---

New Deal

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible under the new deal for young people in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits. [49606]

Mrs. Liddell: My Department is responsible for the Boundary Commission for Scotland. No new deal for young people appointments have been made by the commission.

20 Jun 2002 : Column 536W

Age Discrimination

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether her Department enforces a maximum retirement age for most staff; and whether it has a policy of not considering applications for employment by persons over a particular age. [59295]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 10 June 2002]: The expected retirement age for staff below the senior civil service is 60 years. Beyond this, staff can be retained on a year-by-year basis if they meet certain criteria. This policy is currently under review. In considering applications for employment my Department does not discriminate on grounds of age.

Longannet Deep Mine

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has held with Scottish Coal on the future of the Longannet deep mine in Fife. [60823]

Mrs. Liddell: Prior to liquidation, I had numerous discussions with Scottish Coal and the constituency Members of Parliament about the future of Longannet mine.

Unpaid Advisers

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her answer of 8 May 2002, Official Report, column 202W, on unpaid advisers, if she will list the steps that were taken to ensure no conflicts of interest arose as a result of this appointment. [62972]

Mrs. Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 19 June 2002, Official Report, column 332W.

Ministerial Training

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much has been spent by her Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years; [52695]

(2) how much has been spent by her Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years. [52741]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 26 April 2002]: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

My Department has incurred no expenditure on either voice coaching or training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arms for Ministers and officials.

Aggregates Tax

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the impact of the aggregates tax on the quarrying industry in Scotland. [63080]

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.

A regulatory impact assessment for the aggregates levy was published at the time of Budget 2000. It is available from the Customs and Excise website.

20 Jun 2002 : Column 537W

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

New Deal

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Advocate-General how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible under the new deal for young people in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits. [49476]

The Advocate-General: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, Official Report, column 535W.

Ministerial Training

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Advocate-General (1) how much has been spent by her Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years; [52735]

(2) how much has been spent by her Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years. [52696]

The Advocate-General [holding answer 26 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, Official Report, column 536W.

20 Jun 2002 : Column 538W

NORTHERN IRELAND

Rape and Sexual Assault

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many rape and sexual assault incidents were recorded in each year since 1993; and how many arrests and how many successful prosecutions were recorded in these years. [60859]

Jane Kennedy: The PSNI record criminal offences in terms of clearance rates as opposed to arrests. The following table indicates the number of sexual offences recorded in Northern Ireland 1993 to 2000–01.

	Total sexual offences	Percentage cleared	Rape/ attempted rape offences	Percentage cleared
1996	1,187	74.1	193	77.2
1994	1,333	88.9	208	69.7
1995	1,697	81.5	259	81.1
1996	1,745	85.0	292	80.5
1997	1,444	85.7	294	80.3
1998–99(19)	1,605	76.1	324	74.4
1999–2000(19)	1,333	75.1	311	75.9
2000–01(19)	1,176	67.8	232	67.7

⁽¹⁹⁾ As recorded under revised Home Office counting rules

The following table provides information on the number of prosecutions and convictions for rape, assault with intent to rape, and indecent assault from 1993 to 1999 (the latest figures available).

	Prosecutions				Convictions
	Rape	Assault with intent to rape	Indecent assault	Total	Rape	Assault with intent to rape	Indecent assault	Total
1993	40	7	121	168	10	3	85	98
1994	43	2	148	193	14	1	98	113
1995	78	0	163	241	24	0	103	127
1996	64	5	194	263	15	0	108	123
1997	60	1	153	214	21	0	87	108
1998	47	1	113	161	18	0	71	89
1999	33	3	86	122	7	1	61	69

Car Crime

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) stinger and (b) similar devices used for the rapid arrest of a speeding vehicle have been purchased by the police in the past five years; and on how many occasions the occupants of stopped vehicles have been (i) arrested and (ii) successfully prosecuted. [60855]

Jane Kennedy: The PSNI has purchased 314 stinger spiked belts (245 of size 4.5m and 69 of size 7.6m) within the past five years. No similar devices have been purchased.

The PSNI advise that recording of the use of stingers was implemented only at District Command level in September last year; therefore arrest statistics over the past five years are not available.

Similarly, prosecution information specifically on persons stopped by the use of stingers is not available.

Advertising

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on press and advertising campaigns in 2001–02; and what the planned expenditure is for 2002–03. [60910]

Jane Kennedy: Details of the Department's (including its agencies but excluding NDPBs) spend on press and advertising is as follows:

	£
2001–02	(20)1,245,114
2002–03	705,000

⁽²⁰⁾ This figure includes publicity costs for the General Election, which explains the difference between the two years.

Staff Numbers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff were employed by his Department on (a) 2 May 1997 and (b) 31 May 2002. [60930]

20 Jun 2002 : Column 539W

Jane Kennedy: Information is not held in the format requested.

Full-time equivalent staff numbers in the Northern Ireland Office, for 1997–98 and April 2002, including civil servants, special advisers and prison governor and uniformed prison officer grades, are as follows:

In 1997–98 there were 4,446 staff employed in the Department.

In April 2002 there were 3,318 staff employed in the Department.

Police Informants (Children)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the use of children as police informants. [60856]

Jane Kennedy: The policy on the use of children as police informants is governed by Part 2 of the Regulations of Investigatory Powers 2000, Sections 29 and 43(8).

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Juvenile) Order 2000 further clarifies this issue.

In addition, the Home Office has draft codes of practice that set out the special safeguards relating to the use of juveniles. Although in draft form, they are widely available and have been used for some time.

---