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Northern Ireland Office: Staff Numbers
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 11 December 2007 (WA 26) concerning the number of employees in the Northern Ireland Office, what is the CSR07 settlement figure; and what are the headcount figures for the three CSR07 years, due to be available at the start of the 2008—09 financial year. [HL4337]
Lord Rooker: The Northern Ireland Office's CSR settlement figure will reduce the department's administration cost budget by 5 per cent year on year, from 2008-09 through to 2010-11 as stated in the previous Written Answer (WA 26). The headcount figures are still being determined, in line with the 5 per cent year-on-year cuts.
Northern Ireland Office: Staff Sickness
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 3 June (WA 42) concerning sick leave among employees of the Northern Ireland Office, how many times the counselling service for sick employees has been used in each month of the past two years. [HL4375]
Lord Rooker: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Total Counselling Sessions for Staff with Sickness Absence | |
| Months | Sessions for Staff Sickness Absence |
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Carecall is the provider of an employee assistance programme (EAP) for staff in the Northern Ireland Office. Carecall provides an independent, confidential and professional counselling support service for all staff and their immediate family members. The service is available to all staff, both to help those who are absent because of sickness to return to work, and those who are in work to remain in work. This service is complementary to the welfare service and existing policies and procedures. The EAP contract commenced on 1 September 2006.
Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 9 June (WA 87) concerning the travel expenses of the chairman of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum, when they paid those travel expenses; and why they paid them. [HL4185]
Lord Rooker: As the noble Lord will be aware from my Answer of 9 June 2008 (WA87), according to Cabinet Office guidance, (Making and Managing Public Appointments—A Guide for Departments, Fourth Edition, February 2006), all members of public bodies are eligible to be reimbursed for the costs of travel and subsistence associated with their public duties. The same overriding principle, that no appointee should be out of pocket as a result of his or her appointment, was applied in relation to Mr Sidoti's appointment to the forum.
Mr Sidoti served as chair of the Bill of Rights Forum between 15 March 2007 and 31 March 2008. He was reimbursed on a regular basis for his travel expenses during this period.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 16 June (WA 136), what were the “changing resource requirements for work” which allowed the Northern Ireland Office to sponsor the Bill of Rights Forum. [HL4275]
Lord Rooker: The reference to “changing resource requirements for work” in my Written Answers of 16 June (Official Report, col. WA 136) and 12 May (Official Report, col. WA 113) is unconnected to the sponsorship of the Bill of Rights Forum. Those Answers relate to a Question from the noble Lord about why the budget of the division of the Northern Ireland Office which recently sponsored the Bill of Rights Forum increased between 2002-03 and 2003-04. The division in question did not sponsor the forum during either of those years; the forum was not established until December 2006.
Northern Ireland: Murder Prosecutions
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 2 July (WA 42) concerning the murders of Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Regiment members, how they can consider that work is complete in 15 cases when there have been no convictions. [HL4683]
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Lord Rooker: The Historical Enquiries Team (HET) has two main objectives: first, to seek any new or remaining evidential opportunities; and, secondly, to answer the personal questions which families bring about the death of their loved one.
The HET has completed its objectives in the 15 cases referred to by the noble Lord on 2 July.
There are no further potential lines of inquiry at this time. However, HET recognises that there is always a possibility of future unexpected investigative avenues opening. These could be in the form of confessions or other new information coming to light.
In anticipation of this potential, all material gathered in this review has been consolidated and filed in purpose-built storage facilities, where it will be kept indefinitely.
No unsolved murder case is ever closed.
Pakistan
Lord Ahmed asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much money they have granted to the project entitled “I am the West” based in Pakistan. [HL4611]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently collaborating on a project with the working title of “I am the West”, for which an initial amount of £61,875 has been spent to date. We are liaising with the project implementer to decide whether and how to take the project forward, depending on the results of this preliminary work.
Parades: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will place a copy of the Confederation of British Industry Code of Prompt Payers, to which the Northern Ireland Parades Commission is committed, in the Library of the House; when the commitment was made; by whom; and in what form. [HL4239]
Lord Rooker: The department, including its agencies, seeks to comply with the Better Payment Practice Code for achieving good payment performance in commercial transactions. The department last renewed its commitment, via electronic document, on 28 November 2007. A copy of the certificate has been placed in the Library.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
On what basis the Northern Ireland Parades Commission employs monitors; how they are selected; by whom; after what equality process; and what costs are involved in their employment. [HL4402]
Lord Rooker: Monitors are recruited through an open competition and adverts are placed in the local press. They are interviewed by a panel comprising two
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Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 24 June (WA 233) concerning costs of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, on what the £1,200 for hospitality was spent; who authorised each item; how much was spent inside Northern Ireland; and how much outside. [HL4486]
Lord Rooker: The expenditure on hospitality was in relation to:
a series of business receptions/working lunches including groups such as authorised officers and monitors, church leaders, representatives from business organisations and networking groups;four one-to-one working meetings involving the chairman;one individual meeting involving the secretary; andsome incidentals on commission outreach meetings.All of the expenditure was incurred in NI with the exception of one working meeting involving the chairman in GB. The accounting officer, or a senior official acting on his behalf, approves expenditure on hospitality.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 24 June (WA 234) concerning the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, whether they will publish the information requested in the Official Report; who took the decision to answer the Question in the way it was answered; and in what circumstances they place documents in the Library of the House rather than publish the information in the Official Report. [HL4490]
Lord Rooker: The information is already available in the public domain. Government Ministers have responsibility for answering Questions. In accordance with Schedule 1 to the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998, the Secretary of State is required to lay a copy of the report before Parliament.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 25 June (WA 254—5) concerning funding awards made by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, who selected the groups who were paid; on what bases; and what percentage of applications for funding was accepted. [HL4506]
Lord Rooker: All funding applications are brought before and decided by the Northern Ireland Parades Commission. All applications are considered against the criteria set out in Application for Funding, which is publicly available on the commission's website together with Guidance Notes for Parades Commission Funding
14 July 2008 : Column WA122
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the agreed amount payable to the commissioners of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission since 2005; what were their terms and conditions of employment; what was actually paid to each; and what amount of income tax and national insurance payments were deducted as part of their conditions of employment. [HL4681]
Lord Rooker: Information relating to the parades commissioners' remuneration, terms and conditions and individual salaries can be found in the Northern Ireland Parades Commission’s annual report and financial statements. Copies of these reports are held in the Library.
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will not disclose information to a third party concerning an individual's tax position.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 2 July (WA 43) concerning the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, whether the Northern Ireland Office inquired from the parades commissioners whether they had paid income tax and national insurance contributions. [HL4682]
Lord Rooker: No. This is a matter between the individuals and HMRC.
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