---

GM Crops

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many trials of genetically engineered crops are taking place in Northern Ireland; how many applications to proceed with trials of genetically modified crops have been submitted for approval in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on the issue of genetically- modified crops. [93837]

Mr. George Howarth: The Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland is a Competent Authority within the United Kingdom for carrying out the regulatory requirements of EU Directive 90/220/EC to control the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms.

In 1996 the Department received the only application so far for a release consent in Northern Ireland from the Department of Agriculture (Northern Ireland) to carry out a small field trial on potatoes. This application, which was approved, was dealt with through the regulatory system and papers about it are available for viewing in a statutory public register, which is held by the Department of the Environment's Environmental Policy Division in River House, 48 High Street, Belfast BT1 2AW.

There are currently no trials of genetically engineered crops taking place in Northern Ireland.

In the Department's capacity as a Competent Authority, it liaises, along with other UK Competent Authorities, with all EU member states, including the Republic of Ireland, at Competent Authority meetings. Liaison with the Republic of Ireland authority has otherwise been as required.

Pellet Guns

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of (a) legal and (b) illegal ball-bearing pellet guns in circulation; how many reports of incidents involving the use of these weapons have been received by the (i) police and (ii) other agencies in each of the last five years. [95426]

Mr. Ingram: I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to low powered airguns or CO2 guns rather than conventional air weapons.

As those that fire plastic pellets are not, in most cases, considered to be lethal barrelled firearms and do not require firearms certificates, the numbers in circulation are not known.

11 Nov 1999 : Column: 742

As regards incidents of misuse of these kinds of guns, for instance with ball-bearings, the information is not held centrally by the police and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Illegal Parades

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the date, location and perceived political or community affiliation of each illegal parade that took place from March to September; on which occasions files were later sent from the police to the Director of Public Prosecutions; in each instance how many prosecutions and on what charges were initiated; what was the result of each prosecution; for each illegal parade where no prosecutions followed, what reasons were given for a failure to prosecute; what other actions were taken to ensure future compliance with the law; and if he will make a statement on the community balance of the prosecution decision-making process over this period. [95372]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 27 October 1999]: At the following illegal parades no persons were identified and consequently no prosecution files could be prepared:

Illegal parades March-September 1999

Date	Location	Perceived affiliation
4 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
15 March 1999	Garvaghy Road, Portadown	Nationalist
16 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
16 March 1999	Lurgan	Nationalist
17 March 1999	New Lodge Road, Belfast	Nationalist
17 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
18 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
19 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
25 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
20 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
22 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
23 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
1 April 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
4 April 1999	Camlough	Nationalist
13 April 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
6 May 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
8 May 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
8 May 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
20 May 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
25 May 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
3 June 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
5 June 1999	Jonesborough	Nationalist
16 June 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
17 June 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
21 June 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
5 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
6 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
7 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
8 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
9 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
12 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
12 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
13 July 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
17 July 1999	Portavogie	Loyalist

As a result of the following illegal parades the RUC have reported nine Loyalists to the Director of Public Prosecutions for taking part in an illegal parade and are awaiting direction. A further thirty-two are to be reported.

11 Nov 1999 : Column: 743

Date	Location	Perceived affiliation
12 March 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
29 April 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist
19 June 1999	Drumcree, Portadown	Loyalist

There have been no illegal parades since July. Police take action against any individuals who can be identified and against whom, under section 6 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998, a degree of guilty knowledge can be sustained.

RUC Overtime

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums were budgeted for in respect of RUC overtime in each of the last five years and the current year; how much was expended on overtime in each of these years and the current year to date; what was the number of hours provided for in each of these years and the current year; and how many of these hours were actually used by the RUC. [97376]

Mr. Ingram: The information requested is shown in the table.

