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Northern Ireland Civil Service
Lord Rogan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much money the reduction in the number of permanent staff saved the Northern Ireland Civil Service, by comparison between the financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01.[HL3328]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The number of permanent staff in the Northern Ireland Civil Service increased between 1999–2000 and 2000–01.
Lord Rogan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans are in place to reduce the total amount of overtime, in man years, for the Northern Ireland Civil Service in the financial years 2003–04 and 2004–05.[HL3330]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Overtime is an important means of responding to in-year pressures and there are no immediate plans to seek a reduction. It is only worked on an exceptional basis to meet pressing business need and its use is closely monitored and controlled in the context of the contribution it makes to service provision and the achievement of business objectives.
Lord Rogan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much money the total increase in overtime cost the Northern Ireland Civil Service, by comparison between the financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01.[HL3329]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: In the Northern Ireland Civil Service a total of £29,456,890 was spent on overtime in 1999–2000 compared with £31,958,194 in 2000–01. This equates to an increase of £2,501,304.
Northern Ireland: Tourism
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland have taken in the past year, and what steps they propose to take in the next five years, to develop tourism in Northern Ireland, particularly by United States citizens of Scots Irish background. [HL3323]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has already mainstreamed cultural tourism as a key development and marketing priority and will continue to do so in coming years. The board, in conjunction with Tourism Ireland Ltd (TIL), is keen to exploit opportunities that are unique to Northern Ireland and to develop a visitor experience that is based on the region's cultural and natural attributes. The NITB recognises the Ulster Scots (known as Scots-Irish in the USA) heritage as an integral element of future tourism growth to Northern Ireland from several key markets including North America.
TIL recognises the potential of Ulster Scots/Scots Irish segment to tourism in the island of Ireland. To that end, the company has commissioned research specifically on this segment by organising for the inclusion of a number of questions in the Menlo Study of Travel Behaviour, currently being undertaken in the US market, with preliminary results expected in August 2003. This study, in conjunction with a brand tracking study, which is also in the field, will assist TIL in identifying regions with best potential for this particular segment.
TIL has also liaised with the Ulster-Scots Agency in Belfast and has requested copies of their publications for distribution to market staff and tour operators to allow key players to become more familiar with this crucial segment.
TIL is currently in discussions with its advertising agency to design a segment-specific campaign to target specific groups through targeted publications and websites, with particular emphasis on the Ulster Scots/Scots Irish.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have to grant aid to tourism on the north coast of County Antrim. [HL3425]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: DCAL does not directly grant aid to tourism. However, it provides part funding for events and projects which can benefit tourism in the area.
Ulster-Scots Agency
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 5 June (WA 180), whether the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure noted that the agency minutes of 2 and 5 November 2001 and 25 January 2002 stated that it had agreed to carry over funds to the next financial year; if so, what action the department took on each occasion; and whether they will place any relevant memorandum in the Library of the House.[HL3363]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has minutes of the Ulster-Scots Agency board meetings of 2 November 2001 and 25 January 2002. It does not have minutes of a board meeting on 5 November 2001.
Officials from the department had advised the then Acting Chief Executive of the Ulster-Scots Agency on 25 October 2001 that there was no mechanism for a carry over of provision from one financial year to the next.
In light of the 25 January 2002 minutes officials, on 11 February 2002, again pointed out to the Acting Chief Executive that there was no mechanism for carry over and that the department had not agreed to a carry over.
All the communications with officials of the Ulster-Scots Agency referred to above were made orally.
Northern Ireland: Smoking in Hospitals
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 11 June (WA 50), which hospitals in Northern Ireland have banned smoking and which have not.[HL3366]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The information requested is provided in the table below, which relates to hospitals currently providing acute services.
| Hospital | Policy | Details |
| Altnagelvin | No smoking | |
| Antrim Area | No smoking | |
| Belfast City | No smoking | Smoking areas provided for selected groups only, e.g. mental health patients. |
| Causeway | No smoking | |
| Craigavon Area | No smoking | Designated smoking areas provided—under review. |
| Daisy Hill | No smoking | |
| Downe | No smoking | |
| Erne | No smoking | Designated smoking areas provided. |
| Green Park | No smoking | |
| Lagan Valley | No smoking | |
| Mater Infirmorum | No smoking | |
| Mid-Ulster | No smoking | |
| Royal Group | No smoking | Smoking rooms provided. |
| Tyrone County | No smoking | Designated smoking areas provided. |
| Ulster | No smoking |
Northern Ireland Office: Security
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many reviews of security in the Northern Ireland Office there have been in the past year, including those currently under way; who is undertaking these reviews; whether any of the reviews have reported; and when those which have not yet reported will report.[HL3607]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: There has been one such review: a team from the Security Service completed an audit of security practices within the Northern Ireland Office. The report has been received and action regarding the recommendations is under way.
Artigarvan: Housing
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What proposals they have to improve the quality of housing stock in Artigarvan, County Tyrone.[HL3638]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has responsibility for 39 properties in three estates in Artigarvan village. Twenty eight of these have had their heating systems upgraded and will be included in an external cyclical maintenance scheme planned for November 2003. The remaining 11 houses have already been modernised.
Fifteen empty properties have been demolished and the area will be graded and grassed. The future use of the resulting open space will be discussed with the community.
Northern Ireland: Special Educational Needs Assessment
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 24 June (WA 7), when the Department of Education will issue its decision on whether the board's conclusion regarding Mr Burke is correct.[HL3640]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Department of Education has replied to Mrs Burke in a letter dated 30 June 2003.
Statutory Instruments
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will ensure that all draft statutory instruments are available on the website of Her Majesty's Stationery Office in good time before they are debated in the House.[HL3743]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Statutory Instruments are published on the HMSO website as soon as they are published in printed form. The decision whether to publish draft instruments is a matter for the department concerned and draft instruments are not always published in advance of debate in Parliament. The Government accept that it is desirable for instruments to be available to the public, as well as to Members of both Houses, before they are debated in Parliament and are considering how this might best be achieved.
Northern Ireland: Morning After Pill
Baroness Masham of Ilton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much they have spent in the last year promoting the use of the morning after pill in Northern Ireland.[HL3306]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: No resources have been spent promoting the use of the morning after pill in Northern Ireland in the last year.
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