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High Technology/Telecommunications Industries

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken to support Northern Ireland's (a) existing and (b) new (i) high technology and (ii) telecommunications industry and entrepreneurs; and if he will make a statement. [128294]

Mr. Pearson: Invest NI has focused significant resources in these areas in its overall drive to support existing companies to become more innovative and competitive and to encourage the formation of new, entrepreneurial, business starts. Support for existing hi-tech and telecommunications companies during 2002–03 resulted in companies bringing forward business proposals representing a total investment of almost £109 million, against which Invest NI offered £14.3 million in support. In addition, the Agency assisted the formation of 74 new, potentially high growth companies in these sectors.

In driving forward this work, Invest NI uses a broad range of measures designed to help all companies, both existing and new starts, increase their capability. These include fostering greater innovation, increasing levels of R&D, developing external trade and utilising a variety of other business improvement tools.

During its first year of operation, Invest NI played a key role in establishing the Northern Ireland Science Park and it also provided £26 million to assist the establishment of 17 centres of research excellence, the majority of which are focused on high technology sectors. In addition, Invest NI has drawn up a series of Sector Strategies aimed at maximizing the economic development potential for a range of industrial sectors including hi-tech and telecoms.

This work provides an important demonstration of Invest NI's commitment to engage with companies, higher and further education establishments, centres of research excellence, science parks and other research organisations in developing hi-tech start-up businesses. In addition Invest NI is working closely with the education sector and others to encourage entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland.

Horses

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether horses in Northern Ireland are defined as agricultural animals by Northern Ireland Departments; and if he will make a statement. [R] [128420]

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Mr. Pearson: Under NI legislation, the horse is not classified as an agricultural animal. This mirrors the position in the other parts of the UK.

The Report "Vision for the future of the agri-food industry" included a number of recommendations relating to the equine sector. One of these was that the redesignation of the horse as an agricultural animal should be pursued in the longer term. In the Vision Action Plan which I published in November 2002, I highlighted that there were wider issues to consider and that these would be discussed with the industry in due course.

I have recently established an Equine Stakeholder Group, one of whose early tasks will be to advise on a comprehensive study of the equine industry in Northern Ireland. This will run in tandem with a similar study in Great Britain. The designation of the horse will be an aspect of both studies.

The overall rating system in Northern Ireland is currently subject to a major policy review. A Policy paper on existing and potential non-domestic reliefs and exemptions will be published in late autumn. That paper will include consideration of the need for the introduction of any exemption or relief for the equine industry.

Lisburn Health and Social Services Trust

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further steps will be taken by the (a) Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and (b) Eastern Health and Social Services Board to address the funding imbalance of the Down Lisburn Health and Social Services Trust; and if he will make a statement. [128311]

Angela Smith: A target has been set, by the Department, in "Priorities for Action 2003–04", that all HSS Boards should have strategies to address locality equity issues prepared by March 2004 and work is ongoing on this. I understand that the Eastern Health and Social Services Board intend to publish their latest assessment of the locality equity position within their area in the autumn. It is their policy, endorsed by the Department, to ensure that existing services are maintained and to address equity issues by levelling up resources through skewing new money to populations that are currently receiving less than their target share. For example the population of the Down Lisburn area gained by some £1.5 million through such a skewing strategy in 2003–04. It should be noted that equity assessments are based on the needs of a population living in an area and not on the funding of any specific Trust.

Locality equity is a priority for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety but it must be balanced by the need to ensure that existing service provision is not destabilised. This results in change being phased in over a period, usually some 3–4 years.

Literacy/Numeracy

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken by

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Northern Ireland Departments to address adult basic literacy and numeracy problems; and if he will make a statement. [128280]

Jane Kennedy: The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) launched the Essential Skills for Living Strategy and Action Plan in October 2002. The strategy aims to support 25,000 adults to improve their literacy and numeracy skills by 2005.

The Department has established an Essential Skills Committee comprising key stakeholders from Government Departments, business and industry, the further education sector and the voluntary and community sector to take the strategy forward. It has developed also a framework of qualifications through the universities for all levels of essential skills tutors. During 2002–03, Queens University successfully delivered the Certificate in Management and Teaching of Literacy to 70 tutors and a further 66 have enrolled for the course in 2003–04. The Department launched a major promotional campaign in May 2003, with the aim of engaging a wide range of learners to improve their essential skills.

Plans are in place to liaise with the Northern Ireland Departments to ensure essential skills is taken into account in the design and delivery of their policies and programmes. The Department of Finance and Personnel, for example, is developing a strategy and action plan for the delivery of essential skills throughout the Northern Ireland civil service. The Northern Ireland Prison Service has worked with DEL to enhance essential skills provision for prisoners and the Social Security Agency has been actively involved in considering new approaches to encourage benefit claimants to improve their essential skills. Pilot exercises using financial incentives and new essential skills screening tools are planned for January 2004.

Northern Ireland Fishing Task Force

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by the Northern Ireland Fishing Task Force; and when it intends to publish its overall findings. [113488]

Mr. Pearson: As a response to the December 2002 EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council decision, and the NI fishing community's reaction to it, I set up in January a Taskforce for South Down which is made up of officials from relevant NI Government departments, local councils and representatives of both the fish producers and processors to consider the wider socio-economic effects of the Council decisions and to identify whether there were more steps Government might take to address particular difficulties.

To help inform its work, the Taskforce undertook a consultation exercise with public meetings in Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie. In addition Taskforce representatives have met with the Tri-Council Fisheries Working Group and with the NI Fisheries Harbour Authority. The Taskforce has also received 15 written submissions. A survey of producers and processors is also being undertaken to obtain information and views from the industry.

The Taskforce will be assessing all the information collected and views received with a view to publishing its findings in the summer.

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Finally, the Taskforce will also be following closely the work of the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit established by the Prime Minister to look at the medium to long-term issues facing the UK sea fishing industry. I am a member pf the Steering Group for this exercise. Along with the local representatives on the Stakeholder Advisory Group I shall ensure that the Northern Ireland perspective is properly covered in the Strategy Unit's work.

Policing Board/Northern IrelandHuman Rights Commission

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding between the Policing Board and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and if he will place a copy of the memorandum in the Library. [114149]

Jane Kennedy: The Policing Board is committed to developing and maintaining effective working relationships with all other statutory authorities, including the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. It is committed to meeting its statutory duty of carrying out all its functions having regard to the need to co-ordinate its activities and co-operate with other statutory authorities.

The Policing Board has not entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with any statutory authority and is content that it can play its part in maintaining working relationships, including with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, without the need for a Memorandum of Understanding.

This issue was most recently discussed at a meeting between representatives of the Policing Board and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission when both parties gave a commitment to follow good practice in sharing relevant documents and research; where appropriate to consult over and above legislative requirements, and to assist one another in the fulfilment of those statutory duties that relate to human rights issues.

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