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NORTHERN IRELAND

Protected Tenancy Dwellings

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each council area in Northern Ireland the number of protected tenancy dwellings; and, of these, in each area how many are (a) restricted tenancies and (b) regulated tenancies. [112939]

Mr. George Howarth: The information requested is as follows:

Council areaRestricted tenanciesRegulated tenanciesTotal
Antrim103444
Ards59287346
Armagh34043
Ballymena35558
Council areaRestricted tenanciesRegulated tenanciesTotal
Ballymoney13233
Banbridge33134
Belfast1583,3413,499
Carrickfergus58792
Castlereagh5128133
Coleraine17677
Cookstown33841
Craigavon55397452
Down55055
Dungannon and South Tyrone26769
Fermanagh14546
Larne1131133
Limavady02424
Lisburn27217244
Derry35255
Magherafelt13536
Moyle1910
Newry and Mourne993102
Newtownabbey6611617
North Down25179204
Omagh03535
Strabane34043

27 Mar 2000 : Column: 51W

Household Division

Mr. DuncanSmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library his recent correspondence with the Major General commanding the Household Division. [115377]

Mr. Mandelson: The correspondence referred to is personal between myself and the Major General commanding the Household Division. It is therefore not appropriate to place a copy in the Library. I made public my regrets for my remarks during Northern Ireland questions in the House on 15 March, and the Major General has stated that he is perfectly content with my response and that the matter is closed.

Police Authority

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums have been spent by the Police Authority on works to their office accommodation in each of the last three financial years and in the current year to date for which figures are available. [115587]

Mr. Ingram: Sums spent by the Police Authority on works to their office accommodation in each of the last three financial years and the current year to the latest date are as follows:

£
1996-9712,067
1997-9862,597
1998-9929,969
1999-20001,022

Prisoner Release

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his recent decision to suspend the licence of a prisoner who was released under the Good Friday Agreement. [116694]

27 Mar 2000 : Column: 52W

Mr. Mandelson: This was the first time this power has been exercised but should I receive evidence that any other prisoners who have benefited from early release breach their license conditions, I will act immediately.

Prisoners released early in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement are released on license and are subject to strict licence conditions.

For a fixed-term prisoner, these conditions are:



    (b) that he does not become concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland.


I have made it clear that anyone of whom I have evidence that they have breached these conditions would have their license suspended and be returned to custody.

Given the circumstances of the case in question, I had no hesitation in suspending the licence in accordance with the legislation.

The matter has been referred to the Sentence Review Commissioners (the prisoner may apply to them should he wish his case to be reconsidered).

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Church Sales

31. Mr. Paterson: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the Commissioners' policy on the conditions attached to the sale of redundant churches relating to their subsequent use. [114847]

Mr. Stuart Bell: The Commissioners normally impose covenants on the new owner restricting the use to that approved and prohibiting unauthorised architectural changes, the disturbance of any human remains or memorials and demolition.

Common Worship

32. Mr. Swayne: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what estimate the Commissioners have made of the impact of "Common Worship" on the number of vocations. [114848]

Mr. Stuart Bell: Liturgy and fostering vocations are not the direct responsibility of the Commissioners. It is not possible to demonstrate a correlation between new liturgy and the rise and fall in the number of ordinations and ordinands.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Chinese President (State Visit)

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made to his Department by the Chinese authorities regarding the policing of the Chinese state visit last October. [113744]

27 Mar 2000 : Column: 53W

Mr. Battle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) on 28 October 1999, Official Report, column 993W.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings were held between his Department's officials and representatives of police services involved with policing the Chinese state visit. [113745]

Mr. Battle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) on 4 November 1999, Official Report, columns 271-72W. There was one meeting with the Cambridgeshire Constabulary on 1 October 1999.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings were held between his Department and Chinese authorities regarding the policing of the Chinese state visit last October. [113742]

Mr. Battle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) on 4 November 1999, Official Report, columns 271-72W.

Dialogue on Europe

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost to public funds of the training programme for young citizens of the member states who will be attending the launch of the European Commission's Dialogue on Europe. [114135]

Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 March 2000]: The young people taking part in the launch of the European Commission's "Dialogue on Europe" were all participants in the long-standing programme of graduate traineeships with that institution. In 2000, 4.2 million euro have been allocated in the European Union budget for the operation of the traineeships programme.

The launch of "Dialogue on Europe" took place at the biannual welcome event for the new intake of trainees on 1 March 2000. The additional costs to the EU budget are estimated by the Commission at 25,000 euro.

The Government are keen to raise awareness of the European dimension of the work of UK Government Departments, and a secondment to one of the EU institutions serves that aim. Details of "stage" opportunities for UK civil servants are circulated biannually by the Cabinet Office, which also process the applications received. Staff input cannot be reliably quantified, but is not onerous. A maximum of five European Fast Streamers (the UK Government's development programme for British graduates who wish to make a career in the EU institutions) go on a "stage" in each biannual intake. Their salary and allowances while in Brussels are paid by the Cabinet Office.

Tibet

Mr. Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise concerns on human rights abuses in Chinese-occupied

27 Mar 2000 : Column: 54W

Tibet in the United Kingdom's ministerial statements at the United Nations Commission for Human Rights. [115091]

Mr. Hain: I delivered the United Kingdom's opening plenary statement at the Commission on Human Rights on 23 March. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The speech is also available on the Foreign Office website (www.fco.gov.uk).

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received relating to the safety of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his possible release from his captivity; what is the UK's policy on the matter; and if he will make a statement. [115924]

Mr. Battle: We are concerned about the situation of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Dalai Lama's choice as the 11th Panchen Lama, and take every appropriate opportunity to press the Chinese Government to allow access to the boy to verify his health and living conditions. I did so myself when I met the Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, Wang Yingfan, on 9 November 1999, following the disturbing reports that Gedhun had died. We subsequently received a written assurance that he was alive and well.

The Chinese authorities maintain that Gedhun's parents want him to live a normal life and do not want visitors. While accepting the wishes of the parents, we continue to press the Chinese authorities to nominate an independent figure acceptable to the Chinese Government, the parents and the Tibetan leadership to meet with the boy.


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