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Theft and Fraud
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what additional security measures are planned by his Department to deter and detect theft and fraud. [31790]
Dr. John Reid: Policies and physical security measures relating to theft and fraud are considered adequate at present. However, they are kept under review and updated as and when the need arises.
Departmental Salary Costs
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit in 2001–02 will be accounted for by salary costs and pension contributions. [32018]
Dr. John Reid: The proportion of the departmental expenditure limit (excluding NDPBs) in 2001–02 accounted for by salary costs and pension contributions is as follows:
- Total departmental expenditure limit—£1,056,836,000
Total salary and pension costs—£113,533,000
Proportion—10.74 per cent. (approx.)
Departmental Leave Entitlements
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the average annual leave entitlement of staff in his Department in each of the last four years. [31747]
Dr. John Reid: The average annual leave entitlement of staff in my department in each of the last four years was 26 days.
Victims of Terrorism
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been made available to support the victims of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland since 10 April 1998. [30415]
Mr. Browne: In response to Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report, "We Will Remember Them", this Government have thus far allocated £18.25 million specifically to help address the needs of Victims of the Troubles. (See breakdown under heading 'funding for victims').
Criminal injuries and damage compensation
In addition, we anticipate that this year alone the bills for criminal injuries and damage compensation to victims of crime in Northern Ireland will be £55 million and £9 million respectively. More than £1.5 billion has been spent in compensation for criminal injuries and damage since 1968–69 (not possible to break these figures down into troubles-related and other crime).
Devolved Administration's contribution
The devolved Administration are also committed to addressing the needs of victims and have so far provided £1.6 million as part of a larger package of EU funding of £6.67 million to victims. They are also currently working
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to put in place a cross-departmental strategy for ensuring that the needs of victims are met through effective, high quality help and services.
Support initiatives for the security forces
Government have made available more than £1 million to the George Cross Foundation to mark the sacrifices and honour the achievements of the RUC. (The George Cross Foundation has taken on responsibility for the establishment of a Garden of Remembrance and a new RUC museum).
Government have established a police fund which aims to bring additional assistance to police officers and their families directly affected as a result of terrorism. From this fund £4.2 million was paid in a tax free, lump sum payment to police widows, widowed prior to November 1982, as a direct result of terrorism.
The Government have funded the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust (PRRT) to a total of £8.1 million (£4.5 million allocated for three year period in March 1999 and £3.6 million allocated for a further two years, 2002–04). The PRRT was conceived to provide assistance aimed at the rehabilitation of ex-officers who were injured on duty and retraining for those leaving or expected to leave the force.
Since publication of Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report "We Will Remember Them" in 1998, over £18.25 million has been made available for victims' initiatives. Funding has so far included:
- £700,000 for a Family Trauma Centre which provides therapeutic service addressing the psychological needs of families and young people.
£300,000 for an Educational Bursary Pilot Scheme—for individuals whose education was directly affected by the Troubles, 350 people received awards.
£3 million to the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund with a commitment of a further £2 million at a rate of £1 million per year for the next two years.
The fund has put in place a number of schemes including:
The Small Grants Scheme
The Chronic Pain Management Scheme
The Respite Break Scheme
The Wheelchair Assessment Scheme
The Amputee Assessment Scheme
The Education and Training Scheme
£225,000 for a Victim Support Grants Scheme (now closed) to assist community groups and voluntary organisations to take forward recommendations in the Bloomfield report.
£6.1 million core funding for groups who support Victims of the Troubles.
£500,000 for initiatives in Great Britain including £250,000 for the Legacy Project. This project aims to identify and meet the needs of Victims of the Troubles living in Great Britain.
£1.5 million over next three years for the development of the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.
£750,000 to fund the re-introduction of the Small Grants Scheme for victims' groups.
£1.5 million over next two years to the devolved Administration's Strategy Implementation Fund to help NI Departments fulfil their commitment to addressing victims' needs.
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Television Sets
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) integrated digital and (b) analogue television sets have been bought by her Department in each of the last 24 months; and if she will publish the guidance given to officials making decisions on television purchases. [33236]
Clare Short: My Department has purchased two television sets in the last two years, both digital. These are being installed in our newly-opened public information area, "infoZone", at our 1 Palace street office.
We have no guidelines specifically on the purchase of televisions.
Burundi
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's aid priorities in Burundi. [32277]
Clare Short: DFID does not have extensive developmental links with Burundi. We are seeking to support international efforts to promote an end to conflict and achieve a secure and lasting peace. We are at the same time supporting humanitarian programmes largely through non-governmental channels. In the current financial year we have committed £1 million for support for emergency health and nutrition programmes, and for the promotion of human rights and political dialogue. We envisage increasing this support during 2002. In addition the UK's share of ECHO's £20 million humanitarian budget for Burundi in 2001 was some £4 million. We have also committed £5.175 million for the implementation of a three-year project tackling the pressing problem of HIV/AIDS in Burundi, and have provisionally allocated US$1 million to the proposed Multilateral Debt Trust Fund for this country.
Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the instances in which her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2000–01. [32040]
Clare Short: During the financial year 2000–01 my Department received 42,171 invoices in respect of goods or services and 40,762 (96.7 per cent.) of these bills were paid promptly. However given the nature of my Department's work and the involvement of our overseas offices in the payment cycle it is more difficult for us to achieve a high level of performance than it is for most other Government Departments.
Ispat International
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received from employees or directors of Ispat International between May 1997 and December 2001; and if she will list them by date and subject. [33112]
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Goma
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made with the distribution of food to those people in Goma affected by the recent volcanic eruptions. [31667]
Clare Short: To date 1,204 tonnes of food have been distributed to people in Goma and surrounding areas affected by the volcanic eruptions. This has met the most urgent needs although the World Food Programme is currently working to improve its capacity to target the most vulnerable. Food monitors are expected to arrive shortly. A further 927 displaced living in the hard-to-reach island of Idjwi are expected to receive their first distribution of food shortly. AAA, a German NGO, is managing the distribution of 23 tonnes of food (beans, maize, oil, salt, sugar). The UK has allocated £2 million to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs, including food.
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