---

27 Oct 2004 : Column 1257W—continued

United Nations

Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to bring forward proposals to allow the United Nations a right of action against sovereign states which pose (a) a potential threat to international peace and security and (b) an actual or imminent risk of humanitarian catastrophe or violations of basic human rights. [193934]

The Prime Minister: The UN Secretary-General has set up a High Level Panel to recommend improvements in the UN's response to threats to international peace and security, including in these areas. The UK has put forward ideas to the Panel which encourage earlier collective action to deal with threats to peace and security and with humanitarian emergencies. These proposals are set out in the Command Paper "The United Kingdom in the United Nations" (Cm 6325) presented to Parliament on 21 October 2004.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Economy

6. Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the performance of the Northern Ireland economy. [193195]

Mr. Gardiner: The Northern Ireland economy has performed well over recent years. Employment is at record levels while the unemployment rate is currently at the lowest recorded level ever at 4.7 per cent. The latest available figures show that annual growth in the Northern Ireland economy was the second highest of the UK regions.
 
27 Oct 2004 : Column 1258W
 

Unemployment

7. Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004. [193196]

Mr. Gardiner: The latest available data, for the period June to August, shows that unemployment in Northern Ireland has fallen from 61,000 to 35,000 between 1997 and 2004.

The current unemployment rate of 4.7 per cent. compares favourably to the rate of 8.1 per cent. recorded during the same period in 1997.

Decommissioning

8. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the decommissioning of illegally held weapons and explosives. [193197]

Mr. Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Anniesland (John Robertson).

Peace Process

9. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Leeds Castle talks. [193198]

Mr. Paul Murphy: A large measure of progress was made on the key points at Leeds Castle and we are reflecting now on how to finalise the outstanding institutional issues. As the Prime Minister has said, we cannot allow matters to drift.

Water Rates

10. Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the timetable for the introduction of water rates in Northern Ireland has been changed; and if he will make a statement. [193199]

Mr. Spellar: I announced my proposals for the basis on which household water and sewerage charges will be set and also changes to the current arrangements for charging non-domestic customers on 13 September 2004. The announcement said that the new charges would be phased in from 2006–07, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

Implementation depends on a range of practical factors, but that target remains our aim.

Paramilitary Activity

11. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the current level of punishment beatings and shootings. [193200]

Mr. Pearson: The Government remain concerned at the level of control exercised by both loyalist and republican paramilitary organisations within their communities. So far this year (to 17 October) there have been 192 paramilitary attacks, 48 fewer than for the same period last year. Loyalists have been responsible for carrying out almost three times as many attacks as republicans—77 shootings and 65 assaults, compared to
 
27 Oct 2004 : Column 1259W
 
22 shootings and 28 assaults by republicans. The Independent Monitoring Commission is due to report on this area shortly.

Racism

12. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to combat racism in Northern Ireland. [193201]

Mr. Spellar: The Government have frequently put on record our abhorrence of all forms of intolerance and racism. We are committed to eradicating such manifestations of hatred, whether based on racism or based on sectarianism and are developing a co-ordinated response to the problem in Northern Ireland. The issues raised by racism are issues for all sections of society in Northern Ireland and in expressing abhorrence of racism, all of us must avoid the temptation to demonise entire areas and communities.

It would be an act of prejudice itself to stereotype people because of where they live or because of their community background. The Belfast Agreement provides a unique opportunity to bring about a society which will recognise the full and equal legitimacy and worth of identities, senses of allegiance and ethos of all sections of the community in Northern Ireland.

The final version of the Race Equality Strategy (which takes account of extensive consultation with all sections of NI society) will be published by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister soon and specific actions will be included in a detailed implementation plan developed in line with the strategy.

The Government's Community Safety Strategy, which is being implemented through the Community Safety Unit of the Northern Ireland Office, identified offences motivated by prejudice and hatred as a central theme in making Northern Ireland a safer place for all its citizens. Specifically, the strategy seeks to reduce the levels of crime motivated by sectarianism, and to promote and enhance the safety of minority ethnic residents.

Currently, the unit is facilitating a working group of voluntary and statutory organisations which aims to establish a clear framework and operational system for the recording and monitoring of a number of hate crimes. These will include sectarian, racist and homophobic incidents, as well as those relating to disability. An agreed framework is now in place with implementation intended by December 2004.Within its Community Safety grant programme, the Challenge Competition, the unit has also provided funding towards four projects which have a central theme of countering prejudice and hatred to a total value of £273,255.

Enforcement action by Police Service of Northern Ireland will continue to be the key to tackling such attacks. This will be accompanied by a range of actions by the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments. As well as new legislative proposals, these will include measures on education, housing, health and social policy issues.
 
27 Oct 2004 : Column 1260W
 

Legislation for Northern Ireland, aimed at tackling racially motivated offences is contained in the Criminal Justice (No. 2) Order 2004, commenced on 28 September 2004 and will require sentencers, where offences are aggravated by such hostility, to treat racial and religious aggravation as an aggravating factor when sentencing. The legislation will also cover offences motivated by hatred of sexual orientation and disability. The proposals will also increase maximum sentences available for certain specified, mainly violent offences including where racial, religious or sexual aggravation is proven.

Employment (Belfast)

13. Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government are taking to attract jobs to East Belfast. [193202]

Mr. Gardiner: Invest NI initiatives which can help attract jobs to East Belfast include stimulating new foreign investment, helping existing companies develop key capabilities and encouraging entrepreneurship through increased new business starts. Invest NI's 104 client companies in the constituency employ around 10,000 people and its programmes have provided £17.9 million support towards almost £68 million investment in these companies since April 2002.

Crime

14. Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on levels of non-paramilitary crime in Northern Ireland. [193203]

Mr. Pearson: Recorded crime statistics produced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland do not distinguish between paramilitary and non-paramilitary crime. There is no simple dichotomy between a paramilitary and a non-paramilitary crime and it would be impossible to authoritatively conclude whether every crime was or was not linked to paramilitary organisations.

What I can say is that there were a total of 127,953 offences recorded in Northern Ireland during 2003–04 compared with 142,496 in 2003. This represents a decrease of 10.2 per cent. The overall clearance rate was 27.4 per cent., 4.4 per cent. higher than that achieved in the previous year.

Police figures released for the period April to September 2004 show 6,608 fewer recorded offences, a decrease of 10.2 per cent. on the same period last year. This is a result of excellent proactive police work and community involvement right across Northern Ireland. I am confident that this downward trend will continue as long as the police and communities work together to make Northern Ireland a safer place for all.

---