11 Nov 1999 : Column: 744

Year	Original budget provision (£ million)	Actual expenditure (£ million)	Number of hours provided in budget man hours (million)	Number of hours actually worked man hours (million)
1994-95	81.77	75.66	6.18	5.72
1995-96	54.65	51.09	3.97	3.68
1996-97	37.25	68.63	2.57	4.65
1997-98	61.90	64.93	4.29	4.37
1998-99	51.47	61.44	3.41	3.93
1999-2000	42.26	30.87	2.58	1.93

Note:

7 month period from April to October 1999

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums were allowed in the RUC budget in each police subdivision in each of the last five years and the current year, for police overtime; how many hours these sums represented; and how many of these hours were actually used in each sub-division. [97559]

Mr. Ingram: The information is not available in the form requested, i.e. no budgeted hours and costs at Sub-Divisional level. However, the following table shows the number of hours of overtime paid in each Sub-division in each of the last five years and for seven months of the current financial year.

11 Nov 1999 : Column: 743

Sub-division	1994-95	1995-96	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99	1999-100
Antrim	110,492	87,929	87,705	82,709	73,131	25,499
Antrim Road	127,067	67,562	94,485	89,759	66,410	26,512
Armagh	197,958	114,862	213,049	144,645	172,834	71,968
Ballymena	79,889	56,903	76,409	73,504	66,759	28,513
Ballymoney	56,772	42,557	88,208	54,889	53,842	25,443
Banbridge	67,786	44,148	82,661	72,864	93,491	31,896
Bangor	90,405	67,380	132,415	97,123	90,912	35,977
Carrickfergus	61,989	43,843	48,727	43,436	41,600	18,210
Castlereagh	92,790	57,609	95,371	98,310	63,229	26,874
Coleraine	94,267	71,085	96,038	83,190	79,047	36,069
Cookstown	127,193	78,753	147,882	99,669	90,231	34,162
Donegall Pass.	144,746	93,326	86,622	81,572	66,663	24,291
Downpatrick	88,747	55,533	92,456	84,514	80,009	27,782
Dungannon	199,184	135,869	178,781	127,463	143,925	58,288
Dunmurry	135,069	88,957	92,312	78,338	63,005	24,719
Enniskillen	176,074	112,503	174,659	132,214	125,719	49,787
Grosvenor Road	270,348	142,314	209,257	179,117	146,764	68,731
Larne	55,431	41,407	50,877	46,343	46,679	17,551
Limavady	60,104	38,337	58,205	55,735	45,298	18,621
Lisburn	182,235	110,702	145,343	126,615	101,561	44,257
Lisnaskea	152,386	92,586	143,078	123,559	100,764	43,312
Lurgan	109,538	69,044	107,205	111,453	135,101	46,948
Magherafelt	106,873	68,209	113,544	97,138	80,955	41,948
Mountpottinger	104,875	60,413	75,296	74,942	68,098	29,832
Musgrave Street	173,871	113,312	111,276	87,506	77,329	26,737
Newcastle	68,804	40,860	59,212	53,856	69,317	22,811
Newry	383,381	182,427	359,088	236,005	234,766	108,977
Newtownabbey	89,304	53,860	72,782	70,398	69,655	37,267
Newtownards	95,088	73,064	111,780	99,089	120,130	48,280
North Queen Street	121,301	76,358	100,802	107,384	85,096	35,016
Omagh	153,947	95,845	144,250	113,580	112,682	37,700
Portadown	70,235	50,947	73,340	69,118	92,050	40,425
Stormont	120,771	64,850	62,879	80,230	46,407	17,302
Strabane	127,890	97,865	142,770	102,023	84,279	27,836
Strand Road	223,987	127,743	171,788	116,450	102,718	38,744
Strandtown	88,482	59,371	71,108	87,134	69,519	32,952
Tennent Street	112,561	53,703	64,837	52,690	46,438	13,599
Waterside	84,176	46,228	94,752	71,840	54,675	24,710
Woodbourne	145,612	99,828	137,453	138,444	114,978	47,691

11 Nov 1999 : Column: 745

---