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Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
11. Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the work of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and if he will make a statement. [2882]
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Mr. Browne: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent body, and as such it is for the Commission itself to determine its work programme. It is not appropriate for me to comment on this. I do, however, welcome the start that the Commission has made in establishing itself, and hope that it will continue to build on this in the future.
Terrorist Organisations
(Political Representation)
17. Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the inclusion of political representatives of armed terrorist organisations in the Government of Northern Ireland. [2888]
19. Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the inclusion of political representatives of armed terrorist organisations in the Government of Northern Ireland. [2890]
Dr. John Reid: The policy of this Government is to facilitate the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, including its provisions on the constitutional settlement. For as long as each member of the Executive is appointed to their post under the terms and conditions set out in the Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998—including their commitment under the Pledge of Office to exclusively peaceful and democratic means—they have a legitimate right to hold that position. Safeguards in the Agreement and the legislation also ensure that if a Minister loses the confidence of the Assembly, Members may vote in favour of an exclusion motion and remove them from office. The Government support these provisions.
Terrorist Violence
21. Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland. [2892]
Jane Kennedy: The Government believe on balance that the main cease fires are holding. However, there remains a serious threat to the peace process from dissident republicans who have been responsible in recent months for a number of attacks including the use of Mark 15 "Barrack Buster" mortars, bomb attacks containing up to 1000lbs of explosives and various booby trap devices. Loyalists are believed responsible for the recent murder of Ciaran Cummings and pipe bomb attacks in nationalist areas.
Both loyalists and republicans seek to exercise control over their own communities by carrying out attacks and acts of intimidation. So far this year there have been 184 such attacks: 118 by loyalists and 66 by republicans.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
18. David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of the RUC full-time reserve. [2889]
22. Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the future of the RUC reserves. [2893]
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Jane Kennedy: Discussions with the Police Federation of Northern Ireland on the application of the severance arrangements, retraining etc. are on-going. The next implementation step in the process of phasing out the Full Time Reserve will be notification of the non-renewal of contracts. Subsequent to the first recruits to the Police Service of Northern Ireland completing their training early in 2002, the prevailing security situation and policing requirements will be reviewed. Subject to that review, the notification of the non-renewal of contracts will begin.
Terrorism
24. Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the dismantling of the structures of terrorism in Northern Ireland since April 1998. [2895]
Dr. John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis), on 18 July 2001, Official Report, columns 271-72.
Political Parties (Talks)
25. Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the outcome of his most recent talks with the political parties in Northern Ireland. [2896]
Dr. John Reid: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend for Crosby (Mrs. Curtis-Thomas), on 18 July 2001, Official Report, column 277.
RUC Chief Constable
26. Mr. Savidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Chief Constable of the RUC; and what was discussed. [2897]
Dr. John Reid: I regularly discuss a range of issues with the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. It would not be appropriate to give details of these discussions.
Human Rights
27. Mr. Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action the Government have taken to improve human rights in Northern Ireland. [2898]
Mr. Browne: The Human Rights Act 1998 put in place significant safeguards to ensure the protection of rights throughout the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. In addition, specific measures were put in place to protect human rights in Northern Ireland by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 as part of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. These include ensuring that the devolved Assembly has no power to make legislation that is incompatible with the European Convention of Human Rights; and the creation of a new Human Rights Commission for Northern Ireland.
Political Situation
30. Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the political situation in Northern Ireland. [2901]
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Dr. John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mrs. Curtis-Thomas), on 18 July 2001, Official Report, column 277.
HEALTH
Children's Hospices
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that children's hospices receive the same level of public funding as adult hospices. [2247]
Yvette Cooper: Children's hospices have an important role in supporting children with life threatening illness and their families. Provision has been made for them to receive funding from the National Health Service. The level of funding for individual hospices, which provide for the needs of either children or adults, is a matter for local discussion and agreement, based on local health needs assessment.
Foot and Mouth
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential impact on vCJD in the human population as a result of exposure to the BSE agent following the burial of infected carcases during the foot and mouth epidemic. [3074]
Yvette Cooper: The Environment Agency issued guidelines on 26 March advising that no cattle over five years of age, which are at greater risk of BSE, should be buried. But before these guidelines took effect, it is estimated that up to 10,000 cattle aged over five years may have been buried. The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), the Government's advisory body on BSE and CJD, has considered disposal issues arising from foot and mouth on a number of occasions, including at a special meeting on 24 May 2001. A news release summarising the outcome of that meeting states:
- "The sites where over five year cattle may have been buried would need to be examined on a case by case basis, and appropriate risk assessments carried out. It was likely that most body fluids would already have leaked out of the carcases which would no longer be intact. Digging up the remains would itself create significant risks—for example of bringing deep soil to the surface—that would need to be taken into account in any assessment. Overall, the number of BSE infected carcases across all sites—let alone any particular site—would be small. The risk from any individual site would, normally, be small and should be kept in perspective."
Advocacy in Mental Health
Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the results of the research by Durham University into the role of advocacy in mental health; if the results will be published; and if the Government will consult on the findings. [2959]
Jacqui Smith: The Department has received a draft copy of the report from Durham University. We expect to receive the final version later this summer. We are
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planning to publish the findings. The report, which will contain the findings of the research commissioned by the Department, will be used to inform discussions with interested parties in the development of the independent specialist advocacy services and the standards that will be drawn up for them.
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