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10 Oct 2005 : Column WA59
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
On what basis recent appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission reflect the community in Northern Ireland. [HL671]
Lord Rooker: The appointments process for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was conducted in line with the code of practice of the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). Candidates were judged appointable on merit.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has a statutory duty, as far as practicable, to secure that the commissioners, as a group, are representative of the community in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is content that he has done so.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidance they give to the recently appointed Chief Commissioner for Human Rights in Northern Ireland. [HL1016]
Lord Rooker: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent body and its functions are set by Section 69 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
The human rights and equality unit in the Northern Ireland Office supports the commission in fulfilling those functions that require the commission to consult, inform or advise the Secretary of State, in accordance with statute.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they interpret the term "merit" as used in the appointment of members to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. [HL1259]
Lord Rooker: The appointments process for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was run in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) guidelines.
Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 22 June (WA 179) concerning the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission, whether an individual determines his own community background. [HL1403]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: My Written Answer of 22 June (Official Report, col. WA 179) indicated that the Court Service press release dated 14 June 2005 was based on information provided by the members of the commission.
10 Oct 2005 : Column WA60
Northern Ireland: Belfast Security Barriers
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What form the review on the removal of the security barriers at Chichester Street, Belfast, is taking; why it has been prolonged; and whether, pending the outcome of the review, they have any plans to make Upper Ann Street two-way enabling traffic for east Belfast to exit the city centre via a shorter route. [HL1405]
Lord Rooker: The security barrier in Chichester Street, Belfast which the noble Lord refers to is not a named barrier for consideration under the ongoing removal of town centre barriers review by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and therefore the NIO is not in a position to comment further on this matter.
Northern Ireland: Child Death Review Protocol
Baroness Blood asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 5 July 2004 (WA 57), what progress has been made on the development of a regional child death protocol in Northern Ireland; and what is the timescale for the publication of the consultation document. [HL1437]
Lord Rooker: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is currently considering a draft child death review protocol produced by a working group established under the auspices of the southern area board, area child protection committee. Departmental officials are liaising closely with colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office on the completion of a protocol for pathologists, which will form part of or will inform the current draft child death review protocol.
The department has arranged to meet with key stakeholders in early October 2005 to agree the formal consultation arrangements for the child death review protocol, by which time it is anticipated that the protocol for pathologists will have been finalised.
Northern Ireland: Funding for Nationalist and Unionist Festivals
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many applications for funding the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has received this year for activities related to the annual 12 July celebrations; how many were accepted; how many were rejected; and for what reason. [HL1156]
Lord Rooker: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure received two applications for funding of activities related to the 2005 12 July celebrations, both of which were accepted. In addition, the Ulster-Scots Agency received nine applications for Ulster-Scots
10 Oct 2005 : Column WA61
elements of 12 July celebrations, all of which were accepted.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure received (a) the applications, and (b) the business cases for funding festivals in West Belfast, New Lodge Road and Ardoyne in 2004; when they were agreed; and whether they will place copies of those documents in the Library of the House. [HL1176]
Lord Rooker: The information requested is as follows:
I have arranged for copies of the applications and additional business information provided by the three festivals to be placed in the Library of the House.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any plans to reorganise the method of allocating funding for festivals in Northern Ireland; if so, when the process will start; and when it will conclude. [HL1200]
Lord Rooker: Departments are continuing to work towards the establishment of more cohesive, less fragmented arrangements for the funding of festivals, and plan to consult on these by the autumn of this year. It is therefore anticipated that new arrangements will be in place in time for 2006 festivals.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a sum of money was set aside for the annual 12 July celebrations activity in 2005 by the Northern Ireland Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure; if so, how much was the sum; how it was calculated; and what percentage it represented of the total funding for festivals in Northern Ireland. [HL1201]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure provided £48,092 for activities associated with the annual 12 July celebrations in 2005: £28,165 directly and £19,927 via the Ulster-Scots Agency. All requests for funding were supported by business cases and/or application forms. The total funding for festivals in 2005 is not known.
10 Oct 2005 : Column WA62
Northern Ireland: Organised Crime
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
What they estimate to be the total value of organised crime in Northern Ireland in each year since 1998; and what value they estimate for (a) fuel processing and smuggling; (b) drugs trafficking; and (c) illegal disposal of dangerous waste. [HL1326]
HM Revenue and Customs does not have an estimate of the total value of fuel laundering (processing) and smuggling in Northern Ireland. It estimates that the use of non-UK duty paid fuel in Northern Ireland, resulting from a combination of such frauds and legitimate cross-border shopping, has been as follows:
| Year | Revenue Loss (£ million) |
| 2000 | 385 |
| 2001 | 360 |
| 2002 | 335 |
| 2003 | 350 |
No estimates of revenue loss are available for 1998 and 1999.
An estimate of the total value of drug trafficking in NI would need considerable research, which would incur disproportionate cost. However, the published seizure figures for each year are as follows:
| Year | £ million |
| 1998-99 | 7 |
| 1999-2000 | 11.4 |
| 2000-01 | l0 |
| 2001-02 | 6.5 |
| 2002-03 | 11 |
| 2003-04 | 15.1 |
| 2004-05 | 9.5 |
(c) Illegal disposal of dangerous waste
It is estimated that over 250,000 tonnes of municipal waste from the Republic of Ireland have been illegally deposited in Northern Ireland. These would have a conservative cost of between £12.5 million and £31 million to be disposed at legal sites, and large profits would be made in avoiding these costs.
Smuggling waste from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland has only been perceived to be a significant problem within the past three years, and any involvement by organised crime would be unlikely to much predate this.
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