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Port of Belfast
9. Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on employment at the Port of Belfast. [117379]
Mr. Ingram: I am advised that the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, who are the Harbour Authority for the Port of Belfast, directly employ 133 people at present. Within the Harbour Estate, as a whole, it is estimated that about 15,000 people are employed in a wide range of industrial and commercial activity.
11. Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of the port of Belfast. [117381]
Mr. Ingram: A proposal by Belfast Harbour Commissioners involving the transfer of the Port of Belfast to the private sector, with a view to establishing a public/private partnership, with Government retaining a "golden" share interest, is under consideration. A further option, involving the restructuring of the port while retaining its true port status, is also being examined at present.
Given the vital role of the port in relation to the Northern Ireland economy, its future is a matter of considerable importance not only to the port authority and port users, but also to those in industry and commerce in Northern Ireland.
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Security
10. Mr. Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland. [117380]
17. Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland. [117432]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) on 12 April 2000, Official Report, columns 352-53.
Decommissioning
12. Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of decommissioning under the Belfast Agreement. [117382]
13. Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on arms decommissioning. [117383]
Mr. Ingram: Efforts are continuing to seek a way forward to enable decommissioning to occur as soon as possible. We would urge the IRA to re-engage with the Decommissioning Commission immediately.
22. Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest assessment of the prospects for decommissioning. [117437]
25. Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prospects for decommissioning of terrorist arms and explosives in Northern Ireland. [117440]
26. Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prospects for decommissioning of illegally held terrorist weapons. [117441]
27. Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prospects for decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives in Northern Ireland. [117442]
Mr. Ingram: The Government cannot force decommissioning to occur. It has to be a voluntary, inclusive and consensual process. I hope by 22 May we will have the issue addressed. The all-party consultation process that is now under way is designed to re-build confidence on all sides so that progress can be made.
Young Offenders
14. Mr. Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on developments in the treatment of young offenders. [117384]
Mr. Ingram: The report of the Review of the Criminal Justice system in Northern Ireland was published on 30 March 2000. The report puts forward almost 300 recommendations covering all aspects of the criminal justice system, including a number which deal directly with arrangements for young people who offend. The Government are now consulting with the political parties, the Irish Government, members of the public and those
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working within the criminal justice system. I would welcome my hon. Friend's contribution to the debate on these important issues.
In a separate exercise, a departmental review of the juvenile justice centre estate has been published for consultation. The purpose of this exercise is to determine the number and location of juvenile justice centres needed against a background of a reduced custody population. The consultation period will extend over three months.
Troop Levels
15. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many soldiers were on duty in the Province on (a) the date on which he assumed office and (b) over the Christmas period in 1999. [117430]
Mr. Ingram: Military strengths are recorded on the first of each month and it is therefore not possible to provide an accurate figure for the dates requested. On 1 October 1999 there were 14,552 soldiers in the province and on l January 2000 there were 14,319 soldiers in the Province. These are the nearest available dates to those requested.
The figures quoted are for troops available for duty including part-time Royal Irish soldiers. It is not possible to establish the numbers who were actually on duty on these dates.
Political Developments
16. Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on political developments in Northern Ireland. [117431]
18. Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process in Northern Ireland. [117433]
23. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recent political developments in Northern Ireland. [117438]
Mr. George Howarth: We continue to work in close co-operation with the Irish Government and in consultation with the political parties in Northern Ireland to try to find a way forward which will permit the restoration of the institutions as soon as possible and the implementation of the remaining aspects of the Agreement. Progress continues to be made on the implementation of the Agreement: on 30 March I announced the publication of the review of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland and I expect to
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bring forward proposals to this House before Easter on matters related to the implementation of the Patten Commission's report on policing in Northern Ireland.
Direct Rule
19. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the administrative difficulties arising from restoring direct rule and from a reduced ministerial team. [117434]
Mr. George Howarth: The re-introduction of direct rule, while necessary to safeguard the institutions from collapse, is no substitute for local political representatives, accountable to the people of Northern Ireland, taking decisions about local issues. On Ministerial complement I am content for the time being with this, but should direct rule continue indefinitely, then I would expect the Prime Minister to decide to increase it.
Victim Support
20. Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding organisations claiming to support victims of violence have received (a) from the Government and (b) from EU sources in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [117435]
Mr. Ingram: The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments fund a number of self-help groups, organisations and agencies which support victims of violence and their families. Some of theses organisations do not, however, exist solely to help victims, and there are other organisations which assist victims but do not receive public funding. I have set out the available information on groups which have received funding over the last five years.
With the exception of the NIO's grant to Victim Support (NI) (those sums marked *), payments made by NIO represent 25 per cent. fully additional funding towards projects which have received 75 per cent. funding from the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (EUSSPPR), which began in 1995, and grants for small pilot schemes paid by the Victims Liaison Unit (those marked **). A total grant of £225,000 is being administered on behalf of the Victims Liaison Unit by the Community Relations Council for which a break down in amounts paid to each group is not available until the scheme ends in July 2000.
Funding made available by DOE and the Department of Social Development has been provided through Making Belfast Work.
In addition the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have issued letters to offer to Fair for £5,000 and South Armagh British Victims for £2,500. The amounts are expected to be drawn down from the Rural Development Council.
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