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Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 18 April (WA 75) concerning the budget for the Northern Ireland Events Company, what consultation took place before the 2007-08 budget was set; who took part in the consultation; when the consultation took place; and whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the consultation documentation. [HL3411]
Lord Rooker: The Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC) budget is set in the Government's Priorities and Budgets process. There was no Priorities and Budget process for the 2007-08 financial year. Therefore there was no consultation before the 2007-08 NIEC budget was set. However, there was a Budget and Priorities process in 2005, in which the NIEC budget for 2006-07 and indicative budget for 2007-08 was set.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have reached a decision not to site the Northern Ireland Record Office in either the old Crumlin Road Jail or the Court House; and, if so, when the decision was taken and for what reason. [HL3413]
Lord Rooker: Yes. A decision not to site the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in the Crumlin Road gaol was taken in November 2005 for technical and cost reasons. Subsequent to this, in March 2007, a decision was taken by Maria Eagle MP, Minister for the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, not to site the new accommodation for PRONI on the Crumlin Road gaol site as it did not meet the critical business needs and urgent timeline for PRONI's accommodation. The Crumlin Road courthouse was not considered on its own as a site for PRONI. In the 1990s it had been considered in combination with the gaol as a possible location for PRONI but this did not proceed beyond preliminary investigations.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 18 April (WA 58) concerning parity of esteem for both communities in Northern Ireland, whether the comparative levels of funding of the Ulster Scots community and the Irish Community reflect parity of esteem. [HL3409]
Lord Rooker: All applications for government funding are assessed on their merits against the relevant criteria for the specific programme, project or initiative under which they are made. This process ensures equal consideration is given in each case regardless of the community or group seeking the support. The Government are therefore confident that funding decisions reflect parity of esteem for all communities in Northern Ireland.
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
What (a) is the judicial experience, and (b) are the legal qualifications of the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. [HL2528]
Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to my previous Written Answers on 6 February (WA130) and on 21 February (WA264) in response to similar Questions raised by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass.
I would again confirm that the information provided by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland regarding previous experience and qualifications on application for her appointment is personal information to the applicant. It would not be appropriate to release such personal information to a third party.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the historical enquiries team of the Police Service of Northern Ireland is creating a separate collusion investigation unit; what is the purpose of the unit; what is the unit's estimated annual cost; and whether units will be established for other murder categories. [HL3310]
Lord Rooker: The Historic Enquiries Team (HET) has the responsibility to look at all of the deaths relating to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, between 1968 and 1998. This amounts to 3,268 deaths in 2,516 incidents.
To deal with some cases where collusion is alleged without delaying work on the majority of cases a small four-person team overseen by the deputy director of HET has been established. This team has been set up because it is believed to be the most efficient way of handling these cases.
The team was established in January 2006 and to date has expenditure of approximately £50,000. This represents approximately 1 per cent of the overall annual spend of HET.
There are no plans to develop units for other murder categories.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How the Rates Collection Agency calculated the domestic rates transition relief in Northern Ireland for 2007; and how information on the relief was communicated to the public. [HL3313]
Lord Rooker: Transitional relief for 2007 was assessed by comparing what the rates would have been under the previous rental (NAV) system against the bill calculated under the new capital value system. The 2007 NAV calculation was based on a notional poundage figure, comprising what the regional and district rates would have been had the NAV system remained in place. Transitional relief was automatically applied to those bills where the increase between the notional bill and the actual bill under the new system was more than 33 per cent.
An announcement was made on 3 July 2006 by the Minister of State, the right honourable David Hanson, that there would be a transitional relief scheme and on how it would be assessed. In addition this was communicated to the public by way of a leaflet enclosed with each rate bill.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action the Rates Collection Agency took to increase the capacity of the domestic rates help line; and whether the action taken was sufficient. [HL3314]
Lord Rooker: In preparation for the issue of the new rate bills the agency substantially increased the number of staff available to answer calls, linked into a new call-handling system, and increased the number of telephone lines available.
