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Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they have taken in response to the Police Board for Northern Ireland imposing a late applicant for interview, after the shortlisting process had been completed, for the Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council's District Police Partnership. [HL3290]
Baroness Amos: The management of the appointment process for the independent members of District Policing Partnerships is a matter for the Northern Ireland Policing Board. A team of impartial assessors was appointed by the board to oversee the process. Their role was to assess the process for openness, transparency, probity and effectiveness, to ensure compliance with OCPA guidance and the code of practice for the appointment of independent members produced by the NIO, and to report to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
The impartial assessors' report was published in June 2003. They found the appointment process to be fair, robust, open and transparent. However they did make a recommendation about the handling of late applications. This recommendation will be reflected in the NIO's code of practice which is currently being revised prior to issue for consultation.
Belfast—London: Air Transport Services
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
7 Sept 2004 : Column WA103- Heathrow, London Gatwick or London City airports; whether there is fair and adequate competition among these airlines; and by what amounts over each of the past three years Northern Ireland Office departments have fostered that competition by supporting each airline in respect of Ministerial and Civil Service usage. [HL3453]
Baroness Amos: Research indicates that the airlines provide a regular daily service of flights between Belfast and the named airports. BMI fly between Belfast and London Heathrow, Flybe between Belfast and both London Gatwick and London City and Easyjet between Belfast and London Gatwick.
Air transport services are provided by the private sector and it is government policy to let the market regulate itself with regard to competition.
Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments do not have a direct contractual relationship with any airline. Travel requirements to GB destinations are typically booked through a contracted travel agent. This agent provides a service which identifies the best value air fare to meet the specific business need which includes consideration of flights by all airlines flying to the required destination.
The amounts of fares paid over the last three years for each of the respective airlines to each named destination is set out in the table below:
| 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | ||
| Destination | Airline | £ | £ | £ |
| London Heathrow | bmi | 1,224,102 | 1,783,093 | 2,183,271
|
| London Gatwick | ||||
| flybe | 429,327 | 325,179 | 201,961 | |
| easyjet | n/a | 939 | 13,571
| |
| London City | flybe | 12,989 | 43,974 | 14,124 |
These figures relate only to single sector flights booked through the contracted travel agency services and do not include any journeys undertaken and which were booked through other channels, as to obtain this information would be at disproportionate cost to departments.
Northern Ireland Departments: Expenditure on Consultants
Lord Glentoran asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much has been spent on consultants since June 2001 by each government department in Northern Ireland. [HL3520]
Baroness Amos: The amount spent on consultants since April 2001 by each government department in Northern Ireland is as follows:
7 Sept 2004 : Column WA104
Information on expenditure from June 2001 is not readily available as figures are compiled on a financial year basis and therefore the figures provided in the answer are for April 2001 to March 2004.
Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will detail the amounts of public money paid to the Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders for the purchase of buildings; and what is the present status of the property purchased. [HL3538]
Baroness Amos: The Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO) is core funded by government and is one of the key service providers for the criminal justice system.
To necessitate a move from their current location, NIACRO have purchased a central Belfast site on which a developer is currently constructing a new building which NIACRO will purchase on completion in December 2004.
In March 2004 government made a strategic investment of £250,000 to NIACRO to contribute to the cost of the site. The title deed of the site has now passed to NIACRO. In relation to the purchase of the building, NIACRO is currently pursuing further opportunities for funding.
7 Sept 2004 : Column WA105
Northern Ireland: Teachers
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by the Lord President on 24 February (WA 41), whether it is their practice to advise those recruiting teachers for state schools that the equal opportunity employment policies in relation to religion and political opinion of the Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards are inapplicable due to the exemption of teachers from fair employment law. [HL3539]
Baroness Amos: I refer the noble Lord to my previous answer on 24 February 2004 (Official Report col. WA 41).
Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 29 June (WA 13) concerning Irish culture, whether they have plans to provide funding for Irish culture and language; if so, when they will do so; how much they plan to provide; through which body such funds will be provided; and whether business cases will be required. [HL3593]
Baroness Amos: Following approval of a business case it is planned that a broadcast fund of £12 million will be made available over a three-year period to support Irish language film and television production in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced on 1 July 2004 that the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission will administer the broadcast fund, which is expected to be operational by December 2004.
Northern Ireland: Primary School Funding
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether primary schools in Northern Ireland are funded by a similar formula to those in England; if not, what is the difference; and why such difference exists. [HL3636]
Baroness Amos: The system for funding primary schools in Northern Ireland is very similar to that of England, in that delegated budgets are determined by means of a formula developed and operated by the Education and Library Board (in England the Local Education Authority has this responsibility, under the Fair Funding scheme). In Northern Ireland, primary schools in the grant-maintained integrated sector are funded directly by the Department of Education.
It is not possible to draw comparisons on differences in the funding formulae due to the differences in the levels of delegated responsibility, the different categories of schools, and other factors such as, for
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example, the relative size of schools and differing levels of social deprivation between the two countries.
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