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Management Trainee Assessment Centre

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many companies were invited to tender for the development of the 1999 Management Trainee Assessment Centre; to which company the contract was awarded; what use was made of the materials developed by the contractor; what plans he has for future use of those materials; how much was paid to the contractor for work relating to the 1999 Management Trainee Assessment Centre as a percentage of the initial quoted costs; and if he will make a statement. [117316]

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Mr. Ingram: The contract for the development of the 1999 Management Trainee Interim Assessment Centre was awarded to the same company as has undertaken the development of the 1998 Assessment Centre--ASE Consultants; no use was made of materials developed by the contractor for the 1999 Management Trainee Assessment Centre; there are no plans to make use of these materials in the future; nothing was paid to the contractor for work relating to the 1999 Management Trainee Assessment Centre.

EU Structural Funds

Mr. Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met European Commissioners to discuss EU structural funds allocated to Northern Ireland. [117524]

Mr. Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed EU Structural Funds issues with Commissioner Neil Kinnock, Vice-President of the European Commission, on 25 November 1999. He was scheduled to meet Michel Barnier, Commissioner for Regional Affairs, when he visited Northern Ireland on 4 February 2000 but was unable to do so because of other pressures. However, I represented the Secretary of State on that occasion.

Liam Averill

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if an extradition warrant has been issued for Liam Averill. [117679]

Mr. Ingram: Six warrants of arrest were issued in respect of Liam Averill by Lisburn Magistrates Court on 12 December 1997. It is the Government's normal policy not to comment on extradition proceedings in individual cases.

Security Industry

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what statutory provisions govern the private security industry in Northern Ireland, including nightclub doormen; and who is responsible for their enforcement. [117350]

Mr. Ingram: In Northern Ireland, any individual or employer who wishes to offer security services for reward must hold a certificate issued under Part V of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996. Responsibility for the enforcement of these statutory provisions rests with the Security Policy and Operations Division of the Northern Ireland Office and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

There are no statutory provisions covering the regulation of security staff employed to guard premises owned or occupied by their employer although some local authorities require such persons to be registered with them.

Petrol Stations

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many petrol stations in each council area which abut the Irish Republic ceased to

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trade in motor vehicle fuel in each of the four years prior to 31 March; and what was the rateable value of those stations in each council area in total. [117676]

Mr. Ingram: Information in the form requested is not readily available from government departments and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

Meningitis Vaccine

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many doses of the new meningococcal vaccines have been discarded because of poor storage or distribution conditions at the hospital in Omagh; and what proportion this is of that total vaccine. [117636]

Mr. George Howarth: None.

Civil Service

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those Civil Service positions reserved for British citizens. [117256]

Mr. Ingram: Posts in the Northern Ireland Civil Service are reserved for UK nationals where the post constitutes "employment in the public service" within the meaning of the Treaty of Rome. The assessment is a functional one dependent on the current duties and responsibilities of the post, and is considered as and when necessary, for example, when a vacancy is to be filled by recruitment. Individual or definitive assessments for every post in the Service do not exist.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from whom he has sought legal advice on the exclusion of Irish citizens from Civil Service posts. [117257]

Mr. Ingram: General entry requirements for the Northern Ireland Civil Service, including nationality requirements, are specified by the Department of Finance and Personnel under the direction and control of Ministers. The Department seeks legal advice on these matters, as and when appropriate, from the Departmental Solicitor's Office.

Border Crossings

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in re-opening border crossing points at Knockaginney Bridge and Annaghroe Bridge. [117258]

Mr. Ingram: No progress has been made to date.

Key Persons Protection Register

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he was first informed of the threats to the life of Belfast solicitor Padraigin Drinan; if he will itemise those threats of which he has been informed; if he will itemise incidents that may reasonably be perceived as designed to intimidate the solicitor; on how many occasions and on what dates (a) her home, (b) the premises of her legal practice and (c) her car has been attacked; what steps the RUC have taken to protect the safety of Ms Drinan; and what steps he will take to ensure Ms Drinan is placed on the Key Persons Protection Register. [117262]

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Mr. Ingram: It has been a long-standing convention and practice of successive Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland not to comment on or publicly disclose any matters relating to the personal circumstances and security of specific individuals where those persons are being protected, have been refused such protection or are being considered for protection under the Key Persons Protection Scheme. These matters are by necessity confidential.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals are listed on the Key Persons Protection Register; what is the percentage breakdown of the Register in terms of perceived community origin of key persons; if he will describe the type of risk faced by those on the Register; what are the criteria for a person to be entered on the Register; and what additional protection is available for those persons on the Register [117263]

Mr. Ingram: The Key Persons Protection Scheme exists to provide physical protection measures, at public expense, at the homes and occasionally the workplaces of people in certain jobs and occupations in Northern Ireland whose death or injury from terrorist attack could damage or seriously undermine:

1. the democratic framework of Government;
2. the effective administration of Government and/or the Criminal Justice system; or
3. the maintenance for Law and Order.

The individual must be assessed as being under serious or significant threat.

There are currently 1,260 persons protected by the Scheme.

Records are not maintained on the basis of perceived community origins of persons protected by the Scheme and the information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Malicious Phone Calls

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the RUC in Lurgan to investigate the source of malicious phone calls to business clients of Mrs. Susan Duffy; on what date he was informed that the Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications had traced a malicious call to a registered mobile phone user; how many individuals have been interviewed at this address; and if he will make a statement. [117264]

Mr. Ingram: This matter is currently the subject of an investigation being supervised by the Independent Commission of Police Complaints and it would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Tagging

13. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which categories of offenders are eligible for release from custodial sentences subject to electronic tagging. [116797]

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Mr. Boateng: Prisoners are eligible for early release under the Home Detention Curfew scheme on the basis of the length of their custodial sentence, not the category of their offence. Subject to certain statutory exceptions, prisoners who are sentenced to between three months and four years of imprisonment are eligible for release under the scheme.

Sex offenders required to register under the Sex Offenders Act 1997 are not eligible unless there are exceptional circumstances, and then only with the personal approval of the Director General of the Prison Service.

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