---

10 Mar 2004 : Column 1497W—continued

Funding

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) lottery funding and (b) public funds have been allocated to Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [158322]

Angela Smith: The Sports Council is responsible for the distribution of funding for sport in Northern Ireland. The total amount of (a) public funds and (b) lottery funding allocated by the Sports Council in each of the last five years is as follows:

	£
Public funds
1999–2000	2,406,970
2000–01	4,423,988
2001–02	3,536,324
2002–03	5,276,074
2003–04(1)	7,472,075
Total	23,115,431
Lottery Funding
1999–2000	7,218,436
2000–01	7,585,022
2001–02	8,254,768
2002–03	7,300,142
2003–04(2)	5,111,326
Total	35,469,694

⁽¹⁾ Estimated to 31 March 2004

⁽²⁾ 1 April 2003 to 31 January 2004

Manufacturing (De-rating)

Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact the phasing out of de-rating on manufacturing

10 Mar 2004 : Column 1498W

industries will have on (a) revenue, (b) profitability, (c) costs and (d) employment within the industry; and if he will make a statement. [157272]

Mr. Pearson: Our assessment on the likely impact of the phasing out of industrial de-rating on the manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland (NI) came from a variety of different sources; for example, studies by DTZ Pieda, Invest NI as well as evidence presented during the public consultation exercise in 2002 by the Enterprise, Trade and Investment and Finance and Personnel Assembly Committees, the CBI and local economists. The policy paper published in April last year included the Regulatory Impact Assessment, New TSN and Equality Impact Assessments. All this evidence was summarised, analysed and considered objectively and the various options were discussed openly with representatives of the business community before a final decision was made.

In terms of revenue, the estimated long-term yield from the rating of the manufacturing sector is around £55 million a year and I refer you to my earlier answer of 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 165W, for fuller detail.

In relation to the specific impact on profitability, costs and employment within the industry, a sudden withdrawal of de-rating could have a potentially detrimental impact on manufacturing business and this is why it is proposed to phase the removal of industrial de-rating from 1 April 2005 with businesses not paying full rates until April 2011. This lengthy phasing out period should ensure that no sustainable jobs are lost. Furthermore, the intention to introduce a hardship scheme that will apply to all businesses where exceptional circumstances exist and work on Government proposals to reduce electricity costs for business are further mitigating measures which will help manufacturing absorb the removal of de-rating.

Money Advice

Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken by the (a) Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and (b) Department of Social Development to modernise the provision of Money Advice; and if he will make a statement. [157271]

Mr. Pearson: The Consumer Strategy for Northern Ireland was published in March 2002. As a result, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment commissioned research into the provision of a suitable framework for the delivery of effective money advice in Northern Ireland. This is now being taken forward within the context of the Department for Social Development's Information and Advice strategy, which is scheduled to be published for consultation in May 2004.

Senior Civil Servant Pay

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the percentage pay award to Northern Ireland senior civil servants was which came into effect on 1 April 2003. [158634]

10 Mar 2004 : Column 1499W

Mr. Pearson: The 2003 increase in pay bill cost for Senior Civil Servants in the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration was 5.37 per cent. The amount received by an individual depended on performance ranking and position on the payband. A separate pay system exists for the Senior Civil Service with increases made on the basis of recommendations made by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body. Unlike other staff groups the Senior Civil Service pay award process does not involve negotiations with trade unions.

Sunbeds

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public leisure facilities in Northern Ireland are equipped with sunbeds; what his Department's policy is on the provision of sunbeds in public leisure facilities in Northern Ireland; and what plans he has to phase out the use of sunbeds in public leisure facilities in Northern Ireland. [156949]

Angela Smith: There is no central register of facilities, including sunbeds, provided at public leisure centres and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

District councils have statutory responsibility for the provision of facilities for recreational, social, physical and cultural activities in their areas. The decision whether or not to provide sunbeds in public leisure centres is a matter for each council.

Ulster Scots

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what margin of error is applied in Northern Ireland to measure demand for Ulster Scots. [159539]

Angela Smith: The 1999 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (NILT) sought to identify the percentage of the Northern Ireland population that spoke Ulster Scots. The questions used in this survey have a margin of error for all sample estimates within the parameters of ±3 per cent.

An example is shown as follows:

	(%) speak Ulster Scots	Standard error of (%)	95% Confidence limits
All	2.0	0.30	1.4–2.6
Gender
Men	2.7	0.56	1.6–3.8
Women	1.4	0.28	0.9–1.9
Age
18–24	0.8	0.64	0–2.1
25–34	1.6	0.67	0.3–2.9
35–44	2.0	0.66	0.7–3.3
45–54	2.0	0.75	0.5–3.5
55–64	1.7	0.82	0.1–3.3
65+	2.9	0.83	1.3–4.5
Religion
Catholics	1.2	0.35	0.5- 1.9
Protestants	2.1	0.43	1.3–2.9
No religion	3.4	1.19	1.1–5.7

10 Mar 2004 : Column 1500W

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attitudinal surveys he has received from bodies other than the Department of Education to measure the demand for the Ulster Scots language and culture in Northern Ireland; and from whom. [159561]

Angela Smith: I am aware of three exercises that have been carried out that might be termed attitudinal surveys to measure the demand for Ulster-Scots. These are:

Questions in the 1999 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (NILT),

Questions in the 2000 and 2001 Omnibus survey (RES) and

A research report undertaken in 2002 by Dunne, Dawson and Morgan.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Licensing Authorities

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list for each licensing authority in England (a) the cost of and (b) the expenditure on liquor and entertainment licensing in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and for each prospective licensing authority and for England what estimate she has made of the annual (i) cost of and (ii) income from liquor and entertainment licensing after implementation of the Licensing Act 2003. [159876]

Mr. Caborn: No figures are kept centrally for the annual cost of, and the annual expenditure on, liquor and entertainment licensing by local authority area. Local authorities have no current responsibility for liquor licensing and fee income goes to the courts. The new arrangements under the Licensing Act 2003 will integrate six existing licensing regimes: liquor, public entertainment, theatre, cinema, late night refreshment and night cafe licensing. We estimate that the income from all these regimes collectively is about £36.8 million annually for England and Wales, if renewal fee income is spread across the period of the renewal (which varies). We estimate that the actual cost of the six regimes to the courts and local authorities involved is approximately £69.3 million annually. Estimates of future expenditure under the new arrangements set out in the Licensing Act 2003 are currently being considered. No final decisions have yet been taken about fee levels and these will affect total income. Fee levels will be set so as to permit full recovery of the costs of administration, inspection and enforcement associated with the licensing regime.

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the timetable is for the transfer of licensing powers from magistrates to local authorities; when she intends to publish national guidance relating to the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement. [159989]

Mr. Caborn: We will be laying the draft Guidance before both Houses for approval shortly. The start of

10 Mar 2004 : Column 1501W

the transitional period, during which existing licence holders may apply to the licensing authorities to convert their existing licences to new premises licences and club premises certificates, is expected to be approximately six months after the date on which Parliament approves the Guidance. During this period of six months, licensing authorities will prepare and publish their statements of licensing policy. The transitional period is expected to last for nine months and, as a result, the Licensing Act is expected to be fully implemented by mid 2005.

10 Mar 2004 : Column 1502W

---