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20 Jul 2004 : Column 192W—continued

Working Tax Credits (Recovery of Overpayments)

Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the number of low paid workers who give up work due to inability to afford child care places consequent on the reclaiming of overpaid working tax credits; and what his assessment is of the impact on business. [184718]

Dawn Primarolo: The data available to the Inland Revenue do not include information about the reasons for individual tax credits recipients moving out of work.
 
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NORTHERN IRELAND

Andersonstown News Group

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) nature and (b) extent of the application for funding made by the Andersonstown News Group to Invest NI. [185371]

Mr. Gardiner: The Andersonstown News Group approached Invest NI to request assistance for a project to publish a new national daily newspaper at an estimated investment cost of circa £3 million. The project anticipated the creation of up to 41 new jobs, 35 of which were to be based at the Group's offices in West Belfast and six in new offices to be established in Monaghan Town, in the Republic of Ireland. The company anticipated that 50 per cent. of the sales revenue would be generated in the Republic of Ireland.

A commercial appraisal of the project has been completed by independent consultants. In line with Part II, Paragraph 13 (Third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it would be inappropriate to disclose further information.

Common Funding Formula

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the common funding formula. [184215]

Mr. Gardiner: The Department plans to consult schools on the final proposals for the Common Funding Formula over the next few months, with the aim of implementing Common Funding in April 2005.

Consultancy Contracts

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in respect of each Department, agency and non-departmental public body in Northern Ireland the consultancy contracts that they have entered into in each of the last three financial years, together with a statement about the purpose of each contract and its cost to public funds. [181175]

Mr. Pearson: Information about all consultancy contracts entered into by Departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland and related costs is not held centrally and could be obtained from individual bodies only at disproportionate cost. Information on consultancy contracts awarded by the Central Procurement Directorate on behalf of public bodies in Northern Ireland is held by that Directorate and a copy has been placed in the Library.

Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public consultation was undertaken in Northern Ireland by his Department in relation to the introduction in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill of non-jury trials for those unfit to stand trial; and if he will make a statement. [183667]


 
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Mr. Spellar: There are no measures in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill that provide for non-jury trials for those unfit to stand trial. However, clauses 22 and 23 of that Bill relate to pre-trial hearings on fitness to plead and will give the judge, rather than jury, the responsibility for determining fitness to plead on mental health grounds.

Based on a recommendation of the Auld Review of the Criminal Courts, the opportunity arose through the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill to apply this valuable measure to Northern Ireland. Given the timetable of the Bill and the opportunity presented, a public consultation was not possible.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations took place between his Department and the Home Office in relation to the introduction in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill of non-jury trials for those unfit to stand trial in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [183606]

Mr. Spellar: There are no measures in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill that provide for non-jury trials for those unfit to stand trial. However, clauses 22 and 23 of that Bill relate to pre-trial hearings on fitness to plead and will give the judge, rather than jury, the responsibility for determining fitness to plead on mental health grounds.

My officials have been and continue to be in close contact about provisions that fall within the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill, including those which relate to non-jury pre-trial hearings on fitness to plead.

Home Office officials have advised my officials of developments in relation to this measure and both Departments have worked closely together to keep the arrangements for Northern Ireland in line with those proposed for England and Wales and to ensure that this valuable provision is applied within Northern Ireland.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public consultation was undertaken in Northern Ireland by his Department in relation to the introduction of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill of restraining orders on acquittal; and if he will make a statement. [183604]

Mr. Spellar: The Government's proposal to improve restraining orders and extend their availability in Northern Ireland was included in the Northern Ireland domestic violence consultation paper "Tackling Violence at Home".

The public consultation period ran from mid October to mid December 2003 in addition to which my officials carried out 11 workshops across Northern Ireland on the proposals contained in the consultation document. The proposal to make restraining orders available on acquittal was highlighted at each of these workshops. In addition to comments made at these sessions some further 70 written consultation responses were received.
 
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The responses were unanimously in agreement with extending the use of restraining orders, especially for offences of violence against the person. Respondents considered that this provided extra support and protection to victims.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations took place between his Department and the Home Office in relation to the introduction in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill of restraining orders on acquittal in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [183605]

Mr. Spellar: Officials from both the Home Office and Northern Ireland Office are represented on the UK-wide Domestic Violence Virtual Group which was established to shadow the Inter-Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence, of which my colleague, Angela Smith, MP (the Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland) is a member.

The work of the Domestic Violence Virtual Group has consequently ensured that consultation on domestic violence issues is continuous between officials of both the Northern Ireland Office and the Home Office.

In addition my officials continue to be in close contact with the Home Office about issues arising from and relating to the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill. Both Departments have been in consultation and discussion regarding the introduction of restraining orders on acquittal at each stage of the drafting and parliamentary processes.

Employer's Liability Insurance

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will assess the effects of the removal of employer's liability compulsory insurance requirements on Northern Ireland's smallest-owner-operated limited companies; and if he will make a statement. [184937]

Mr. Gardiner: At national level the Department for Work and Pensions is currently reviewing the Employer's Liability Compulsory Insurance regulations (ELCI) in respect of those limited companies in the UK where the owner is the only employee. If a decision is made to remove the requirement for ELCI from limited companies in the UK where the owner is the only employee, then a formal consultation will take place in the autumn with any legislative change expected in the UK early in 2005. The Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment will be closely involved in implementing the process.


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