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Northern Ireland National Stadium
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 12 July (WA 126) concerning the proposed National Stadium for Northern Ireland, whether they will place in the Library of the House the information on which the selection of a site at the Maze Prison was made.[HL7051]
Lord Rooker: The information will be placed in the Library when final agreement has been reached with the three sports and the business case for the stadium has been finally approved.
Northern Ireland Tourist Board
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 12 July (WA 127) concerning the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, why staff sick leave increased by over 69 per cent from 2000—01 to 2005—06; and what steps are being taken to reduce the number of sick days.[HL7052]
Lord Rooker: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) acknowledges that the increase in sickness absence figures between 2000-01 and 2005-06 is not satisfactory, but it has been largely driven by staff on long-term sickness absence and does not reflect the fact that the majority of staff have had no sickness absence. However, the level of long-term sickness remains a concern, and, following a recent review, the following steps have been taken to address the issue: revised policy and procedures for sickness absence implemented from July 2006; a new employee support programme, which includes occupational health, welfare and counselling facilities from April 2006; and a new performance management system implemented from April 2006 to improve objective setting, performance monitoring and personal development.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the relationship between the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the company Rural Colleges; whether the company received grant aid; and, if so, when the grant was paid.[HL7054]
Lord Rooker: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) is assuming that Lord Laird is referring to Rural Cottage Holidays Ltd and is answering the question accordingly.
Rural Cottage Holidays Ltd is a company limited by guarantee and a wholly owned subsidiary of NITB.
Rural Cottage Holidays Ltd was paid £733,000 from 1995 to 2002.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much the Northern Ireland Tourist Board has spent on consultants in each year since 2000; and, in each case, what was the purpose of the consultancy.[HL7069]
Lord Rooker: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) does not hold information for the financial years 2000-01 and 2001-02. However, the amount of money expended by the NITB on consultants, together with the purpose of the consultancy, for financial years 2002 to 2006 is detailed in the table.
| Purpose | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
Northern Ireland: Festivals
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What funding has already been agreed for nationalist festivals in (a) west Belfast; (b) Ardoyne; and (c) New Lodge; from what sources the funding was made available and after what process; and whether further funding will be made available.[HL6829]
Lord Rooker: Details of the festival funding agreed for (a) west Belfast; (b) Ardoyne; and (c) New Lodge in the current financial year, together with the sources, are given in the tables below:
| West Belfast | |
| Amount | Source |
| Ardoyne | |
| New Lodge | |
The Northern Ireland Events Company awards were made using a competitive application process.
The awards from the Arts Council were made following routine application processes.
The transitional funding from DCAL was awarded following a review of a specific number of festivals that had a significant decrease in the amount of funding received from the previous year. Transitional funding is available for this year only.
No further funding from the sources outlined in the tables is envisaged in the current year for the festivals specified.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the business cases for the additional funding for the nationalist festivals in west Belfast, Ardoyne and New Lodge announced on 10 July were (a) delivered, and (b) approved; by whom they were approved; and whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of all related documentation.[HL6905]
Lord Rooker: The case for further transitional funding for Feile an Phobail, Ardoyne Fleadh Cheoil and Greater New Lodge was reviewed in early July 2006.
The business information reviewed included the applications to the Community Festivals Fund, the programmes for the 2006 festivals, the anticipated income and expenditure for the 2006 festivals and the rationale for funding as set out in the 2005 business cases. Copies of these documents will be placed in the Library of the House.
The actual level of funding, up to specified amounts, is subject to contract and vouched expenditure.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Since the festivals were first funded, how much has been granted up to and including this year to (a) the West Belfast Irish Festival; (b) the Ardoyne Irish Festival; (c) the New Lodge Irish Festival; and (d) the Twelfth Orange celebrations in Belfast.[HL6998]
Lord Rooker: The funding granted to (a) the West Belfast Festival; (b) the Ardoyne Festival; (c) the New Lodge Festival; and (d) the Twelfth Orange celebrations in Belfast since the festivals were first funded is shown in the table below. Please note that the figures quoted are the amounts that were allocated to the festivals in question; the amounts actually paid out may vary slightly from the figures given.
| Financial Year | West Belfast Festival | Ardoyne Festival | New Lodge Festival | Belfast Twelfth Orange Celebrations |
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