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Public Inquiries

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy) : On 1 April I announced the establishment of three public inquiries, into the deaths of Robert Hamill, Billy Wright and Rosemary Nelson. I will be publishing a report today setting out the principles that will govern these inquiries and the progress made in establishing them. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

These inquiries are being established because it is essential that all people in Northern Ireland can have confidence in integrity of the state and its institutions. Where there are serious allegations of wrongdoing, it is important that the facts are properly established. The Government will continue to press ahead with the detailed arrangements for the inquiries, including the appointment of chairmen, as quickly as possible.

As I have said previously, it is also important that we find a way in Northern Ireland of dealing with the past in a way that recognises the pain associated with it without allowing it to destroy all hope of a better future. Throughout the summer, I will be considering the options for doing this, taking on board the views of a range of experts, with a view to wider consultation in the autumn.

Regional Development Strategy(Annual Report June 2004)

The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. John Spellar) : Earlier today I placed in the Libraries copies of the annual report on the implementation of the regional development strategy for Northern Ireland 2025 (RDS) covering the period 2002–03.

Annual reporting on the implementation of the RDS involves assessment of progress being made against a number of critical threshold indicators, and each of the strategic planning guidelines (SPGs) contained within the strategy. Measuring the relevant outcomes assesses progress against each of the SPGs. To measure these outcomes data is collected from Government Departments.

The monitoring section of the annual report covering the period 2002–03, deals with measured outcomes against each of the SPGs for that period. It is my intention however to publish a further report in November 2004 that will bring reporting up-to-date since September 2001. The November report (there after published biennially) will comment on measured outcomes up to March 2004, and will deal in more detail with any key trends, which have emerged over the three-year period since September 2001. This will be important in the context of the work that the Department has commenced on the 2005–06 focused assessment of the RDS.

Earlier in the year I committed to a review of the regional housing allocations. A three-month consultation exercise commenced in May 2004. The work is in two stages. Firstly it will involve an assessment of household formation. The Northern Ireland statistics and research agency on behalf of the Department are taking this work forward. This may result in a revised regional housing figure. Consideration will also have to be given to factors such as vacancy, second homes and housing stock loss.
 
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The second stage will include an assessment of the appropriate level of housing allocation for district councils. This will take account of local factors that impact on housing need and any changed circumstances since the original figures were prepared. Given the complexity and sensitivity of projecting housing need, consideration will be given as to how these figures are used; the outcome from the housing review process will be fed into the focused assessment. It is possible that this review of housing allocation figures will point to the need for a specific adjustment of the RDS rather than action by third parties. The focused assessment process will provide the opportunity for necessary publicity and consultation.

The focused assessment will require consideration of all strategic guidance within the RDS using up-to-date data in the context of current Government policy. However, the focused assessment is not a full review. Any adjustments will be considered in the context of the guiding principles and the strategic direction that is set out in the spatial development strategy. The focused assessment process will also include open and participative engagement with stakeholders and consultation as appropriate.

The success of the RDS will be determined by the extent to which its policies and actions are implemented. Implementation is, however, a very complex process involving a wide variety of public and private organisations, businesses, voluntary and community organisations and individuals. Many of the policies can only be implemented through individual Departments and their strategies. Chapter 13 of the RDS sets out the elements of the delivery mechanism.

However the Department has been heavily engaged in developing the participative approach to Implementation by engaging a wide range of stakeholders in the public and private sectors and in the community. During the year 2003–04 the Department has facilitated a series of sub-regional seminars for the North West, the South East, the rural West and the North West. Reports of proceedings in these events will be published as a record of the action agenda proposed for each sub-region. The Department is now engaged with representatives of the organisations attending the seminars to agree a suitable structure for continuing engagement in tracking RDS progress and local strategic priorities.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Enemy Property Payment Scheme (Closure)

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Patricia Hewitt) : The UK Government scheme to pay compensation to victims of Nazi persecution whose property was confiscated during the second world war under the trading with the enemy legislation will close on 31 August 2004. Lord Archer of Sandwell, the chairman of the enemy property claims assessment panel has reported to me that the panel is nearing the end of its work and at my request advised on how the scheme should be wound up. After consulting with the various interested parties, he has recommended that 31 August would be an appropriate date to wind up the scheme. He has also recommended that the panel should
 
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continue to advise on an ad hoc basis on any claims received after that date. I am pleased to accept all his recommendations, and I have placed a copy of his report in the Libraries of both Houses.

Under wartime legislation, the Government confiscated all assets in British territory owned by residents of enemy countries. The enemy countries included Nazi Germany and its allies, as well as countries occupied by them. After the war, the assets of the occupied countries were released from British Government control but the assets of the belligerent countries were distributed to British creditors whose assets had been confiscated by the enemy countries. An exception was made for victims of Nazi persecution and soon after the war, Nazi victims or their heirs could claim the return of their assets.

In Spring 1997, following public concern that there were still many assets belonging to victims that had not been returned, the British Government published research on the history of the administration of enemy property and placed on the internet at www.enemyproperty.gov.uk a database of the assets seized from residents of belligerent enemy countries. A major problem was that many of the individual files had been destroyed and it was not obvious which of the assets had been returned. However the Government believed that the injustice had to be addressed and asked Lord Archer of Sandwell in June 1998 to advise on the design of a compensation scheme. The Government subsequently accepted Lord Archer's recommendations and the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced in December 1998 a compensation scheme administered by an independent enemy property compensation advisory panel (EPCAP).

EPCAP launched the enemy property payments scheme in April 1999 under the chairmanship of Lord Archer of Sandwell, sitting with two teams of assessors expert in finance and ethnic minority issues. They have considered nearly 1100 applications for compensation and 377 claims have been assessed as qualifying for payment and a total of £16.2 million paid to claimants for assets that were confiscated. Claims have been submitted from all parts of the world and oral hearings were convened for those cases that proved difficult to resolve. A separate adjudicator, Sir Christopher Staughton, was appointed to consider appeals against EPCAP's decisions. He considered 52 appeals, and found in favour of 15.

Some 220,000 assets were confiscated and either sold or returned to the original owners. The only material asset that remains is a gilt bracelet and diamond tie-pin. We know that these belonged to Marck Kellermann, a brush salesman from Bratislava in the former Czechoslovakia. Despite the best efforts of the panel, it remains unclaimed. I am pleased to announce that the Imperial War museum is in discussions with my officials about the safekeeping of the jewellery until such time as Mr. Kellermann's heirs come forward or are found.

I am very grateful to Lord Archer and his team of assessors and to the appeal adjudicator for their work in resolving a long running difficult issue that has previously been neglected by successive governments.

 
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