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Albania

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with (a) the President of France, (b) the Chancellor of Germany, (c) the Prime Minister of Italy and (d) the Prime Minister of Greece, KFOR's response to Albanian incursion into (i) Macedonia and (ii) Southern Serbia. [152337]

The Prime Minister: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has discussed this issue with his EU and NATO colleagues on 26 and 27 February respectively and with the FRY Foreign Minister on 28 February. We have also remained in close contact with partners in the region including Macedonia.

Performance and Innovation Unit

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Prime Minister if the Performance and Innovation Unit's research into new technologies to address HIV/AIDS in developing countries is considering microbicides; and if he will make a statement. [151630]

The Prime Minister: The Performance and Innovation Unit project, announced on 8 November 2000, is considering how to increase the availability of technologies for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. As part of this, the project is looking at increasing incentives for research and development of new technologies. Technologies being considered include preventative measures such as microbicides as well as treatments.

CABINET OFFICE

Policy and Strategy Units

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when her Performance and Innovation Unit was established; which of its reports are placed in the public

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domain; how many departmental or non-departmental special advisers participate in its work; how many regular (a) non-departmental and (b) departmental staff participate in its work; and how many of these work for the unit on a full-time basis. [150364]

The Prime Minister: I am replying to this question, as it relates to matters for which I am responsible.

I announced the establishment of the Performance and Innovation Unit on 28 July 1998. The PIU provides the Government with a capacity to analyse major policy issues and design strategic solutions. Since then it has published the following reports:



The modernising government White Paper recommended that the PIU examine future strategic challenges. In addition, a research study "Migration: An Economic and Social Analysis" produced by the research, development and statistics directorate of the Home Office, with the assistance of the Performance and Innovation Unit, was published in January 2001. Copies of PIU reports have been placed in the Library of the House of Commons. Details of all completed and current projects can also be found the PIU website.

Most projects are overseen by an advisory group of outside stakeholders and senior Whitehall officials including some special advisers. Details of these groups can be found in the published reports.

The PIU primarily works on individual projects, using small teams drawn from government and across the public, private and voluntary sectors. The unit has about 50-60 staff at any one time. As at 1 March 2001, 10 members of the PIU are permanent employees of the Cabinet Office, 22 are on loan from other Government Departments and 19 have been brought in from the wider public sector and the private and voluntary sectors. All except five members of staff are employed on a full-time basis.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Committee on the Rights of the Child

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what communication he has had

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with other Government Departments concerning his contribution to the UK periodic report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. [150601]

Mr. Ingram: All Northern Ireland Departments were consulted concerning the Northern Ireland Office's contribution to the UK periodic report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Smuggling

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) charged, (b) brought to court, (c) found guilty and (d) given a custodial sentence for smuggling goods across the Irish border in each of the past 10 years; if he will break down prosecutions in each of those years by (i) class A drugs, (ii) class B drugs, (iii) alcohol, (iv) tobacco, (v) petrol, (vi) arms and (vii) videos and musical recordings; if he will break down sentences in each year; and if he will break down arrests in each year by the electoral district in which the arrest was made. [150580]

Mr. Ingram: The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental IT Projects

Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the IT projects currently undertaken in his Department; and if he will state the (a) expected completion date and (b) cost of each project. [151508]

Dr. Reid: The Northern Ireland Office is currently undertaking the following IT projects:

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ProjectCompletion date Cost (£000)
Knowledge NetworkDecember 2001106
Redesign of NIO websiteDecember 200180
IntranetJune 2003500
Replacement hardware for Records Management SystemMarch 200114.5
Forensic Science DNA DatabaseDecember 2001100
Oasis ResilienceMarch 2001127
Oasis Infrastructure Communications linesMarch 2001130
Replace Electoral Register SystemJune 2002300
xGSIJune 2001110
Visitor Records Booking SystemDecember 2001200
COMPASSSeptember 2002£2 million
PRISMDecember 2003£3 million

To ensure probity and value for money, my Department complies with EC public procurement rules, Government accounting rules, national audit requirements and UK Government domestic procurement policy and best practice guidance when contracting for IT projects.

Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the IT projects his Department plans to undertake in the next year; and if he will state in each case the (a) expected date of commencement and completion and (b) cost. [151472]

Dr. Reid: The Northern Ireland Office is currently considering its medium-term IT strategy. Subject to the conclusions of this, it currently plans to undertake the following projects, commencing in the year 1 April 2001-31 March 2002:

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ProjectStart dateCompletion dateCost
Criminal Justice information systems and sharing (£ million)April 2001March 20041.5
Extension of Oasis to compensation agency and tariff scheme (£000)May 2001Stage 1: December 2001 300
Stage 2: March 2002
Integra software upgrade (£000)April 2001August 2001200
Document and records management system (£ million)April 2001December 20031.2
Electronic commerce (£000)April 2001April 200220
PAFIS software upgrade (£000)April 2001August 2001200
YOC access control (£000)April 2001December 200160
Atlas operations (£000)April 2001December 200140

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Ministerial Visits

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Ministers in his Department who visited any of the constituencies which are in the Peterborough unitary authority area between 1 January 2000 and 14 February 2001, indicating in each case (a) the date of the visit, (b) the constituencies included in the visit and (c) if the local hon. Member met the Minister. [151031]

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Dr. Reid: There have been no visits by Ministers in my Department to any of the constituencies in the Peterborough unitary authority area between 1 January 2000 and 14 February 2001.

Normalisation Measures

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list each of the normalisation measures taken in Northern Ireland since 1 April 1998. [150297]

Mr. Ingram: The information is in the table.

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DateBase demolition/closure
12 October 1998Demolition of Crumlin Road Sangar, Belfast
21 October 1998Demolition of R16 roadside Sangar, Newry
23 November 1998Demolition of three Bessbrook PVCP's
January 1999Vacation of six Fermanagh Patrol Bases--Mullan Bridge, Rosscor Bridge, Wattle Bridge, Clonatty Bridge, Annaghmartin, Killyvilly
3 February 1999Demolition of Aughnacloy PVCP
8 February 1999Demolition of Hump PVCP, Strabane
12 February 1999Demolition of Muff PVCP, Londonderry
26 February 1999Demolition of Letterkenny PVCP, Londonderry
April 1998 to April 1999Withdrawal of troops from RUC Stations: Corry Square, Warrenpoint, Castlederg, Carrickmore, Kesh, Rosemount, Andersonstown, Springfield Road
21 May 1999Demolition of Fort Whitrock, Belfast
4 August 1999Demolition of Gortmullan PB, Fermanagh
5 September 1999Closure of Carrickfergus Royal Irish Base
31 December 1999Closure of Castlereagh Holding Centre
May 2000Withdrawal of troops from RUC Pomeroy
16 June 2000Templar House Op, Belfast closed and handed back
21 June 2000Broadway Op, Belfast closed and handed back
4 August 2000Demolition of Boruchi Sangar, Crossmaglen
1 October 2000Closure of Strand Road Holding Centre
8 October 2000Demolition of R16 Base, Cloghoge, Newry completed
8 November 2000Cookstown Royal Irish Base closed and demolished
8 November 2000Demolition work at Fort George, Londonderry complete. Site to be handed over to the Harbour Commissioners
27 November 2000Long Kesh vacated and handed over to contractors for demolition
12 January 2001Demolition of Killyvilly PB completed
17 January 2001Demolition of Wattle Bridge PB completed
19 January 2001Demolition of Rosscor Bridge PB completed

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Other normalisation measures include the return to Land Command of two roulement battalions. Three of the remaining four roulement battalions are now rear-based in GB with elements called to Northern Ireland as and when required.

When the Good Friday agreement was signed there were 18 battalions under the command of the GOC (NI). There are now 15 battalions (six resident battalions, four roulement battalions, and five home service battalions of the Royal Irish).

Also, since the Good Friday agreement, the security forces have been able to return areas of previously requisitioned land to their original owners.

In addition, the police are making increased use of soft-skinned and high-profiled liveried vehicles and beat patrols. Police officers increasingly wear fluorescent jackets and now patrol without Army support in most parts of the Province.


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