The agency answered over 27,000 calls during the week commencing 16 April 2007; and, taking into account the other areas of the business which needed to be covered by staff, I am satisfied that this action was sufficient.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the information contained in the leaflet sent to ratepayers in Northern Ireland about the domestic rates transition relief was accurate. [HL3315]
Lord Rooker: The leaflet sent to ratepayers had an inaccuracy in the section referring to transitional relief. The words would have were omitted in error from the following sentence:
The agency has apologised to ratepayers for the error but it has also confirmed that the rate bill calculation is correct where transitional relief applies.
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many times since 6 May 2006 the Secretary of State for Scotland has met the First Minister of Scotland; and what was the date and location of each meeting. [HL2864]
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and the First Minister have met on numerous occasions and also speak regularly by telephone. Meetings that have also involved officials from the Scotland Office and/or Scottish Executive have taken place on 11 May 2006 at Holyrood and 14 December 2006 in Whitehall.
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which villages, towns or cities within the United Kingdom the Secretary of State for Scotland has visited since 1 October 2006; and when each visit took place. [HL2865]
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: In addition to official visits in London, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has visited the following towns and cities in his official capacity since 1 October 2006.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much funding was provided by the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in the financial year 2006-07 to fund activities related to (a) Association Football; (b) Rugby Union; and (c) the Gaelic Athletic Association. [HL3234]
Lord Rooker: The Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI) is responsible for the development of sport in NI including the distribution of funding to individual sports. In 2006-07 the SCNI provided exchequer funding to Association Football, Rugby Union and the Gaelic Athletic Association as follows:
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 18 April (WA 80) on funding for sport in Northern Ireland, what were the reasons for the differences in the sums received by Rally Ireland, the Circuit of Ireland and the North West 200. [HL3373]
Lord Rooker: Payments to the Circuit of Ireland and the North West 200 for 2005 were made by the Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC) based on assessment of applications to its Major Events Fund by the event organisers.
From 2006, support for established annual flagship sporting events in Northern Ireland, such as the Circuit of Ireland and the North West 200, has been made under the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) Business Support Scheme. This scheme, jointly funded by IFI and public funding from NIEC and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), has the purpose of assisting leading sporting and cultural events within Northern Ireland to become sustainable. The awards under this scheme to the Circuit of Ireland and to the North West 200 were based on assessment of the applications made by the event organisers against the criteria for funding set out under the scheme.
Rally Ireland is not an established annual event, but rather an innovative series of events in a successful bid to secure a new major global sporting event, the World Rally Championship. Payments to Rally Ireland have been made on the basis of need established in approved business cases.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the potential benefit to Northern Ireland was considered in calculating funding to be provided for Rally Ireland, the Circuit of Ireland and the North West 200; and, if so, how it was calculated in each case. [HL3412]
Lord Rooker: The potential benefit to Northern Ireland was a factor considered in calculating funding provided to Rally Ireland, the Circuit of Ireland and the North West 200. For Rally Ireland, the potential benefit to Northern Ireland was demonstrated in approved business cases. Prior to 2006, the potential benefit to Northern Ireland from the Circuit of Ireland and the North West 200 was assessed as part of the application process for funding from the Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC) Major Events Fund. From 2006, the potential benefit to Northern Ireland from the Circuit of Ireland and the North West 200 has been assessed as part of the application process for funding from the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) Business Development Scheme administered by NIEC.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 18 April (WA 83) concerning a national stadium for Northern Ireland, what are their requirements for the project; and whether these requirements have been applied to other projects. [HL3395]
Lord Rooker: The Government's key requirements for a shared future multi-sports stadium are that it will be operationally viable; meet the needs of Association Football, Rugby Football and Gaelic Games, and be situated in a location acceptable to all three sports bodies. These requirements are specific to this project.
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