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Tourism
11. Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent steps he has taken to encourage tourism to Northern Ireland. [113227]
Mr. Ingram: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board in conjunction with the tourism industry has recently launched a spring marketing campaign in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland offering good value short break holidays. This will help to build on the excellent results for 1999 when 1.64 million visitors came to Northern Ireland, contributing £255 million to the economy.
Decommissioning
13. Mr. Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met General John de Chastelain to discuss progress on decommissioning. [113229]
23. Mr. Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met General John de Chastelain to discuss progress on decommissioning. [113240]
Mr. Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met General de Chastelain on 14 February.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the decommissioning of illegally-held weapons and explosives. [113235]
Mr. Ingram: I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) on 2 March 2000, Official Report, columns 404-05W.
RN Patrol Vessels
17. Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the future of the Royal Navy Northern Ireland patrol vessels. [113233]
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Mr. Ingram:
I have had no discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the future of Royal Navy Northern Ireland patrol vessels, but would expect to be to be consulted about their future should the need arise.
18. Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the impact of the new deal on unemployment levels in Northern Ireland. [113234]
Mr. Ingram:
Since New Deal was introduced in April 1998, unemployment has fallen by 54.2 per cent. in the target group for the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds, and 45.2 per cent. in the New Deal 25+ target group. The corresponding fall in non-target group unemployment was 2.1 per cent. An evaluation of New Deal in Northern Ireland is under way.
22. Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the implementation of the New Deal programme in Northern Ireland. [113239]
27. Mr. Michael J. Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the implementation of the New Deal programme in Northern Ireland. [113244]
Mr. Ingram:
All the New Deal initiatives are being successfully implemented in Northern Ireland. In particular the New Deal for 18-24 year olds and the New Deal for 25+ pilot, which applies throughout Northern Ireland, have had a major impact on unemployment with decreases of 54 per cent. and 45 per cent. respectively in the eligible groups claiming Jobseeker's Allowance since April 1998.
21. Mr. Nigel Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have benefited from the national minimum wage. [113238]
Mr. Ingram:
There is no definitive estimate of the number of people directly affected by the National Minimum Wage legislation. However, the latest official estimates relating to the period March-May 1999 indicate that 6.8 per cent. of Northern Ireland employees were earning less than the Minimum Wage. This compares with 10.1 per cent. in the same period one year earlier, representing a reduction over the period of 3.3 percentage points.
25. Mrs. Mahon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many families have received help from the Government programmes of victim support during the past 12 months. [113242]
Mr. Ingram:
In terms of initiatives for victims of the troubles, figures for the number of families that have received help are not collected centrally. Many families are helped through the Government's funding of victim support groups and other Government initiatives designed to alleviate the suffering of those most affected by the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 228W
26. Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to introduce legislation to implement the Patten report on policing. [113243]
Mr. Ingram:
Legislation will be introduced in Parliament before Easter.
Fiona Mactaggart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress made on policing reform since the publication of the Patten report. [113221]
Mr. Ingram:
Since my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's announcement of decisions on Patten on 19 January work has been ongoing to introduce a Police Bill before Easter. We are also preparing an implementation plan and are engaged in discussions on severance and in the search of an Oversight Commissioner.
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints have been lodged to date by serving RUC officers against a serving police officer whose name has been supplied to him. [112038]
Mr. Ingram:
Four complaints have been lodged.
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will discuss with the Chief Constable the appointment of an experienced senior officer from a police force other than the Royal Ulster Constabulary to investigate complaints made against a serving police officer whose name has been supplied to him. [112039]
Mr. Ingram:
No. The matter is one of internal investigation and an Assistant Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary was appointed on 7 March to investigate the allegations.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) RUC working hours have been allocated to and (b) RUC officers have been employed in the protection of members of the Parades Commission over the past 12 months. [113830]
Mr. Ingram:
The information necessary to answer this question is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to promote energy efficiency in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [113680]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 9 March 2000]: Government actively promote energy efficiency in the public, domestic and industrial/commercial sectors. An Inter-Departmental Committee on Energy Efficiency co-ordinates energy efficiency measures throughout the public sector. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, as the Home Energy Conservation Authority for Northern Ireland, promotes energy efficiency in the domestic sector, delivers the Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme and provides a range of energy efficiency services for vulnerable groups. The Industrial Research and
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 229W
Technology Unit promotes energy efficiency in industry and commerce through free advisory visits to companies; seminars and workshops; and technical and financial support for energy efficiency measures.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to promote energy from biomass sources; and if he will make a statement. [113683]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 9 March 2000]: Short-rotation coppice (SRC) biomass has the potential to make a positive and significant contribution to the generation of electricity from renewable sources and to meet international obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Northern Ireland. Grants to encourage planting of short rotation coppice are available under the Woodland Grant Scheme. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has undertaken extensive research on the agronomic aspects of growing SRC in Northern Ireland and has developed systems for combined heat and power plants based upon biomass from short rotation coppice willow. Two experimental biomass schemes, including the first commercial biomass fuelled combined heat and power plant in the UK, near Londonderry, were assisted under the Energy Demonstration Scheme and the INTERREG II Programme respectively. Both projects were subsequently awarded 15 year contracts by Northern Ireland Electricity plc under its Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to offer financial assistance and support to social enterprises in Northern Ireland. [113681]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 9 March 2000]: Social enterprises in Northern Ireland fall under the remit of DETI, which through the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU), the small business agency for Northern Ireland, assists community businesses and co-operatives directly via the Community Business Start Up Scheme and indirectly via the Northern Ireland Co-operative Development Agency (NICDA).
The Community Business Start Up Programme, which has been in operation for nine years now, is an important means of addressing inequality and promoting economic development in disadvantaged areas.
Since its relaunch in 1996, the Programme has committed £1.5 million to support the establishment of 104 community businesses throughout Northern Ireland, creating employment opportunities for 182 people. Each business remains on the programme for two years from start-up with survival rates of 65-70 per cent. All businesses assisted under the programme are located in areas of social need or have direct benefit to the regeneration of such areas by the involvement of local communities in businesses, earning profits for local reapplication.
NICDA, also known as the Social Economy Agency, has provided development support and training to groups and local communities all over Northern Ireland seeking to establish social economy initiatives since 1985. NICDA
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has received funding from LEDU since 1994 for the delivery of a number of community-based projects in fulfilment of LEDU's objectives, including funding for the delivery of the Community Business Start Up Programme.
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