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Means-tested Benefits

Mr. Viggers: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list the means-tested benefits available through his Department and the agencies for which it is responsible (a) in May 1997 and (b) now. [182567]

Mr. Lammy: There are no means-tested benefits available through my Department for Constitutional Affairs and its agencies. However, my Department continues to make available, as it did in May 1997, legal aid in civil and criminal matters to those who qualify under the respective schemes. In the case of civil legal aid most legal aid is means-tested; the exceptions are Special Children Act cases and cases before the Mental Health Review Tribunal. Since April 2001, most criminal legal aid has not been means-tested; but the Government have published a draft Bill, the aim of which is to reinstate some means testing.

Ministerial Air Travel

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list for each year since 1997 the number of miles flown by each Minister on official departmental business. [181875]

Mr. Lammy: It is not possible for my Department to provide the full detailed information requested without incurring disproportionate cost.
 
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However, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for 2003–04 is currently being assembled and will be published shortly. All ministerial and civil service travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers, and Civil Service Management Code, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total cost of air travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain was for (a) Ministers and (b) staff in the Department in the latest year for which figures are available. [182110]

Mr. Lammy: Total cost incurred by my Department on air travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain in 2003–04 for (a) Ministers, was £2,131.65 and (b) staff (from the private offices), was £3,264.62.

It is not possible to provide information for staff from other areas of the Department without incurring disproportionate cost.

However, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. All ministerial and civil service travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, Travel by Ministers, and Civil Service Management Code, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Mary Peters Athletic Track

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have to upgrade the Mary Peters athletic track; and if he will make a statement. [182616]

Angela Smith: The Mary Peters track is owned by Belfast city council and it is a matter for the council to determine whether, and if so how, to upgrade it.

Farm Payment Applications

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in respect of each category of farm payments, how many applications, and of what value, were due to have been paid by 30 June but have not yet been paid; and if he will make a statement. [183505]

Mr. Pearson: In Northern Ireland the number and value of farm payment applications due to have been paid by 30 June but that have not yet been paid are broken down as follows.
 
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	Applications unpaid	Value (£ million)
Beef Special Premium	14,320	3.9
Slaughter Premium	2,975	1.7
Suckler Cow Premium	2,204	4.1
Extensification Payment	5,150	11.6

Ombudsman

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to amend legislation to enable Northern Ireland Members of Parliament to submit complaints to the Northern Ireland Ombudsman. [183234]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman relates to specified Northern Ireland bodies, which fall within the competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly. That is why the Ombudsman (NI) Order 1996 makes provision for complaints to be referred to the Ombudsman by Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly rather than Members of Parliament. There are no plans to amend the legislation in respect of referral of complaints to the Ombudsman. Meanwhile, the rights of the citizen to have effective access to the Ombudsman through any of the 108 Members of the Assembly remain in place.

Public Inquiries

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public inquiries are taking place and are planned into the murders of members of (a) the army, both regular and Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Regiment part-time, (b) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and its Reserve and (c) victims of terrorism since 1969. [182966]

Mr. Paul Murphy: In my statement to Parliament on 1 April 2004, I set out the Government's intentions with respect to inquiries following the publication of the reports compiled by Justice Peter Cory. As I said then, Justice Cory's reports raise serious questions which it is right to address further.

I fully acknowledge the sacrifice that members of the security forces have made in the pursuit of peace in Northern Ireland. I am acutely aware of the pain and suffering endured by their families and the families of all the victims of terrorism.

In all cases the Government wants to ensure that the truth is established as far as possible, and that the perpetrators of crime are brought to justice. In most cases the Government believes that criminal investigations represent the best way of achieving this.

Right to Buy

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment the Government have made of the adequacy of the notice given to Housing Executive and housing association tenants that applications to buy
 
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their homes received after 18 May will be subject to new arrangements whenever they are finalised; and if he will make a statement on the new arrangements. [183233]

Mr. Spellar: I am entirely satisfied with the arrangements for consulting about changes to the house sales scheme.

Applications received after 18 May will continue to be processed but will be subject to whatever new arrangements are introduced. The proposed changes, which may be subject to amendment following the completion of the consultation, are designed to take account of the aspirations of tenants to move to owner occupation without compromising the needs of those who continue to depend on social housing.

Sports Institute

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sports are catered for within the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland; and what additional sports he anticipates will be added over the next five years. [182606]

Angela Smith: The Sports Institute for Northern Ireland offers services to athletes from Rugby, Athletics, GAA, Hockey, Motor Sports, Soccer, Cycling, Squash, Snooker, Boxing, Table Tennis, Judo, Rowing, Swimming Ice Skating and Sailing. There are no plans for additional sports to be added over the next five years as it is anticipated that the needs of athletes, rather than the sports to which they belong, will be catered for within the Institute in the future.

Museum of Sea and Sky

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have taken place between Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland and the landowners at Titanic Quarter in relation to the establishment of a Museum of Sea and Sky at that location. [182608]

Angela Smith: MAGNI has been involved in discussion over a period of some two years with Titanic Quarter Ltd. in relation to acquiring a site on or adjacent to the Titanic slipways. The land take required would be approximately 3 acres. Owing to uncertainties about the development mix on the site and the possible change of ownership to a new development company, this issue has not yet been resolved.

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