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12 Oct 2009 : Column 16W—continued
Departmental Travel
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on (a) car hire, (b) air travel, (c) hotels and (d) restaurant meals for (i) Ministers and (ii) staff in his Department in each of the last five years. [289974]
Paul Goggins: The following table shows how much the Northern Ireland Office, including the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland, and excluding its agencies and NDPBs has spent on (a) car hire, (b) air travel (c) hotels and (d) restaurant meals for (i) Ministers and (ii) staff in his Department in each of the last five years.
All spending on official entertainment is made in accordance with HM Treasury's "Managing Public Money".
Devolution
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what timetable he has set for devolution of responsibility for policing to the Northern Ireland Assembly. [291458]
Paul Goggins: The Government favours early devolution of responsibility for policing and justice, in line with the process set out by the First and Deputy First Minister in November 2008. It welcomes the introduction in the Northern Ireland Assembly of a Bill to establish a new Department of Justice, and looks forward to the Assembly approving a resolution seeking a transfer of powers, as set out in section 4 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. It is making intensive efforts to clear the remaining obstacles.
Drugs: Sentencing
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) sentenced for drug-dealing offences in Northern Ireland in the last 24 months. [289305]
Paul Goggins: In 2007-08 there were 736 persons and in 2008-09 there were 772 persons arrested for drug-dealing offences in Northern Ireland.
Conviction data for 2007 and 2008 are not available. In 2005 there were 149 persons and in 2006 there were 159 persons sentenced for drug-dealing offences in Northern Ireland.
Data for arrests relate to the offence for which a person is initially charged while data for convictions relate to the offence for which a person is tried. Not all persons arrested for drug-dealing are tried for this particular offence; for instance, if there is insufficient evidence persons may be tried for a lesser offence, such as drug possession.
Both data for arrests and convictions are collated on the principal offence rule; only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
Economic Situation
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Northern Ireland Executive Minister for Trade and Industry to discuss the economic downturn in the Province. [289283]
Mr. Woodward: A discussion on the economy formed part of the recent meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee, attended by the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers, the Prime Minister, the Chief Secretary and myself. I have not recently discussed this issue with the Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Arlene Foster MLA), but she met the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills during his visit to Belfast earlier in the year.
Orange Halls
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attacks on Orange Halls were reported in each of the last 12 months in Northern Ireland. [289259]
Paul Goggins: As this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland stations are planned to be closed in the next (a) 12, (b) 24 and (c) 36 months. [289306]
Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Police Service of Northern Ireland: Army
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times the Army has provided assistance to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in its policing of the marching season in 2009. [289281]
Paul Goggins: As this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Police: Injuries
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers were injured by rioters at Rasharkin in County Antrim on 13 July 2009. [289256]
Paul Goggins: As this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers were injured by rioters at Ardoyne on 13 July 2009. [289272]
Paul Goggins: As this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Police: Vehicles
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police vehicles on average were available for duty in the night time in the (a) Cookstown, (b) Magherafelt, (c) Antrim and (d) Newtonabbey Council area in the last 12 months. [289260]
Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police vehicles were damaged by rioters at Ardoyne on 13 July 2009. [289278]
Paul Goggins: As this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Prisoners: Maghaberry Prison
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dissident (a) republicans and (b) loyalist prisoners are being held at Maghaberry Prison. [289279]
Paul Goggins: On 22 July, the number of prisoners recorded as being affiliated to dissident republican groups held in Maghaberry prison was 46; there were 112 loyalist prisoners on a similar basis.
Prisoners: Magilligan Prison
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dissident republicans are being held in Magilligan prison. [289280]
Paul Goggins: On 22 July, there were 11 prisoners affiliated to dissident republican groupings held at Magilligan prison.
Relocation
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have moved house following dissident Republican threats during the last 12 months. [289270]
Paul Goggins: As this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Security
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive to discuss the security situation in the Province. [289282]
Paul Goggins: The Secretary of State meets the First Minister regularly to discuss a range of issues, including the security situation.
Terrorism
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many death threats issued by dissident Republicans to (a) former members of the security forces and (b) members of the public resident in the Magherafelt District Council area have been reported in the last 12 months. [289276]
Paul Goggins: As this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Gentleman, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Weapons: Licensing
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many licences for personal protection weapons (1) have been issued in each of the last three years. [289398]
(2) have been revoked in each of the last three years. [289399]
Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Young People: Missing Persons
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people were recorded as going missing in Northern Ireland over the last 12 months. [289267]
Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Prime Minister
Afghanistan
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Chief of the Defence Staff on the announcement he made in Afghanistan on additional personnel, unmanned aerial vehicles, the Warthog vehicle and Ridgeback vehicles. [291572]
The Prime Minister: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others including the Chief of the Defence staff on a wide range of subjects. The Chief of the Defence staff accompanied me on my visit to Afghanistan in August.
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