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PRIVY COUNCIL
Congestion Charging
Mr. Tyler: To ask the President of the Council what representations he has received on the exemption of hon. Members from the proposed congestion charge for vehicles entering central London. [48799]
Mr. Robin Cook: I am aware that this is a matter of some concern for Members, but I have received no direct representations.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Terrorism
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the policy of the Government is on an amnesty for those convicted of terrorist offences. [44402]
Dr. John Reid: At the talks at Weston Park last summer, both the Irish and UK Governments recognised that there is an issue to be addressed, with the completion of the early release scheme, about supporters of organisations now on ceasefire against whom there are outstanding prosecutions, and in some cases extradition proceedings, for offences committed before 10 April 1998. Such people would, if convicted, stand to benefit from the early release scheme. The Governments accept that it would be a natural development of the scheme for such prosecutions not to be pursued. Consideration continues of the best way to discharge this commitment.
Murder Inquiries
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 16 November 2001, Official Report, column 938W, if he will name the judge who has been appointed to investigate the cases of Chief Superintendent Breen, Superintendent Buchanan, Lord Justice and Lady Gibson and Billy Wright; and if he will make a statement. [35229]
Dr. John Reid: The Government stand by the commitment made at Weston Park to appoint a judge of international standing to investigate allegations of collusion in the cases of the murders of Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan, Pat Finucane, Lord Justice and Lady Gibson, Robert Hamill, Rosemary Nelson and Billy Wright. It is intended that the investigation of each individual case will begin no later than April 2002 unless this is clearly prejudicial to a forthcoming prosecution at that time. The British and Irish Governments will make an announcement as soon as an appointment is made.
Scheduled Offences
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people convicted of scheduled offences committed before 10 April 1998 are in prison in Northern Ireland. [44325]
Dr. John Reid: There are 11 such prisoners.
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Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland of those people who remain in prison for scheduled offences committed before 10 April 1998 how many belong to (a) Republican groups and (b) Loyalist groups. [44330]
Dr. John Reid: In total there are 11 such prisoners. Information is held for management purposes in relation to the perceived affiliation of prisoners: nine are or were at one time perceived to be associated with Loyalist groups and two with Republican groups.
Released Prisoners
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have been released from prison in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act; and of those how many belong to (a) Republican groups and (b) Loyalist groups. [44329]
Dr. John Reid: As at 15 March 2002, 445 individuals had been released from prison under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act. Information is held, for management purposes, in relation to the perceived paramilitary association of prisoners. 240 individuals were perceived to be associated with Republican groups, 193 were perceived to be associated with Loyalist groups and 12 had no perceived association.
Television Sets
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) integrated digital and (b) analogue television sets have been bought by his Department in each of the last 24 months; and if he will publish the guidance given to officials making decisions on television purchases. [33234]
Dr. John Reid: My Department does not hold centrally or separately the number of television sets purchased. Officials, when purchasing television sets follow general guidance and procedures for all procurement.
Flexible Working
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of the staff of his Department are (a) job sharing, (b) term working and (c) engaged in another form of flexible working. [42417]
Dr. John Reid: Information is not held in the format requested.
The number of people job sharing in the Department is 25, and there are a further 10 in the Northern Ireland Prison Service. This is 2 per cent. of the staff in post.
The number of people engaged in part-time working in the Department is 116, and there are a further 27 in the Northern Ireland Prison Service. This is 8 per cent. of the staff in post.
Manpower
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff have been employed by his Department in each of the last 10 years. [42464]
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Dr. John Reid: Full time equivalent staff numbers in the Northern Ireland Office, for the last 10 years, including civil servants, special advisers and Prison Governor and uniformed Prison Officer grades are as follows:
| Staff numbers | |
|---|---|
| 1991–92 | 5,752 |
| 1992–93 | 5,683 |
| 1993–94 | 5,747 |
| 1994–95 | 5,705 |
| 1995–96 | 4,779 |
| 1996–97 | 4,590 |
| 1997–98 | 4,446 |
| 1998–99 | 4,232 |
| 1999–2000 | 3,929 |
| 2000–01 | 3,306 |
Public Service Agreements
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the public service agreement targets which have been revised and those which have been introduced since the publication of the 2001 departmental report. [43255]
Dr. John Reid: I can confirm that none of my Department's existing PSA targets have been revised and no new targets introduced for the public service agreement since the publication of the 2001 departmental report.
Creche Facilities
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. [44862]
Dr. John Reid: Although the Northern Ireland Office does not provide creche facilities for its staff, it does provide assistance with the cost of child care to staff with pre-school aged children. In the last financial year the Department and its agencies have assisted 154 staff at a total cost of £114,000.
Parental Leave Directive
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the (a) financial costs and (b) benefits to his Department of the Parental Leave Directive. [42481]
Dr. John Reid: The information is as follows:
- (a) There are no financial costs as parental leave is unpaid.
- (b) The benefits include meeting staff needs, raising staff morale and ensuring the retention of experienced and trained staff.
Consultants
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost to his Department was of the use of external consultants in each of the last four years. [35020]
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Jane Kennedy: Details of the Department's (including it's agencies) total expenditure on the use of external consultants in each of the last four financial years are:
- 1998–99: £254,080
1999–2000: £486,622
2000–01: £361,971
2001–02: £1,955,910 (to date. There is substantial increase in this financial year due to numerous new IT projects).
Golden Jubilee
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what events (a) he is and (b) other Ministers in his Department are planning to attend as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations; and what events his Department is planning to arrange to celebrate the Golden Jubilee. [33252]
Dr. John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 11 February 2002, Official Report, column 59W.
Mobile Telephones
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, for 1997–98 and for each subsequent financial year, the amount spent (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) its non-departmental public bodies on (1) providing mobile telephone equipment, including handsets and other associated equipment, (2) telephone calls made using such equipment and (3) telephone calls made using privately owned mobile telephones but subsequently reclaimed by (x) Ministers and (y) staff. [34395]
Dr. John Reid: Details of the Department's (including it's agencies, but excluding NDPBs as we do not have access to breakdown of their expenditure) total expenditure on mobile telephones and calls in each of the last five financial years are:
| Line rental | Call charges | Mobiles and equipment | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 36,498 | 38,293 | 14,275 | 89,065 |
| 1998–99 | 33,882 | 69,224 | 4,431 | 107,537 |
| 1999–2000 | 43,175 | 45,519 | 5,652 | 94,346 |
| 2000–01 | 64,297 | 29,172 | 3,314 | 96,783 |
| 2001–02 | 49,457 | 22,726 | 2,587 | (4)74,770 |
(4) To 31 January 2002.
Note:
Estimate for full year equals £89,724
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of costs for UK/abroad. We do not hold any information on reimbursement for business calls made on private phones.
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