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13 Oct 2004 : Column 313W—continued

Jobskills Programme

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of participants on the Jobskills programme moved into full-time employment in each of the last five years. [190422]

Mr. Gardiner: The Jobskills programme consists of three separate but integrated strands, each dealing with a particular client group:

the Access strand offers unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds training leading to approved qualifications up to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 1;

the Traineeship strand offers unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds training leading to the attainment of a NVQ Level 2; and

the Modern Apprenticeship strand offers employed 16 to 24-year-olds training leading to the attainment of NVQ Level 3.

Trainees can progress from one strand to another and information on each strand is recorded separately.

In the case of the Access strand, progression within Jobskills is considered a positive progression which can ultimately lead to employment; therefore, the proportion of leavers moving to employment or progressing are both provided.
Percentage

	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Access
Employment	18	17	19	16	17
Progression	32	31	31	36	7
Traineeship
Employment	63	64	65	64	31
Modern Apprenticeship	(6)—	(6)—	(6)—	(6)—	(6)—

⁽⁶⁾ All trainees in the Modern Apprenticeship strand are required to be in employment as a condition of participation.

Training in the Access and Traineeship strands normally lasts 18 months. Consequently, 56 per cent. and 68 per cent. respectively of the 2003–04 cohort within these strands are still in training. It is, therefore, expected that the proportion moving into employment will subsequently increase.

Monkstown Young Citizen Volunteers

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what links have been identified between the Monkstown Young Citizen Volunteers (YCV) and the banned Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF); and what actions he will take to prevent the Monkstown YCV from promoting the UVF. [182914]

Mr. Pearson: The Young Citizen Volunteers was established in 1912 as the youth wing of the Ulster Volunteer Force. I understand that the Monkstown YCV is the local branch of the YCV. The response to any paramilitary display is a matter for the PSNI.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken to ascertain whether the flags and emblems associated with the Monkstown Young Citizen Volunteers constitute an illegal paramilitary display. [182915]

 
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Mr. Pearson: The police have received no reports alleging that the Monkstown Young Citizen Volunteers has committed any offences with regard to flags and emblems during this year's marching season.

MOT Certificates

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how long it will take to clear the backlog of applications for MOT certificates in Northern Ireland due to the recent industrial dispute. [189608]

Angela Smith: The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency expects to take up to 12 months to clear the backlog of MOT applications.

Planning Applications

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how long it will take to clear the backlog of planning applications in Northern Ireland caused by the recent industrial dispute. [189607]

Angela Smith: It is not possible to determine how long it will take to clear the backlog of applications. However, the Planning Service is committed to processing applications as quickly as possible.

Police Duties

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of police officers in North Belfast have been assigned to neighbourhood or community duties. [189795]

Mr. Pearson: 15.1 per cent. of police officers in North Belfast DCU have been assigned to neighbourhood or community duties. In addition, 72 part-time reserve officers complement the work of the sector police.

Police Establishment

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the police establishment in North Belfast is made up of (a) full-time reserve officers and (b) part-time officers. [189793]

Mr. Pearson: The current police establishment in North Belfast is composed of:

(a) 18.5 per cent. full-time reserve officers;

(b) Part-time reserve officers complement the DCU strength. There are currently 72 part-time officers.

Scientific Officers (Promotion)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's promotion boards for scientific officer positions to assess applications from persons (a) with a non-scientific background and (b) not currently working for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. [190382]

Mr. Pearson: The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a promotion board to interview candidates for promotion to the grade of
 
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Scientific Officer in April/May 2004. A circular advising of eligibility and self-nomination arrangements was issued to all NICS Departments inviting applications from eligible officers. This was the first promotion board to this grade to which eligibility was opened to analogous grades.

For this competition the eligibility criteria was restricted to (i) officers in the Assistant Scientific Officer grade and (ii) officers in analogous grades from other disciplines who met the current entry requirements for ASOs ie. 4 GCE/GCSE 'O Levels, grades A-C which must have included English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject. In addition, all staff self-nominating were required to have a current "fitted for promotion" or better assessment on their annual report.

The key selection criteria against which candidates were assessed for promotion by the board were as follows:

(a) Services

(b) Resources

(c) People

(d) Information/Communication

(e) Professional/Specialist/Technical Knowledge and Skills

Prospective applicants were advised in an addendum to the promotion board notice that the Professional/Specialist/Technical/Knowledge and Skills criterion related to the Biology, Chemistry and Microbiology disciplines and that they would be required to demonstrate both on the application form and at interview how they satisfied this criterion in the context of these scientific disciplines.

Special Advisers

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many special advisers associated with each party that held seats on the suspended Northern Ireland Executive are paid from government funds; how much has been spent in each of the past 12 months on such advisers; what the rationale is for continuing the payments; and what the duties are of those advisers. [185630]

Mr. Spellar: Following the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly until May 2004, a total of seven special advisers have been paid from government funds. Special advisers are employed under two separate schemes. The DUP, Sinn Fein and UUP each employ one adviser under a scheme operated by the Northern Ireland Assembly. These advisers are employed by their parties to assist in the performance of their members' Assembly duties during suspension, working for a smooth return to devolved government and engaging in discussion for that purpose. The remaining four, two appointed by the former First Minister and two by the former Deputy First Minister, were employed as civil servants and attached to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

Following two resignations in June 2004, the latter group now comprises two advisers, employed to support the former First Minister and Deputy First Minister respectively during suspension, working for a smooth return to devolved government and engaging in discussion for that purpose.
 
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Details of payments for the past 12 months are set out below.

	£
	Monthly cost
2003
July	35,350.35
August	35,899.98
September	36,707.84
October	36,314.96
November	35,936.76
December	33,119.83
2004
January	36,079.91
February	34,726.69
March	34,086.33
April	23,653.55
May	24,286.32
June	31,062.48
Total	397,224.99

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