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17 Mar 2006 : Column 2591W—continued
Children and Young People
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Children and Young People's funding package he announced recently will be made available; what the criteria are for gaining access to that funding; and to whom funding applications should be made. [58876]
Angela E. Smith: My Department and the other key Departments responsible for the implementation of the Children and Young People funding package are currently working to finalise the delivery mechanisms for each element of the package, including the associated criteria and processes for the distribution of funds. It is hoped to announce details shortly and for the funding to issue as soon as possible thereafter.
Civil Partnership Ceremonies
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil partnership ceremonies have taken place in each district council area since they became legal in Northern Ireland. [57057]
Mr. Hanson: The first Civil Partnership Registrations took place in Northern Ireland on 19 December 2005. Statistics on civil partnerships in Northern Ireland will be published in the Registrar General's Quarterly and Annual Reports. As in England and Wales it is planned that statistics will be made available for Registration Districts where more than five civil partnerships take place. Between 19 December 2005 and 6 March 2006 there have been 33 civil partnership registrations in Northern Ireland of which 15 took place in the Belfast Registration District.
Dissident Republican Paramilitaries
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2006, Official Report, column 364W, on dissident republican paramilitaries, what new information came into his possession between 11 January and 27 February on dissident recruiting. [58281]
Mr. Woodward:
In my answer of 27 February 2006, I advised that the recently published IMC report indicated that there is evidence that dissident republican groups are attempting to recruit members. I based my information on the eighth IMC report which was published on 1 February 2006.
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Filling Stations
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to introduce a licensing system in Northern Ireland for the ownership of filling stations. [58499]
Angela E. Smith: Proposals to streamline and tightenthe petrol licensing regime are currently being considered. The current petrol licensing regime in other jurisdictions, such as GB and ROI, are being reviewed to identify best practice and learn lessons.
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) employers and (b) parents were consulted by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in respect of the Key Stage 3 curriculum proposals for Northern Ireland. [58684]
Angela E. Smith: CCEA undertook extensive consultation on its Key Stage 3 proposals in autumn 2003. It is not possible to identify the numbers of employers or parents who took part, as the consultation took a wide variety of forms. These included focus group meetings and briefings with key stakeholders including parents and business leaders. The consultation was widely publicised in the media and consultation materials were made available in a wide range of formats to facilitate responses. The consultation was independently evaluated by the Consultation Institute and was described as 'excellent'.
Packaging
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of packaging being used for commercial products in Northern Ireland. [58133]
Angela E. Smith: It is the responsibility of the commercial sector to reduce the amount of packaging being used for commercial products in Northern Ireland, and government regulates businesses through legislation to ensure that companies take their producer responsibility obligations seriously.
Government also support companies to reduce their packaging through sponsorship of programmes and initiatives which enhance awareness, encourage good practice and design innovation.
The Courtauld Commitment", an initiative developed by Waste and Resources Action Programme, which aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008 and deliver absolute reductions in packaging wasteby 2010, enjoys the support of major retailers represented in Northern Ireland.
Planning Appeal Commission
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Planning Appeal Commission hearings took place in Northern Ireland during 2005; and how many involved a commissioner from outside Northern Ireland. [58070]
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Angela E. Smith: The Planning Appeals Commission is a tribunal non-departmental public body, and the Chief Commissioner has written to the hon. Gentleman in the following terms:
During the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005 the Commission held 315 appeal hearings. This figure comprised 54 Formal Hearings and 261 Informal Hearings. A total of 19 of these hearings were presided over by Commissioners who reside outside of Northern Ireland."
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further steps he is taking to increase the number of Catholics in the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [56547]
Mr. Woodward: In 1998 when the Patten Commission was conducting its investigation, only 8.3 per cent. of regular officers were from the Roman Catholic community. In less than five years under the temporary 50:50 provisions Catholic composition among regular officers has risen to 19.45 per cent. with 2,172 recruits having been selected for appointment on a 50:50 basis. In the same time female composition has also risen from 13 per cent. to 20.21 per cent. Our goal is to increase Catholic representation to 30 per cent. by 2010–11; the date envisaged by Patten to achieve this aim. I am pleased to say that we are very much on target to reach this goal with a further interim target of 23.5 per cent. set for March 2008.
In terms of the steps taken to recruit police officers, the Oversight Commissioner has commented that the advertising programme has been both imaginative and assiduous. It has varied between competitions, but has included press, television, billboard, cinema and online advertising, all designed to reach groups currently under-represented in the police service. The responses from all communities have been extremely positive and the results have exceeded expectations. In an effort to adapt the volume of applicants to the number of recruits that can actually be appointed to training, television advertising has now been eliminated, and the number of press insertions reduced.
The Oversight Commissioner found that in addition to a large number of Northern Ireland applicants, applications have been received from Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, as well as from a number of other countries. Nearly 25 per cent. of all applicants entering training are graduates.
The Government recognises that 50:50 recruitment is an exceptional means of addressing an exceptional problem and we firmly believe that these temporary provisions are justified to rectify an acute historical imbalance in the composition of the police service. These exceptional measures are reviewed triennially and will expire unless specifically renewed by an order made by the Secretary of State. Section 47 of the 2000 Act was last renewed by the Police (NI) Act 2000 (Renewal of Temporary Provisions) Order 2004 allowing for their continuation until 28 March 2007.
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Population Statistics (Lagan Valley)
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the numerical and percentage increase in the total population in Lagan Valley constituency has been in each year since 2001. [59097]
Mr. Hanson: The table below gives the official estimate of the resident population in Lagan Valley Parliamentary Constituency from mid-year 2001 to mid-year 2004. Also included are the numerical and percentage increases for each one-year period.
| Population estimate at 30 June | Annual increase from previous year(9) | Annual percentage increase from previous year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 102,000 | — | — |
| 2002 | 102,900 | 800 | 0.8 |
| 2003 | 103,500 | 600 | 0.6 |
| 2004 | 104,600 | 1,100 | 1.1 |
(9)Data may not add due to rounding.
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