member of staff.
8. To ensure that the average cost per prisoner place does not exceed £83,426 1
1 This figure is higher than in 1998-99, as the number of staffed prisoner places has reduced to 1,597 as a result of the closure of 2 Blocks at the Maze. The number may alter again during 1999-2000 in the light of developments. The target net operating costs for 1999-2000 are 3.4 per cent. lower in real terms than the target net operating costs for 1998-99, excluding the exceptional redundancy costs in both years.
| P.C. Appeal number | Registration date |
|---|---|
| (1) 29 of 1998 | 11 May 1998 |
| (2) 32 of 1998 | 12 May 1998 |
| (3) 40 of 1998 | 28 May 1998 |
| (4) 63 of 1998 | 30 September 1998 |
| (5) 73 of 1998 | 12 November 1998 |
| (6) 75 of 1998 | 10 December 1998 |
| (7) 4 of 1999 | 12 February 1999 |
The first three listed have since been heard and judgment is awaited.
| Petitions | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 15 July 1997 |
| 2 | 8 October 1997 |
| 3 | 19 February 1998 |
| 4 | 3 June 1998 |
| 5 | 16 February 1999 |
| 6 | 8 March 1999 |
| 7 | 8 March 1999 |
| 8 | 25 March 1999 |
| 9 | 30 March 1999 |
| 10 | 31 March 1999 |
Five of these petitions have now been heard. Two have been granted, two have been dismissed and one has been adjourned to await the determination of another case. The sentence of death in each of the above appeals and petitions was passed on various dates between 12 February 1996 and 29 May 1998.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
ICL Pathway Project
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices remain to be computerised under the ICL Pathway Project. [84253]
Mr. Ian McCartney
[holding answer 14 May 1999]: At the end of March 1999, the Post Office network comprised 18,775 offices. To date, 204 offices have been automated under the ICL Pathway Project.
20 May 1999 : Column: 410
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions trends in harassment and nuisance arising from the misuse of fireworks; and if he will make an assessment of the risks to consumer safety arising from such misuse. [84691]
Dr. Howells:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has no responsibility for the harassment and nuisance issues arising from fireworks.
Firework incidents that occur in the street during the November firework season and require treatment by A&E departments are recorded in the DTI's census of firework injuries, which is conducted over a four-week period covering the run-up to 5 November and a few days afterwards. The summary report of firework injuries treated during the 1998 firework season--a copy of which is in the Library of the House--shows that there was a 12 per cent. drop, from 256 in 1997 to 226 in 1998, in hooligan-related injuries.
The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997, among other things, introduced controls on the supply of certain fireworks, including some types that are most often misused. These controls, together with a targeted safety campaign, played a significant part in reducing the number of firework injuries and incidents of misuse during the last firework season.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are in place to ensure that imported fireworks placed on the market in the United Kingdom have received authorisation and categorisation by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. [84692]
Mr. Meale:
I have been asked to reply.
It is a requirement in law that any commercial explosive, including fireworks be classified by the Health and Safety Executive before it is imported into the UK. It is also a requirement under section 40(9) of the Explosives Act 1875 for explosives to be authorised. The conditions for authorisation have been published by the HSE. In the case of fireworks, authorisation is conditional on compliance with the requirements of British Standard 7114:1988. This is also a requirement under the Firework (Safety) Regulations 1997 which are enforced by Local Authority Trading Standards officers.
If satisfied with an application for classification, the HSE issues a Competent Authority Document assigning the fireworks to an appropriate Hazard Classification and United Nations Serial Number. The details of each classified firework are held on a database and published as a list from time to time. The Competent Authority Document also acts to authorise the fireworks but this is subject to the fireworks meeting the relevant conditions for authorisation. Any firework not meeting these conditions would be considered not to be Authorised.
The HSE has enforcement powers under the applicable classification regulations and will take appropriate action where unclassified or unauthorised fireworks are found in the UK. Checks for compliance are made as part of the normal duties of the explosives inspectorate such as
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inspection of explosives factories and magazines, checks of transport activity, liaison and support to local authorities and investigation of incidents and complaints.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely trends in the use of fireworks at the time of the millennium celebrations; and what plans he has to promote consumer safety associated with that use. [84690]
Dr. Howells:
It is expected that fireworks will feature in Millennium celebrations, but it is not possible to predict patterns of use. DTI officials are currently working on a publicity strategy to address firework safety issues for the 1999 firework season and the Millennium celebrations. Discussions are also taking place with the fireworks industry about the period when fireworks should be sold and other safety issues associated with the use of fireworks over the Millennium.
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