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NORTHERN IRELAND
Saville Inquiry
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of
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24 January 2000, Official Report, column 8W, on the Saville inquiry, how much of the sums expended after 31 October 1999 were spent under each of the principal sub-headings. [107401]
Mr. Ingram:
The sums expended by the Saville Inquiry between 1 November 1999 and 31 December 1999 (the most recent date for which information is available) break down as follows under the main sub-headings:
| Total (£) | |
|---|---|
| Salaries | 187,893.71 |
| Travel and Subsistence | 24,731.22 |
| Accommodation | 264,551.82 |
| Payments to barristers and solicitors | 1,600,130.84 |
| IT/Communication Costs | 39,163.50 |
| Miscellaneous, including general Office Expenditure | 47,461.94 |
| Total | 2,163,933.03 |
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the hourly rate paid to (a) solicitors and (b) barristers acting for the families of those persons killed by the Army in Londonderry on 30 January 1972; by what procedures these sums were negotiated and agreed; when they were agreed; how often they are paid; under which estimates budget subheadings provision for these sums falls; and what were the total sums paid to (i) solicitors and (ii) barristers up to 31 December 1999. [107387]
Mr. Ingram: Interim arrangements for the payment of solicitors and barristers acting for the families of those killed on 30 January 1972 have applied since 29 October 1999. The interim rates are as follows--solicitors receive £114 per hour, unqualified personnel £57 per hour, Senior Counsel receive £200 per hour and Junior Counsel £100 per hour. The interim arrangements provide for senior counsel to be paid at the rate of £1,500 per day and Junior Counsel £750 per day. In addition they will be able to claim up to two hours preparatory work per day during the hearing. The Tribunal plans to submit these fees for determination to the Senior Costs Judge later this year, and again when the Tribunal's final report is submitted to the Secretary of State. These arrangements were agreed after consultation between the Inquiry and the Northern Ireland Office. Junior Counsel have challenged these interim arrangements on the grounds that they are entitled to receive two-thirds, not one half, of their senior's rate and are seeking leave to have the matter judicially reviewed.
Payment of these sums is covered by the 1999-2000 Main Supply Estimates and provision falls under the Northern Ireland Office Class XV, Vote 1 within Line K Bloody Sunday (Saville) Inquiry Subhead 2 Other Current Expenditure. Sums are paid monthly after receipt of an invoice. It is not possible to provide a figure for monies paid to solicitors and barristers separately, nor to give a figure for payments for their professional services, separately from their other expenses. The total amount paid out to cover both fees and other expenses up to 31 December 1999 is £7,698,820.
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Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what correspondence he has exchanged over the past three years with the Lord Chancellor concerning appointments to the Inner Bar of Northern Ireland; and if he will place correspondence in the Library. [107828]
Mr. Ingram:
This question relates to a matter currently before the High Court in Northern Ireland. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to offer comment or to place correspondence in the Library as requested.
Mr. Fabricant:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will place the full copy of the report of the International Body on Decommissioning in the Library. [108597]
Mr. Mandelson:
In my Statement to the House on 3 February 2000, Official Report, columns 1311-12, I gave a full account of the report.
If a further report is presented, the two reports will be published together.
Staff Bonuses
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies spent in total on extra bonuses above usual payments for staff working over the new year period; what were the (a) maximum and (b) minimum bonuses paid; how many people received the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum payments; and if he will make a statement. [104496]
Mr. Wills: The information requested is not held centrally or collected in the form requested. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Individual line managers are responsible for budgets and for processing/ authorising overtime payments. Any overtime payments for the new year period will not be separately identifiable. In addition, any payments will not yet have been submitted/processed.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many questions to his Department were tabled for written answer during session 1998-99; and how many of these he replied to (a) by means of a letter placed in the Library rather than by substantive answer in the Official Report, (b) by stating that a substantive answer could not be given due to information not being held centrally and (c) by stating that a substantive answer could not be given due to disproportionate cost. [106486]
Mr. Wills: During the Parliamentary session 1998-99, 2,154 PQs were tabled to the Department for written answer.
We do not maintain statistical records breaking down the nature of replies given in the manner requested. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many questions to his Department tabled for ordinary written answer during Session 1998-99 were answered (a) within two weeks of tabling, (b) within one month of tabling, (c) within three months of tabling and (d) after three months of tabling. [106490]
Mr. Wills:
We do not record this information in precisely the manner requested, but I am able to provide the following information:
During the Parliamentary session 1998-99, 1,189 PQs were tabled to the Department for ordinary written answer. Of these 1,141 PQs (96 per cent.) were answered within two weeks of tabling, 42 PQs (3 per cent.) were answered between two weeks and four weeks of tabling, and six PQs (1 per cent.) were answered between four weeks and three months of tabling. No PQs were answered more than three months after tabling.
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many questions to his Department tabled for written answer on a named day during the session 1998-99 were answered (a) on or before a named day, (b) by within one week of a named day, (c) within one month of a named day, (d) within three months of a named day and (e) after three months of a named day. [106479]
Mr. Wills:
We do not record this information in precisely the manner requested, but I am able to provide the following information:
During the Parliamentary session 1998-99, 965 PQs were tabled to the Department for answer on a named day. Of these 714 PQs (74 per cent.) were answered on the named day; 192 PQs (20 per cent.) were answered within one week of the named day; 50 PQs (5 per cent.) were answered between one week and four weeks of the named day; and nine PQs (1 per cent.) were answered between four weeks and three months of the named day. No PQs were answered more than three months after the named day.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total cost to his Department of the publication of his speeches since 1997. [107436]
Mr. Wills:
All Departmental speeches are made available on request and free of charge. Since 1997, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has delivered over 200 speeches, a number of which have been made available on the DfEE's internet site. We estimate that the cost of publication is £24,000.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 10 January 2000, Official Report, columns 39-40W, what restrictions were placed on contractors carrying out research projects funded by his Department in 1999 in respect of them discussing their findings with journalists (a) before and (b) after publication. [108201]
Mr. Wills:
The Department's research contracts place no restrictions on contractors discussing their findings with journalists before or after publication. DfEE research contracts include standard Confidentiality clauses
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designed to protect any third party confidentiality and to ensure the Department is kept informed of any advertising or promotional material involving its research findings.
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