| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
10 Jun 2008 : Column 121W—continued
Anglesey, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Neath Port Talbot, Powys, Pembrokeshire and the Vale of Glamorgan are retaining their housing stock. Their business plans are being reviewed.
The Welsh Assembly Government aims to have the WHQS delivered as early as possible in each local authority area. Evaluation is individual to each local authority, when it submits its business plan, and is based on regular meetings with the Welsh Local Government Association, local authority leaders and housing officers.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012: Cycling
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics when she expects to announce that contracts have been signed on the Olympic Velopark. [209706]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 9 June 2008]: The Olympic Delivery Authority announced on the 8 May that ISG InteriorExterior had been awarded the contract to construct the Velodrome. The designs for the Velopark are continuing to be developed by a design consortium, led by Hopkins Architects, and they are due to be finalised this summer.
Scotland
Departmental Manpower
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of his Department's employees are (a) male, (b) female, (c) from an ethnic minority, (d) disabled and (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement. [208400]
David Cairns: The staffing information containing the gender breakdown of the Scotland Office are published in the Office's Annual Report; available in the House Library or on our website at:
As the Scotland Office is a small organisation, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, the Office does not disclose specific numbers of staff by ethnicity or disability for privacy reasons.
Scotland Office staff are not required to provide any details of their sexuality, so information on this is not available.
Departmental Pay
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of employees in his Department who received a performance-related bonus at their last appraisal were (a) male, (b) female, (c) from an ethnic minority, (d) disabled and (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement. [208373]
David Cairns: Staff appraisals for the year 2007-08 have just been completed.
No performance-related payments have been paid to date, and so a breakdown is not available.
Northern Ireland
Abortion
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received since June 2007 from the leaders of political parties in Northern Ireland (a) supporting and (b) opposing the extension of the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland; what response was given to those representations; and if he will make a statement. [209126]
Mr. Woodward: On 9 May 2008 I received a copy of the letter from the leaders of the four main political parties in Northern Ireland that was sent to all Members of the House expressing concern at the possibility of extending the provisions of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. I have not received any representations from party leaders supporting the extension of the Act to Northern Ireland.
I replied on 3 June to say that that the Government were aware there is no support among the political parties in Northern Ireland to alter the law on abortion, and to repeat our assurance that we have no plans to amend the law on abortion to include Northern Ireland. The Government consider that the best forum for discussion of these questions is the Northern Ireland Assembly, once it has assumed responsibility for the criminal law.
My reply of 3 June was sent to all hon. and right hon. Members for information and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Age of Consent
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on lowering of the age of consent in Northern Ireland. [207734]
Paul Goggins: The draft Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, which was agreed by the House of Commons on 3 June contains a new offence of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16. This means that it will be an offence for a person to engage in any sexual activity, not just sexual intercourse, with a child or young person under that age. We have seen no specific evidence to suggest that the criminal law in Northern Ireland should continue to be at variance with the rest of the UK on this issue, and are supported in this view by numerous children's organisations, including the NSPCC, Barnardo's, Children's Law Centre, Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner, as well as from representatives within the social services sector.
Crime
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to encourage the public to report crime in Northern Ireland. [207753]
Paul Goggins: Successful policing requires the community to work in partnership with the police. Each PSNI district command unit works with District Policing Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships, elected representatives and community leaders to build strong and effective working relationships with all members of the community. This trust is essential for the public to report crime. At the regional level, media appeals and public awareness campaigns are run to encourage the public to report crime. For example, in the last three months advertisements aimed at increasing crime reporting appeared on billboards, buses, posters in retail and community premises, and in pubs and clubs across Northern Ireland.
Driving Offences: Insurance
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convictions were secured for the offence of driving without insurance in each of the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [208330]
Paul Goggins: The following table gives the number of convictions for driving without insurance broken down by parliamentary constituency.
Data cover the calendar years 2002 to 2006 (the latest available years) and are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
Firearms: Theft
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many legally held weapons were stolen from properties in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [208331]
Paul Goggins: The Chief Constable has provided the following answer:
Statistics are captured on the basis of Police Districts and Areas, and therefore the information requested is not readily available.
The Chief Constable will write to the hon. Member to provide an answer in due course, and the letter will be placed in the House Library.
Hillsborough Castle: Official Hospitality
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1385W, on Hillsborough castle: official hospitality, what the cost of each reception held in Hillsborough castle was in the last three financial years. [207674]
Mr. Woodward: I will publish in due course a list providing information relating to official receptions hosted by Ministers in this Department in the 2007-08 financial year.
Kidnapping
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attempted child abductions were reported to the police in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [208332]
Paul Goggins: The Chief Constable has provided the following answer:
Statistics are captured on the basis of Police Districts and Areas, and therefore the information requested is not readily available.
The Chief Constable will write to the hon. Member to provide an answer in due course, and the letter will be placed in the House Library.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |