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24 July 2006 : Column 904W—continued
Ministerial Responsibilities
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what responsibilities he has in relation to the implementation of Government policy on (a) the international slave trade and (b) the commemoration of the abolition of slavery. [85559]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I do not have any responsibility for the implementation of policy in relation to the international slave trade. However, the hon. Member may be aware that I chair the 2007 Bicentenary Advisory Group, which brings together stakeholders from across the cultural, faith and community sectors to discuss how best we can maximise their organisations’ contributions to the bicentenary.
Ministerial Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months. [83976]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The number of visits I have made to each of the English regions in the past 12 months is shown in the table.
| Number of visits | |
Nuclear Waste
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the disposal of nuclear waste; and if he will make a statement. [87085]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to such discussions, including Cabinet and its committees, is generally not disclosed, as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Official Visit
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what purpose he visited the Star City Casino in Sydney on 28 November 2004. [85696]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) on 19 July 2006, Official Report, column 301W.
Planning
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role he has in relation to Government policy on planning. [87138]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Responsibility for planning policy rests with the Department for Communities and Local Government.
I chair the Cabinet Committee on Housing and Planning. The chair of a Cabinet Committee must act in a neutral way if the system is to work effectively. Departments’ views are represented by their own Ministers who attend the meetings.
Northern Ireland
Charities Commissioners
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Northern Ireland Charities Commissioners office to be fully functional. [87127]
Mr. Hanson: On 17 July I launched a public consultation about proposed new Northern Ireland charities legislation which will, inter alia, set up a Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. The 12 week consultation process will close on 13 October 2006. Following this the responses will be considered and where feasible account will be taken of these but we must ensure that we put in place adequate regulation and governance arrangements.
It is then the intention to present the draft Order for consideration by Parliament in November 2006. It is intended subject to the will of Parliament:
to have legislation approved early in 2007;
to enable the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland to be established by mid-2007;and
to enable the Northern Ireland Register of Charities to reach initial operational capability by end-2007.
Concessionary Fares
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department plans to extend the Department for Regional Development's concessionary fares scheme for pupils returning to school in the sixth form. [86571]
David Cairns: The Northern Ireland concessionary fares scheme currently provides half fare travel on public transport for all children up to the 30 June after they become 16, that is, until the end of their period of compulsory attendance at school. On 26 June 2006, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland launched a review of the scheme. This review will consider the feasibility and desirability of options for extending the provision of concessionary travel to additional categories, such as pupils returning to school in the sixth form.
Departmental IT Systems
Mrs. Villiers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on IT systems in each year since 1997; what the purpose of each system is; what the outturn against planned expenditure of each system was; and what the
outturn time for implementation against planned time was. [41314]
Paul Goggins: The following table gives information on IT projects costing in excess of £1 million within the Northern Ireland Office Core, its agencies, the Bloody Sunday Inquiry and the Northern Ireland legal offices (Director of Public Prosecutions and Crown Solicitors Office).
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