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Paramilitary Paraphernalia
Mr.
Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) charged with and
(b) convicted of offences involving
the (i) wearing and (ii) display of items associated with paramilitary
organisations in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001; and how many
related to (A) Loyalist and (B) Republican displays in each case.
[71115]
Paul Goggins: The Police Service of Northern Ireland have confirmed that they have no records of anyone being charged with these offences since 2001.
The NIO Statistics and Research branch have confirmed that they have no record of convictions for these offences between the years 2001 and 2003.
Data that might detail convictions from 2004 to present time will not be available until late summer.
Police
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Northern Ireland how frequently the list of organisations of which members of the Police Service Northern Ireland must notify the authorities of their membership is reviewed. [84588]
Paul Goggins: Section 51(2) of the Police (NT) Act 2000 provides the Chief Constable with the power to give guidance to officers on any membership which a police officer believes he has, or not, of an organisation which may be regarded as affecting that officer’s ability to discharge his duties effectively and impartially. 1 am advised by the PSNI that all General Orders are reviewed on an annual basis and that during this annual review, the list of organisations will also be revisited. This review of the list of organisations will then be placed before the Chief Constable’s Forum for final decision.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2006, Official Report, column 1180W, on the Northern Ireland Police Fund, whether the finances of the Northern Ireland Police Fund are subject to (a) monthly, (b) quarterly, (c) six monthly and (d) annual returns to his Department. [84759]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Police Fund is required to provide financial monitoring information on a monthly basis and after the end of each financial year to provide its audited accounts to the Department.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who ordered the internal audit by his Department of the Northern Ireland Police Fund which followed the breach of security at the fund; whether they did so under instruction by a Government Minister; and whether the audit uncovered any (a) systems failures and (b) financial irregularities. [84761]
Paul
Goggins: In respect of the alleged breach of security at
the Northern Ireland Police Fund a full police investigation has been
carried out within the fund. This investigation has now been completed
and involved a comprehensive programme of interviews. No persons have
been prosecuted as a result of this
investigation. It would not be appropriate to comment on the operational
detail of the investigation as such issues are a matter for the Chief
Constable.
The board of directors asked NIO internal audit to complete a review of the Northern Ireland Police Fund. All matters relating to the report are a matter for the fund.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in full the initial internal audit of the Northern Ireland Police Fund conducted by his Department after the 2003 breach of security at the fund. [82923]
Paul Goggins: In respect of the alleged breach of security at the Northern Ireland Police Fund a full police investigation has been carried out within the fund. This investigation has now been completed and involved a comprehensive programme of interviews. No persons have been prosecuted as a result of this investigation.
The audit report referred to was requested by the Northern Ireland Police Fund. Any matters relating to the report are a matter for the fund.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the internal audit of the Northern Ireland Police Fund conducted by his Department after the 2003 breach of security at the fund was accepted by the Board of Directors of the fund; and whether a second audit was conducted. [82924]
Paul Goggins: The audit report referred to was requested by the Northern Ireland Police Fund. Any matters relating to the report are a matter for the fund.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the internal audit of the Northern Ireland Police Fund conducted by his Department after the 2003 breach of security at the fund was classed as restricted by any (a) senior officer and (b) member of staff of the fund. [82925]
Paul Goggins: The audit report referred to was requested by the Northern Ireland Police Fund. Any matters relating to the report are a matter for the fund.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the internal audit of the Northern Ireland Police Fund conducted by his Department after the 2003 breach of security at the fund was completed. [82926]
Paul Goggins: All matters relating to the internal audit report on the Northern Ireland Police Fund are a matter for the fund.
David
Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2006, Official
Report, column 1179W, on the Northern Ireland Police Fund, on what
date (a) Ms A. Paisley, (b) Mrs. F. Reid, (c) Lord
Rogan, (d) Mr. R. Wilson
and (e) Sir John Semple ceased to be directors of the Northern
Ireland Police Fund.
