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9 Oct 2006 : Column 334W—continued
Information is not collated on the number of draft answers which are referred to the NSMC Joint Secretariat.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what purpose parliamentary (a) questions and (b) draft answers on Northern Ireland matters tabled by hon. Members are notified to the North/South Ministerial Council Secretariat. [91589]
Mr. Hanson: Some parliamentary questions relate to the North South Ministerial Council or to its Secretariat, and it obviously falls to the Northern side of the Secretariat to produce answers to such questions. Other parliamentary questions concern the six North South Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland Ltd. or the six agreed Areas of North South co-operation and, in those cases, the sponsoring Departments may refer their draft answers to the Northern Side of the Secretariat to verify the accuracy of the proposed response before issue.
Planning Applications
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how long it took to process a planning application from the date it was received until a decision notice was issued in each of the last three years at (a) Ballymena, (b) Belfast, (c) Coleraine, (d) Craigavon, (e) Downpatrick, (f) Enniskillen, (g) Derry and (h) Omagh planning offices. [90808]
Mr. Hanson:
Over the last three to four years the Planning Service has been facing unprecedented work load pressures, particularly on the development control side, with the number of planning applications received
in 2005-06 showing an increase of almost 30 per cent. in the number received three years ago.
The following table shows the average time taken to process a planning application from the date of validation to the date of decision in each of the last three years at (a) Ballymena, (b) Belfast, (c) Coleraine, (d) Craigavon, (e) Downpatrick, (f) Enniskillen, (g) Derry and (h) Omagh Divisional Planning Offices.
| Average number of weeks to process planning applications | |||
| Number of weeks | |||
| Divisional Planning Office | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| Note: Calculations are based on a measurement from data valid to date notified and exclude holidays and weekends. | |||
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average time taken between the receipt by the Planning Service of Northern Ireland of the recommendations of local authorities in respect of planning applications and (a) their determination by the Planning Service and (b) the despatch to the applicant of the decision of the Planning Service was in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [92175]
David Cairns: From 1 April to 31 August 2006, the average time taken between the last Council consultation and the issuing of a decision was 5.1 weeks.
In the majority of cases, there is no further determination stage after the last Council consultation.
Plantation of Ulster 400th Anniversary
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government plan to take to work with (a) the Ulster-Scots Agency and (b) local government ahead of the 400th anniversary of the Plantation of Ulster to maximise the tourism potential of the event; and if he will make a statement. [89232]
David Cairns: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure jointly funds the Ulster-Scots Agency which has a statutory remit to promote Ulster-Scots language and culture. The agency has indicated that it will spend in the region of £150,000 of its budget in 2006 through a variety of events on the celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the Plantation of Ulster.
Tourism Ireland Ltd. (TIL) is currently represented on the working group which is examining the commemoration of the Flight of the Earls and its synergies with the Plantation of Ulster 400th Centenaries.
The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has engaged with the Ulster Scots Agency on a project by project basis in the past and will continue to do so but to date has not been approached by the Ulster Scots Agency on the issue of the 400th Anniversary of the Plantation of Ulster.
The Department of the Environment through the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) is liaising with the Ulster Scots Agency and Ards borough council over plans to commemorate the association of the Montgomery and Hamilton families with the East Down area over the last 400 years.
The Ulster Scots Agency has put forward proposals to develop a Heritage Trail which includes a number of EHS properties. This has led to an agreement that temporary promotional banners for events may be attached to the Old Priory at Newtownards, the Old Cross at Newtownards and at Greyabbey.
Police Dogs
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police dogs are in active use by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, broken down by district command unit; and how often and in what circumstances they were deployed in the last 12 months. [89741]
Paul Goggins: Police handlers and their dogs are not based in districts, rather they are attached to tactical support groups through both regional operational command units (urban and rural). The compliment is as follows:
| Number | |
It is not possible to break down the exact deployment of this resource as dogs are used on routine mobile patrols responding to pre-planned events or DCU calls for assistance. Dogs are normally deployed on public order, tracking and search duties.
