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National Regional Aid
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measurement of sparsity he made of the Inverness travel-to-work area when proposing the Highlands and Islands as a NUTS 2 area under the sparsity provision of the European Commission Guidelines on national regional aid. [111332]
Dr. Howells:
We proposed the Highlands and Islands as a single NUTS 2 level area with a population of between nine and 10 inhabitants per square kilometre.
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Departmental Consultation
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the public consultation exercises on policy matters carried out by his Department and its agencies in each of the last five years; who was consulted and by what means; how responses were analysed; how and in what form the results were transmitted to those responsible for the consultation; how the results of the consultation were published; and what analysis has been carried out of the extent and nature of policy changes resulting from the consultation. [106291]
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Mr. Ingram:
Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what mechanisms are in place to monitor aftercare of victims of terrorist violence and punishment shootings; what is his assessment of the extent to which compensation payments have been subject to seizure by paramilitary organisations; how many incidents of such seizure have been reported; what is the RUC estimate of the extent of under-reporting; what steps are taken to prevent fraudulent claims; and what is his assessment of the proportion of claims that may be fraudulent. [107818]
Mr. Ingram:
All patients receive the treatment and care necessary for their recovery. There are no mechanisms to monitor the aftercare of patients. There is no record of any incidents being reported to police relating to compensation payments being subject to seizure by paramilitary organisation. Consequently, the Royal Ulster Constabulary cannot give an assessment of the extent of such seizure and the level of under-reporting.
Each claim for criminal injury compensation is investigated by the Compensation Agency to establish that the statutory criteria contained in the Criminal Injuries Compensation (NI) Order 1988 are satisfied. This includes confirming that the alleged offence was reported to the police, obtaining copies of the police investigation report and witness statements, and the court outcome of any prosecution of alleged offenders. Where liability to pay compensation under the 1988 Order is accepted the amount of compensation is determined by reference to medical reports detailing the nature and extent of the injury suffered. The policy of the Compensation Agency is to refer all cases of alleged fraud to the police for investigation. No criminal injury claim arising from terrorist violence or punishment shooting has been referred to the police.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 10 January 2000, Official Report, column 32W, 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. [108205]
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Mr. Ingram:
Further to my reply to him of 10 January, contracts for research projects funded by this Department generally carry a clause highlighting the obligations of the contractor under the Official Secrets Act and/or a confidentiality clause preventing the contractor from printing, publishing or disclosing information gained during the course of the contract without the written consent of the Department.
Twenty four contracts did not contain restrictions which prevented the contractor from discussing the findings with journalists until after publication because the letting organisation. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, only part-funded the research. The copyright in these instances remain with the researcher.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost to date of the inquiries into the deaths of (a) Mrs. Rosemary Nelson and (b) Mr. John Finucane. [109035]
Mr. Ingram:
Information on the total cost of these investigations is not available. However, on Mrs. Nelson, £767,000 has been spent on this inquiry to date. This figure includes travel, overtime, accommodation and incidental expenses. It does not include the salary costs of Deputy Chief Constable Colin Port and his team of officers.
On the other death, (assuming that this refers to the murder of Patrick Finucane) the additional cost of police agencies' salaries, overtime, travel, accommodation and incidental expenses since 1989 is £2.3 million. The figure does not include RUC costs.
Mr. Sarwar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's support for the Thiepval Memorial Tower on the Somme. [111093]
Mr. Ingram:
The Government are responsible for the maintenance of the Memorial. It also provides financial assistance to the Somme Association Ltd. which manages the visitor access.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list each category of employee within the Northern Ireland Probation Service and the numbers employed in each category, broken down by (a) gender and (b) perceived community origin. [110657]
Mr. Ingram:
The information requested is given in the table:
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Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases in each category of offence were referred by the RUC to the DPP in 1998 and 1999; and in how many and in what percentage of cases the DPP (a) directed no prosecutions and (b) brought a successful prosecution. [110659]
The Solicitor-General:
I have been asked to reply as the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland and his Department are superintended by the Attorney-General for Northern Ireland.
The information sought is not available in the form requested. What information is available is set out in tabular form.
The figures given in the table for the number of persons reported include persons referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland by investigative agencies other than the RUC.
The figures relate to the number of persons proceeded against rather than the number of offences.
| 1998 | 1999 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of persons reported to DPP(NI) | 10,950 | 10,170 |
| Directions issued | ||
| Summary prosecution | 6,271 | 5,362 |
| Prosecution on indictment | 1,043 | 1,368 |
| Number prosecution | 3,614 | 3,520 |
| Outcome of prosecutions | ||
| Summary: | ||
| Convictions | 4,977 | 4,164 |
| Acquittals | 261 | 214 |
| Conviction rate (%) | 95 | 95 |
| Indictment: | ||
| Convictions | 1,141 | 943 |
| Acquittals | 86 | 57 |
| Conviction rate (%) | 93 | 94 |
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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Magistrates Courts
30. Mr. Pond: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Kent magistrates courts committee's approach to consultation with local communities. [109643]
Jane Kennedy: The Justices of the Peace Act 1997 requires Magistrates Courts Committees to consult with the paying authority when proposing to close a courthouse.
It is for Kent Magistrates Courts Committee to determine the scope of its consultation but Committees are encouraged to consult wider than the statute requires, for example, with magistrates, staff, police, Probation, Crown Prosecution Service and other professional users.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of magistrates courts in Worcestershire. [109645]
Jane Kennedy:
It is for the Hereford and Worcester Magistrates Courts Committee to determine the future of magistrates courts in both Worcestershire and Herefordshire. This is in consultation with the local paying authorities, the Worcestershire County Council and the County of Herefordshire District Council.
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