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NORTHERN IRELAND

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the definition of equal and free access to sexual and reproductive health care as included in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's document, "Making a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland". [12313]

Mr. Browne: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission consultation document refers to:

". . . the right to have equal and free access to sexual and reproductive health care and to information and education relating to sexual and reproductive matters at all levels, free from coercion, discrimination or violence".

Full consideration will be given to the final recommendations made by the Commission when they are presented to the Government next year. If any clarification is needed on any of those recommendations, the Government will seek such clarification at that time.

Abortion

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to assist the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission reconcile different views on abortion in the proposed Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. [12314]

Mr. Browne: In the consultation document published by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on 4 September this year, the Commission specifically excluded the abortion issue from any potential Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Parades Commission

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the line manager is for an authorised officer of the Parades Commission. [11934]

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Jane Kennedy: Authorised officers are self employed individuals contracted to the Parades Commission. Co-ordination of the authorised officers is carried out at Deputy Principal level within the Secretariat.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many authorised officers have been remunerated over the past 12 months; how they are appointed; under what terms; and what has been their individual remuneration. [11932]

Jane Kennedy: Over the course of the past 12 months the Parades Commission has remunerated 15 authorised officers. Recruitment was carried out by the Mediation Network for Northern Ireland on behalf of the Parades Commission. Authorised officers are contracted for a minimum of 100 days per annum and their remit includes mediation, education and community development. Remuneration for authorised officers is currently £10,200 plus expenses per annum.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who decides the appointment of the Parades Commission commissioners, the length of contract and level of remuneration. [11930]

Jane Kennedy: The appointments process is carried out in accordance with the Peach principles, and includes an external scrutiny element.

The posts are publicly advertised in the press and a selection panel meets to consider the applications received and a decision is taken whether to shortlist the candidates or invite all candidates for an interview. Candidates are interviewed by a selection panel, and a suitability submission is prepared for the Secretary of State's final approval of prospective commissioners.

Under the terms of Schedule 1 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 the Chairman and other members of the Commission shall be appointed for a term not exceeding three years subject to the provisions within the Act.

Also under the terms of Schedule 1 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 the Secretary of State may pay to the Chairman and other members of the Commission such remuneration as the Secretary of State may determine.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Parades Commission commissioners indicating their background prior to appointment, their other remunerated public or private posts and the time they are expected to commit to the Parades Commission over the period of one year. [11931]

Jane Kennedy: A list of the Parades Commission members and their backgrounds is available in the Parades Commission's Third Annual Report which was published in June, a copy of which is available in the Library of this House.

An update of Parades Commission members' backgrounds and interests is currently being compiled, and will be available at a later date.

Subject to provisions under paragraph 3, Schedule 1 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998, a person shall hold and vacate office as a member, or as chairman of the

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Commission, in accordance with the terms of his appointment. Remuneration as a member of the Parades Commission is for an average of two days per week.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the travel expenses of the Chairman of the Parades Commission have been since his appointment, broken down by (a) his first year in office, (b) the year to date, (c) travel to/from Northern Ireland and (d) internal travel in Northern Ireland. [11929]

Jane Kennedy: During his first year in office (February 2000-February 2001) £18,546 was incurred on travel. Up to and including 26 October 2001 the figure was £12,449. The amount spent on travel to and from Northern Ireland from the date of his appointment until 26 October 2001 was £21,398. The cost of internal travel in Northern Ireland for the same period was £9,597. These figures do not include travel in London which was unavailable in the format required and would incur disproportionate costs to compile.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the procedure for complaint with respect to the work of an authorised officer of the Parades Commission. [11933]

Jane Kennedy: Any complaints about the work of authorised officers should be made, if necessary in writing, to the Parades Commission.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nights the Chairman of the Parades Commission has spent in Northern Ireland; and what the estimated cost of the provision of overnight accommodation is. [11928]

Jane Kennedy: Since his appointment the Chairman of the Parades Commission has spent 126 nights in Northern Ireland. Rented accommodation is provided at a cost of £8,340 per annum.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Chairman of the Parades Commission was appointed; what his (a) length of contract and (b) level of remuneration is; and what criteria will be used to assess whether his time in office has been successful. [11927]

Jane Kennedy: The Chairman of the Parades Commission was appointed on 19 February 2000 for a period of two years. Remuneration for the Chairman is £50,400 plus expenses per annum. The normal range of factors applying to public appointments will be taken into account in assessing the chairman's contribution.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people the Parades Commission employs, broken down by levels of remuneration. [11926]

Jane Kennedy: The Parades Commission consists of six members each earning £26,000 plus expenses per annum and a Chairman earning £50,400 plus expenses per annum. The Commission is assisted by a Secretariat currently staffed by a total of 11 seconded civil servants. The cost of the Secretariat salaries in 2000–01 was £285,000.

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Paramilitary Violence

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) punishment beatings, (b) punishment shootings and (c) murders there were in Northern Ireland in each (i) week and (ii) month from 1 April to 30 September; and if he will indicate for each

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week and month how many of those crimes were committed by (A) republican, (B) loyalist and (C) other groups. [11992]

Jane Kennedy: Statistics on paramilitary style attacks and murders as a result of the security situation between 1 April 2001 and 30 September 2001 are given in the following tables.

Casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks and murders by attribution 1 April to 30 September 2001 (weekly)

	Paramilitary style shootings		Paramilitary style assaults		Murders
Week	Loyalist	Republican	Loyalist	Republican	Loyalist	Republican
1 April	0	0	0	0	0	0
2–8 April	4	0	2	2	0	0
9–15 April	2	3	3	0	1	0
16–22 April	3	1	0	1	0	1
23–29 April	3	0	1	0	0	0
30 April-6 May	0	0	2	0	0	1
7–13 May	2	0	1	1	0	0
14–20 May	3	2	0	0	0	0
21–27 May	2	1	4	4	1	0
28 May-3 June	2	0	0	2	0	0
4–10 June	4	1	0	0	0	0
11–17 June	0	0	2	0	0	0
18–24 June	5	2	2	0	1	0
25 June-1 July	5	2	1	2	0	0
2–8 July	1	0	3	0	1	0
9–15 July	2	0	1	1	0	0
16–22 July	2	2	7	0	0	0
23–29 July	3	1	2	0	1	0
30 July-5 August	0	3	0	0	0	0
6–12 August	3	3	1	0	0	0
13–19 August	0	2	1	0	0	0
20–26 August	5	5	1	0	0	0
27 August-2 September	2	1	1	2	0	0
3–9 September	2	5	0	0	0	0
10–16 September	3	2	1	2	0	0
17–23 September	0	2	2	0	0	0
24–30 September	3	1	1	0	1	0

Note:

Statistics for the 2000–02 financial year are provisional at this stage and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date.

Casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks and murders by attribution 1 April to 30 September 2001 (monthly)

	Paramilitary style shootings		Paramilitary style assaults		Murders
Month	Loyalist	Republican	Loyalist	Republican	Loyalist	Republican
April	12	4	6	3	1	1
May	8	3	7	7	1	1
June	15	5	5	2	1	0
July	8	5	13	1	2	0
August	10	11	3	1	0	0
September	8	11	5	3	1	0

Note:

Statistics for the 2001–02 financial year are provisional at this stage and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date.

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