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25 Feb 2003 : Column 541W—continued
Consultancy
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body spent on external consultancy in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (planned); and if he will make a statement. [92244]
Jane Kennedy: In the Northern Ireland Office the total reported expenditure on the use of consultants in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (planned) is as follows:
| Department | Agencies | |
|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 403,000 | 185,000 |
| 1996–97 | 309,000 | 253,000 |
| 1997–98 | 352,035 | 99,303 |
| 1998–99 | 479,897 | 469,271 |
| 1999–2000 | 702,223 | 604,894 |
| 2000–01 | 463,569 | 1,040,189 |
| 2001–02 | 2,248,572 | 639,015 |
| 2002–03 | 2,588,864 | (64)93,391 |
(64) Full year estimate on spend to date.
Note:
Figures for NDPBs are not available.
In the Northern Ireland Administration the total (reported) expenditure on use of consultants in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (planned) is as follows:
(65) Planned
Note:
Agencies and NDPBs are included in the above figures which are based on returns from Departments.
25 Feb 2003 : Column 542W
Decommissioning
Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on decommissioning of terrorist weapons. [95775]
Jane Kennedy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, North (Helen Jones) on 5 February 2003, Official Report, column 260.
Operation Ore
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland are being investigated as a result of information received from Operation Ore; and how many have been arrested. [97639]
Jane Kennedy: There are currently 39 people being investigated by PSNI as a result of information received from Operation Ore. To date there have been four arrests and one person charged.
Paper Supplies
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the suppliers are of his Department's (a) paper and (b) paper products. [91911]
Jane Kennedy: In the Northern Ireland Office paper and paper products are supplied by the following contractors:
- Banner Office Supplies Ltd.
Guilbert Niceday
R. W. Pierce & Co.
- Antalis Ltd.
Banner Office Supplies Ltd.
Bunzl Fine Paper (Europe) Ltd.
DMS
Donald Murray Paper
Guilbert UK Ltd.
Premier Paper
Robert Horne Group plc
25 Feb 2003 : Column 543W
Paramilitary Crime
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many crimes have been committed by (a) Loyalist and (b) Republican paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland, (i) since the signing of theBelfast Agreement and (ii) since 1January 2002, broken down by category of crime. [98394]
25 Feb 2003 : Column 544W
Jane Kennedy: The following table provide details of the number of crimes carried out by Loyalist and Republican paramilitary organisations since the Belfast Agreement to 12 February 2003 and from 1 January 2002 to 12 February 2003.
| By Loyalist | By Republican | Other/Not Known | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (i) 10 April 1998 to 12 February 2003 | ||||
| Number of deaths as a result of the security situation(66) | 50 | 47 | 1 | 98 |
| Number of shooting incidents(67) | 809 | 360 | 146 | 1,315 |
| Number of bombing incidents(68) | 678 | 134 | 36 | 848 |
| Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults | 427 | 243 | N/a | 670 |
| Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings | 417 | 223 | N/a | 60 |
| (ii) 1 January 2002 to 12 February 2003 | ||||
| Number of deaths as a result of the security situation(66) | 12 | 4 | — | 16 |
| Number of shooting incidents(67) | 250 | 116 | 25 | 391 |
| Number of bombing incidents(68) | 151 | 48 | 3 | 202 |
| Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults | 96 | 51 | N/a | 147 |
| Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings | 136 | 62 | N/a | 198 |
(66) Includes all deaths due to the security situation.
(67) The following types of incidents are included:
—Shots fired by terrorists;
—Shots fired by the Security Forces;
—Paramilitary style attacks involving shootings;
—Shots heard (and later confirmed);
—Other violent incidents where shots are fired (e.g. armed robbery).
(68) An individual bombing incident may involve one or more explosive devices. The devices recorded include explosions and defusings. Incidents involving hoax devices, petrol bombings or incendiaries are excluded.
Note:
Statistics which include figures for 2002 and 2003 are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.
Police Complaints
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints against the police were received by the ICPC and Police Ombudsman in each year since 1994; how many were upheld; how many case papers were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions; how many prosecutions were initiated; how many were successful; how many internal disciplinary proceedings were initiated; and how many led to action being taken. [94420]
Jane Kennedy: I have asked the Police Ombudsman and the Executive to provide this information and once that is available I will write to my hon. Friend and place copies in the Libraries of the House.
Police Service
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Chief Constable of Northern Ireland may recruit differential numbers of Protestants and Catholics if a differential number of applicants succeed through to the final stage of the process; and if he will make a statement. [97892]
Jane Kennedy: Section 46(1) of the Police Northern Ireland Act 2000 requires the Chief Constable to appoint equal numbers of Catholics and non-Catholics from the pool of qualified candidates. This is the case regardless of whether there are differential numbers of Catholics and non-Catholics in the pool.
However, on any occasion where he is satisfied that the number of trainees required by the Chief Constable could not otherwise be appointed, the Secretary of State is empowered, under sections 46(2) and 46(3) of the Act, to set aside the 50:50 arrangement, by order in Parliament. Before making any such order, the Secretary of State is obliged to consult the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the number of applications for employment in the Police Service of Northern Ireland changed in the year after the introduction of the 50/50 rule; what the figures were for the year immediately prior to the introduction of the 50/50 rule; and if he will make a statement. [97893]
Jane Kennedy: Two recruitment competitions for the Royal Ulster Constabulary were run in 1998. Applicant figures were as follows:
| Launch date | Total applicants |
|---|---|
| March 1998 | 2,825 |
| November 1998 | 3,359 |
There was no further recruitment to the police until 2001. Applicant figures for the two recruitment competitions for the Police Service for Northern Ireland run in that year, in accordance with the 50:50 recruitment arrangements, were as follows.
25 Feb 2003 : Column 545W
| Launch date | Total applicants |
|---|---|
| February 2001 | 7,518 |
| September 2001 | 4,915 |
In their first year of operation, the 50:50 recruitment arrangements enabled the appointment of over 500 police trainees, well in excess of the 370 recommended by the Patten Report.
Written Questions
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will reply to the questions
25 Feb 2003 : Column 546W
tabled on 27 January by the hon. Member for Thurrock, refs 94450 and 94503; and what the causes are of the delay in replying. [99116]
Jane Kennedy: The answer to parliamentary question ref. 95540 was issued on 11 February 2003, the named day specified by my hon. Friend, but it was not printed in the Official Report. It has now been printed—24 February 2003, Official Report, column 8W.
On question ref. 94503 officials are currently endeavouring to trace the relevant records, some of which date back to 1994. I will reply as soon as possible.