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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General when the Victims Charter was last revised. [35963]
Mr. Keith Bradley: I have been asked to reply.
The Victims Charter was last revised in 1996, and is currently under review. A new Charter, or equivalent document, will take account of recent developments, and will reflect the Government's success in improving support and services for victims.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on how the balance of serious crime and minor crime changed since 1992 as a percentage of total crimes committed. [35948]
Mr. Denham: I have been asked to reply.
According to the British Crime Survey (BCS), the proportion of violent crime was 18 per cent. in 1991, 20 per cent. in 1993 (there was no survey undertaken in 1992), and 20 per cent. in the year 2000. The British Crime Survey also shows that the number of violent offences has decreased by 28 per cent. between 1993 and 2000.
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Mr. Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the Royal Warrant for the Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal. [37658]
Dr. John Reid: I am pleased to inform my hon. Friend that the Royal Warrant for the Northern Ireland Prison Service Medal was published today and I have placed copies in the Libraries of the House.
I am delighted that the staff of the Northern Ireland Prison Service are being recognised for the invaluable work they have carried out on behalf of the community over the last 30 years, often at great personal cost.
Twenty nine officers have been murdered and others, and their families, subjected to threats and intimidation. Despite that they have continued to act professionally and have provided an invaluable service to all the people of Northern Ireland.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public funding has been
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provided to the legal representatives of the families appearing at the Saville Inquiry, broken down by each (a) barrister and (b) firm of solicitors involved. [34444]
Mr. Browne: The payments made to the legal representatives appearing at the Bloody Sunday Inquiry on behalf of the families or the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) are set out in the following
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table. The figures include VAT, where that is paid, and, in most cases, expenses as well as fees.
The figures represent the position as at 12 February 2002. The prospective Judicial Review on Barristers' fees and the prospective judgment of the Senior Costs Judge on Solicitors' fees could affect the level of payments already made in respect of the period of work covered.
Period covered | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Payments made (£) | From | To | ||
Senior counsel representing the families(19) | ||||
Lord Gifford | 309,944 | October 1998 | September 2001 | |
Arthur Harvey | 398,855 | July 1998 | November 2001 | |
Michael Lavery | 215,317 | November 2000 | December 2001 | |
B. J. MacDonald(20) | 142,101 | September 1998 | September 2000 | |
P. T. MacDonald(21) | 65,800 | April 1998 | June 1999 | |
Michael Mansfield | 296,857 | March 1999 | October 2001 | |
Elish McDermott | 105,309 | March 2000 | June 2001 | |
Seamus Treacy(22) | 370,301 | March 1998 | June 2001 | |
Senior counsel representing NICRA | ||||
Sir Louis Blom-Cooper | 190,647 | December 2000 | December 2001 | |
Junior counsel representing the families | ||||
John Coyle | 213,931 | September 1999 | May 2001 | |
Fiona Doherty | 92,967 | October 2000 | May 2001 | |
Ciaran Harvey | 165,969 | December 2000 | November 2001 | |
Richard Harvey | 101,463 | October 2000 | March 2001 | |
Brian Kennedy | 303,498 | July 1999 | November 2001 | |
Philip Magee(23) | 83,175 | June 1998 | September 2000 | |
Kieran Mallon | 361,005 | March 1999 | December 2001 | |
Brian McCartney | 319,512 | July 1998 | June 2001 | |
Karen Quinlivan | 84,169 | March 1999 | June 2000 | |
Patricia Smyth | 241,096 | October 1998 | September 2001 | |
Michael Topolski(24) | 139,940 | November 2000 | June 2001 | |
Junior counsel representing NICRA | ||||
Paddy O'Hanlon | 101,106 | November 2000 | January 2001 | |
Solicitors representing the families(25) | ||||
Barr and Co. | 170,061 | February 1999 | August 2001 | |
Brendan Kearney | 531,452 | July 1999 | November 2001 | |
Desmond Doherty and Co. | 553,320 | November 1998 | December 2001 | |
MacDermott and McGurk | 529,944 | November 1998 | December 2001 | |
Madden and Finucane | 4,511,193 | January 1998 | November 2001 | |
McCann and McCann | 183,834 | October 1998 | December 2001 | |
McCartney and Casey | 535,084 | November 1998 | December 2001 | |
Solicitors representing NICRA(26) |
(19) In addition, the following senior counsel have represented/are representing some of the families but have yet to submit fee claims: Kevin Finnegan, Eoin McGonigal, Declan Morgan and Reg Weir.
(20) Left the case (as a junior) in September 2000 and rejoined the case (as a senior) July 2001.
(21) Left the case June 1999.
(22) Having started as a junior in March 1998, became a senior counsel in September 2000.
(23) Left the case September 2000.
(24) Left the case June 2001.
(25) Includes payments made in respect of witness statement-taking work.
(26) The firm of solicitors representing NICRA, Francis Keenan, has yet to submit a claim for payment.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees in his Department who regularly use computers have taken up the provision of a free eye test; and how this service is advertised to (a) current and (b) new staff. [36684]
Dr. John Reid: 115 officers who regularly use computers have taken up the provision of a free eye test since 1 April 2001.
As eyesight testing procedures are revised staff are notified by an internal circular.
New staff are advised of the provision of free eye tests at the induction session, which takes place within two weeks of an officer joining the Department.
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total expenditure of his Department on IT systems and support in each year
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from May 1997 to date; how many IT contracts have been let in each of those years; of the other main contracting party in each of those contracts, how many have been (a) companies whose registered office is in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland and
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(b) foreign companies; and what are the names of the companies falling within category (a). [33672]
Dr. John Reid: The following table relates to contracts exceeding £50,000.
Year | England and Wales | Northern Ireland | Total IT systems and support expenditure (£) |
---|---|---|---|
199798 | Ramick Computing (NI) Ltd. | 3,048,148 | |
199899 | Bull Information Systems Ltd. | 2,030,657 | |
HCP Electronics | |||
EDC Communications | |||
19992000 | Compaq Computers Ltd. | 4,050,710 | |
Hallmark Solutions (NI) | |||
Core Systems | |||
Sanderson (NI) Ltd. | |||
200001 | Pecaso Ltd. | 5,848,049 | |
Photobase (UK) | |||
Elite Training | |||
200102 | PA Consultants Ltd. | (27)2,686,083 | |
Partnerships UK | |||
Compaq Computers Ltd. | |||
ICS Computing Ltd. |
(27) Estimate, figures unavailable until the end of this financial year
No contracts have been let to companies in Scotland or abroad except a contract with Microsoft (2000) where the contract office is Dublin.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress with the Public Service Agreement target of increasing Catholic representation in the police service. [24834]
Jane Kennedy: The response from the Catholic community to the recruitment competitions for the Police Service of Northern Ireland has been very positive. At present this is enabling the chief constable to appoint significantly greater numbers of recruits on a 50 per cent. Catholic 50 per cent. non-Catholic basis than was envisaged by the Independent Commission on Policing. The recruitment arrangements will be kept under regular review, with regard to the progress made towards achievement of a police service which is representative of the Northern Ireland community.
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