---

12 Dec 2005 : Column 1750W—continued

Ulster Scots and Gaelic

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for NorthernIreland what plans he has to reconstitute the membership of the Ulster Scots Agency Board. [34771]

Mr. Hain: The provisions for making appointments to the Boards of the North South Implementation Bodies are made in the North/South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. The British and Irish Governments have decided to extend the periods of appointment of all current Board members by a further year until 12 December 2006, but on the understanding that, since both Governments are committed to an early restoration of devolution and the institutions, the terms of office may be subject to review in the event of political progress.
 
12 Dec 2005 : Column 1751W
 

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ensure equality of funding between Ulster Scots and Gaelic. [36546]

Mr. Hanson: Her Majesty's Government remains wholly committed to affording equal respect and recognition to the Irish and Ulster Scots languages and culture. The funding provided to each reflects their differing ranges of projects, programmes and supported organisations and is determined on the basis of the approved actions in their respective annual business plans.

Vehicle Excise Duty

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland paid the (a) full rate of vehicle excise duty and (b) reduced rate for carbon emission vehicles in each of the last 10 years. [36508]

Angela E. Smith: In 2001, a system of relating the rate of vehicle excise duty payable by cars and light vans to the level of CO ₂ emission was introduced. Cars and light vans registered before 1 March 2001 pay excise duty according to their engine size. Breaking down the CO ₂ category by band could be undertaken only at disproportionate costs.

The number of cars and light vans licensed in these categories at 31 December each year since 2001 is set out in the following table.

	Category
	By CO 2 emission	By engine size	Total
31 December 2001	55,519	589,449	644,968
31 December 2002	126,011	540,720	666,731
31 December 2003	200,728	511,185	711,913
31 December 2004	274,411	462,787	737,198

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many motorists in Northern Ireland have been found guilty of non-payment of vehicle excise duty in each of the last 10 years. [36509]

Angela E. Smith: It is the policy to offer out of court settlements to motorists detected driving unlicensed vehicles. Summons are only issued where this course of action has failed.

The number of cases which attracted payment for vehicle excise duty offences over each of the past 10 years were:

	Number
1995–96	27,611
1996–97	26,116
1997–98	24,802
1998–99	14,897
1999–2000	13,158
2000–01	15,428
2001–02	15,966
2002–03	13,932
2003–04	10,876
2004–05	24,464

 
12 Dec 2005 : Column 1752W
 

Vehicle Licence Detection Units

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mobile vehicle licence detection units were in operation in Northern Ireland in (a) 2000 and (b) 2005. [36766]

Angela E. Smith: Wheel-clamping units were introduced in Northern Ireland in 1998 and camera detection units in 2001. The number of detection units for each of the two years are:

2000

1 wheel-clamping

2005

2 wheel-clamping

3 permanent camera, and

3 temporary camera units

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used to determine the siting of mobile vehicle licence detection units in Northern Ireland. [36767]

Angela E. Smith: Mobile vehicle detection is undertaken by automatic number plate reader (ANPRs) units. ANPRs are deployed on a rolling programme across Northern Ireland. The main criterion is to maximise the potential to detect unlicensed vehicles but recognising the need to ensure that the siting does not cause a traffic hazard.

ANPRs are also deployed as requested by PSNI to assist in joint exercises with other enforcement authorities.

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Northern Ireland how many vehicle owners were prosecuted as a result of mobile vehicle licence detection units in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000. [36768]

Angela E. Smith: Units to wheel-clamp unlicensed vehicles were introduced in Northern Ireland in 1998 and camera detection units in 2001. Output from the wheel-clamping units is measured in the number of vehicles clamped not prosecutions. Separate recording of prosecutions arising from enforcement action by camera units did not begin until 2003–04. For vehicle excise duty offences it is the normal policy to offer out of court settlements rather than proceed direct to court. Resulting from camera detections, in 2003–04 1,695 people paid out of court (OCS) settlements and 217 were prosecuted in court. In 2004–05, 1,830 paid OCSs and 306 were prosecuted in court.

Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Police Information Technology Organisation's roll out of the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register in Northern Ireland. [34557]

Mr. Hanson: The Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR), is a secure, confidential, fully auditable national database which allows the police, probation and prison services to monitor and manage sexual and violent offenders and others who may cause serious harm to the public. The Police Service of
 
12 Dec 2005 : Column 1753W
 
Northern Ireland has full connectivity to ViSOR and will be implementing it throughout the organisation within the next few weeks. Northern Ireland Prison Service is considering how they might use ViSOR in the future and the Probation Board for Northern Ireland is also investigating access to ViSOR.

Zebra Mussels

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to deal with the outbreak of zebra mussels in Lough Neagh. [36556]

Angela E. Smith: I can confirm that zebra mussels have become established in Lough Neagh at Kinnego Marina. They are expected to spread and reach maximum numbers in three or four years time. This will have uncertain implications for fish, birds, water abstraction, navigation and other interests within the Lough. Nothing can be done to eradicate them or prevent their spread within Lough Neagh.

Officials are investigating their present distribution and putting in place a monitoring programme to track their future expansion and impact on other biological elements in the lake. Users have been alerted to the situation and we will work closely with them to develop mitigation measures.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Legislative Consultation

Mr. Amess: To ask the Leader of the House if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [34671]

Nigel Griffiths: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons does not sponsor any advisory non-departmental public bodies.

Pay Rise (Hon. Members)

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House what recent representations he has received regarding the pay rise for hon. Members; and if he will make a statement. [35654]

Mr. Hoon: As Leader of the House, I receive comments on a regular basis from a range of Members on the next SSRB Review of Parliamentary Pay and Allowances.

---