[84750]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Police Fund has advised me that the following Directors of the fund resigned with effect from the dates listed:
| Director | Date of resignation |
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2006, Official Report, column 1179W, on the Northern Ireland Police Fund, what percentage of staff at the fund are employed by his Department; and what that percentage was on 31 December 2003. [84751]
Paul Goggins: Currently 60 per cent. of the staff of the fund are seconded from the Northern Ireland Civil Service. At 31 December 2003 this figure was 12.5 per cent.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers in Northern Ireland have been suspended from duty as a result of investigations by the policing ombudsman in each of the last three years. [70429]
Paul Goggins: The PSNI has advised that two police officers in Northern Ireland have been suspended from duty as a result of investigations by the Police Ombudsman in 2003 and three officers were suspended in 2004. No officers were suspended in 2005 or 2006 as of 7 July 2006.
Post Office Contracts
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for which services (a) his Department and (b) its associated public bodies hold contracts with the Post Office; and what the (i) start and (ii) termination date is of each contract. [81538]
Mr. Hanson: The following table lists all current contracts with Post Office Ltd held by Northern Ireland Departments and their associated public bodies.
| Department | Service | Start date | End date |
“Presstream” and “Mailsort” services for delivery of weekly LMC bulletin. | |||
Rates
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what formula is used to calculate the average rate for households in Northern Ireland. [82598]
Mr. Hanson: The average domestic rate for households in Northern Ireland consists of the average of the 26 district council domestic rates plus the domestic regional rate.
The formula for calculation of the average rate for households is as follows: Each year, district councils' estimated net expenditure is reduced by anticipated general grant payments and any balance that councils have indicated they wish to apply, to determine the net amount to be raised from district rates. This figure is divided by the total penny product (the income from one penny in the rates) to give the average non-domestic rate. The average non-domestic rate is then multiplied by the Northern Ireland growth factor to determine the average domestic rate. The average domestic rate for 2006-2007 is 157.33 pence
The regional domestic rate is a single rate applied uniformally across Northern Ireland. It is determined by dividing the domestic rate revenue required in the Budget by the domestic tax base, currently defined in rental values.
The average domestic rate in 2006-07 is 355.50 pence, which is the sum of the uniform regional domestic rate of 198.17p and the average district rate of 157.33p.
Redundancy
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how redundancy packages are calculated for (a) the Northern Ireland Office and (b) Northern Ireland Police Fund staff. [82990]
Paul Goggins: All benefits payable on redundancy terms which apply to staff in the Northern Ireland Office who are members of the Home Civil Service are determined under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.
All benefits payable on redundancy terms which apply to staff in the Northern Ireland Office who are members of the Northern Ireland Civil Service are determined under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (Northern Ireland).
The terms and conditions for the employment of staff in the Northern Ireland Police Fund are a matter for the fund.
Road Improvements
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the major planned roadworks on the A2 between Limavady and Coleraine will (a) begin and (b) be concluded. [85726]
David Cairns: The acting chief executive of roads service Mr. Geoff Allister has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Geoff Allister, dated 17 July 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about when the major planned roadworks on the A2 between Limavady and Coleraine will (a) begin and (b) be concluded. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
It is assumed that you are referring to the planned improvements for the A37, the main route between Limavady and Coleraine.
Roads Service plans to carry out a major improvement scheme to provide a 2.3 kilometre long climbing lane to improve overtaking opportunities for Coleraine-bound traffic on the A37 west of Keady mountain.
It was expected to commence construction work on this scheme during this financial year, however this has had to be deferred because of land acquisition difficulties. We are hopeful that construction will commence in 2007/2008.
We are mindful of the elevation of the site and propose to programme the works to commence in the spring and be completed by the autumn to avoid the need to divert traffic onto other less suitable mountain roads during winter conditions.
Sectarian Attacks
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sectarian attacks there were in each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland in each of the first four months of 2006. [71214]
Paul Goggins: Please note that the statistics have been split by police District Command Unit and have been provided for the months of Jan, Feb and Mar 2006 - April 2006 statistics are not yet available.
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