Police Service of Northern Ireland
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether severance payments for (a) Mr. Thomas Hale and (b) Mr. Desmond Clayton on their departure from the Northern Ireland Police Fund were discussed with (i) the then Secretary of State, (ii) Ministers of State and (iii) civil servants. [89136]
Paul Goggins: As the Northern Ireland Police Fund's status is a company limited by guarantee, severance payments are a matter for the fund.
In line with standard corporate governance arrangements the Department discusses a range of issues in relation to fund business on a regular basis.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he was first informed of Mr Thomas Hale's relationship with Edward Hale. [89137]
Paul Goggins: The Secretary of State has not been informed of any relationship between these two individuals.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether approval was given by (a) the then Secretary of State, (b) the then Minister of State and (c) a civil servant to make a one-off payment to (i) Mr Hale and (ii) Mr Clayton on his departure from the Northern Ireland Police Fund. [89173]
Paul Goggins: As the Northern Ireland Police Fund's status is a company limited by guarantee, severance payments are a matter for the Fund.
In line with standard Corporate Governance arrangements the Department discusses a range of issues in relation to Fund business on a regular basis.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether decisions made by the directors of the Northern Ireland Police Fund are subject to ratification by (a) the Secretary of State, (b) the Minister of State and (c) officials in his Department. [89207]
Paul Goggins: Given that the Northern Ireland Police Fund is a company limited by guarantee, there is no requirement for decisions made by the directors of the Fund to be ratified by the Department.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether (a) Ms A Paisley, (b) Mrs. F Reid, (c) Lord Rogan, (d) Mr. R Wilson and (e) Sir John Semple gave reasons other than the end of their term of office for their resignations as Directors of the Northern Ireland Police Fund. [89215]
Paul Goggins: The resignation of directors of the Northern Ireland Police Fund is a matter for the Fund. However I am given to understand that none of the former directors listed have cited issues related to the events in the Fund as their reason for resigning.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether (a) the board and (b) any member of the board of the Northern Ireland Police Fund requested the advice of (i) the then Secretary of State, (ii) the Minister of State and (iii) Northern Ireland civil servants regarding (A) Mr. Thomas Hale's contract of employment, (B) Mr. Desmond Clayton's contract of employment, (C) financial payments made by the Fund to solicitors representing either Mr. Hale or Mr. Clayton and (D) the contents of a Northern Ireland Office audit of the Fund. [89237]
Paul Goggins: No advice was requested.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he interviewed any directors of the Northern Ireland Police Fund in relation to the 2003 breaches of security at (a) the Fund and (b) the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust. [89238]
Paul Goggins: A full police investigation has been carried out in relation to alleged breaches of security. 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 Department did not interview any of the directors. The investigation was a matter for the Chief Constable.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland discussed with his Department the surveillance carried out in relation to Mr Thomas Hale's selling of counterfeit goods at the Maryfield complex in advance of the operation. [89240]
Paul Goggins: It is not the policy of PSNI to discuss matters in relation to the surveillance of subjects during the course of investigations.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence there has been between representatives of his Department and the directors of the Northern Ireland Police Fund about (i) developing the role of the Fund and (ii) systems failures within the Fund. [89241]
Paul Goggins: As part of the standard Corporate Governance arrangements regular meetings are held and correspondence exchanged on a range of issues relating to the business of the Northern Ireland Police Fund.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Northern Ireland Police Fund discussed with (a) the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, (b) the Minister of State and (c) civil servants the payment made by the fund to L'Estrange and Brett Solicitors. [89294]
Paul Goggins: Payments made by the Northern Ireland Police Fund are a matter for the Fund.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the payment made by the Northern Ireland Police Fund to L'Estrange and Brett Solicitors was subject to (a) prior approval by (i) the Secretary of State, (ii) the Minister of State and (iii) civil servants and (b) audit by the Department. [89295]
Paul Goggins: Given that the Northern Ireland Police Fund is a company limited by guarantee, payments are a matter for the fund.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which matters the Northern Ireland Police Fund routinely (a) seeks advice and (b) reports to the Department. [89297]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Police Fund seeks advice and reports to the Department in line with standard corporate governance arrangements and practices.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time Police Service of Northern Ireland officers there were in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by rank. [89752]
Paul Goggins: The requested figures for July each year are as follows:
| Rank | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
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