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Total subject profiles for all England and Wales forces 5,208,988.
Total estimated individuals for all England and Wales forces 4,505,775.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 30 March (WA 200) concerning the report of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, whether the minority reports will be part of the public consultation. [HL2765]
20 Apr 2009 : Column WA355
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: There is nothing further I can add to the Answer given on 30 March 2009, Official Report, col. WA 200.
Northern Ireland Office: Bonuses
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 19 March (WA 79), why the percentage of the Northern Ireland Office senior staff receiving end-of-year bonuses dropped from 90.6 per cent in 2004—05 to 14 per cent in 2005—06. [HL2519]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave on 19 March, Official Report, col. WA 79. A revised policy in relation to the payment of non-consolidated bonuses to staff at the end of the year was introduced in 2005-06 and this resulted in the drop.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Northern Ireland Office will ensure that bonus payments to its officials are allocated to front-line programmes this financial year. [HL2601]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Decisions on future pay awards for Northern Ireland Office officials will be made following receipt of government guidance.
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 30 March (WA 198) concerning bonuses for officials of the Northern Ireland Office, whether the funding allocated is divided equally among staff selected for a bonus or whether it is distributed to those deemed to deserve a bonus in proportion to meritorious work. [HL2766]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Non-consolidated performance payments for Northern Ireland Office senior civil servants are distributed in line with Cabinet Office guidance.
Non-consolidated performance payments for Northern Ireland Office officials in grades D2 to A are equal amounts calculated according to each grade. Payments have been awarded to 20 per cent of officials in each grade who are considered to meet the criteria for an award.
Non-consolidated special performance payments are awarded to Northern Ireland Office officials who have undertaken valuable work over and above what can be usually expected of them. The amount of the award made is consistent with the level of the special accomplishment that has been achieved. Each nomination is considered on its own merits and is approved by respective directors.
20 Apr 2009 : Column WA356
Northern Ireland Office: Energy
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the Northern Ireland Office's 170 initiatives for energy saving; and which have been successful. [HL2393]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: As noted in a previous Answer of 18 March, Official Report, cols WA 50-51, to provide a more detailed breakdown of the 170 separate efficiency initiatives would require significant staff resources which would be in excess of the £750 disproportionate cost threshold.
However, the Northern Ireland Office's Revised Efficiency Technical Note which is published on the internet at www.nio.gov.uk may provide some of the information requested.
Northern Ireland Office: Mobile Phones
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff in the Northern Ireland Office require a mobile telephone for business purposes; and what is that figure as a percentage of the total number of staff. [HL2453]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: 343 staff in the Northern Ireland office require a mobile telephone for business purposes and this represents 26 per cent of the total number of staff.
Northern Ireland Office: Salaries and Expenses
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officials in the Northern Ireland Office are on salaries and expenses which are in excess of (a) £75,000; (b) £100,000; (c) £125,000; and (d) £150,000 per annum. [HL2014]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Details of salary bands for Northern Ireland Office officials can be found in the 2008 Departmental Report, which can be accessed at:
www.nio.gov.uk/northern_Ireland_office_ departmental_report_2008.pdf.
Northern Ireland Office staff are reimbursed for receipted expenditure incurred in relation to their official duties.
The following table illustrates the number of staff in the following pay bands.
| Salary Band | No of Staff |
20 Apr 2009 : Column WA357
Northern Ireland Office: Staff Sickness
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members of staff of the Northern Ireland Office were on long-term sick leave in 2007 and 2008; and what percentage of the total number of staff those figures represent. [HL2396]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Statistics provided by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency show that 164 staff in the Northern Ireland Office had one or more periods of long-term absence due to ill health in 2007-08 representing 8.4 per cent of staff. Long-term absence is defined as a period of 20 working days or more.
Northern Ireland Office: Taxis
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 13 January (WA 135) concerning the cost of taxis for the Northern Ireland Office, whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of all the information relating to taxi travel during the past financial year. [HL966]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Following a review in 2007 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) adopted a policy which made greater use of taxis rather than private hire cars. This policy has generated estimated whole year net savings of £150,000.
Each member of staff is advised that, before any business-related journey is made, the most cost-effective means of transport must be considered. Where the use of public transport or private car is not possible or economic, then the journey may be made by taxi.
The NIO keeps the cost of travel on official business under regular review. Ministers do not, however, intend to publish detailed information about taxi travel during the last financial year.
Northern Ireland Office: Travel
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 19 March (WA 80) concerning travel and subsistence claims for staff in the Northern Ireland Office, why the number of claims has increased by 35 per cent between 1998—99 and 2007—08. [HL2452]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The main reason for the increase in the number of travel and subsistence claims processed is an increase in the number of staff employed by the department.
20 Apr 2009 : Column WA358
In the period for which comparable figures are available (2001-02 to 2007-08), departmental records show the number of travel and subsistence claims processed by the Northern Ireland Office, excluding agencies and executive NDPBs, has fallen in proportion to the number of staff employed.
In 2001-02, 3,111 claims were processed for 886 staff employed; this gives an average number of claims per person of 3.5.
In 2007-08, 4,025 claims were processed for 1,251 staff employed; this gives an average number of claims per person of 3.2.
Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 29 January (WA 78), who made the policy decision that questions for written answer in the House of Lords on the operations of Northern Ireland non-departmental public bodies will not be forwarded to the bodies by the Northern Ireland Office; why; and whether they will review the matter to bring it into line with the policy of the Government Equalities Office. [HL2524]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The policy on dealing with operational questions for Northern Ireland Office non-departmental public bodies was decided by Ministers in that department. Ministers have decided that referring noble Lords to the relevant independent body is the most appropriate way to deal with such operational questions.
The Northern Ireland Office does not have any plans to review this policy.
Northern Ireland: Operation Banner
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will commission an inquiry in the form of an historical investigation into the causes of the 40-year conflict in Northern Ireland, and their political and military policies during Operation Banner since 1968. [HL2813]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government are currently considering the recommendations contained in the report of the Consultative Group on the Past. The Government are listening to a wide range of views on how Northern Ireland society can best approach the legacy of the events of the past 40 years before deciding on the way forward.
20 Apr 2009 : Column WA359
Olympic Games 2012: Employment
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to ensure that black and minority ethnic communities in East London benefit from contracts offered by the organisers of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, particularly with regard to employment opportunities. [HL2336]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government are committed to maximising the wide range of benefits from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups in East London and across the wider UK.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is working with its contractors to encourage and facilitate diversity in their supply chains, and providing them with an opportunity to meet informally with local businesses.
The ODA's Equalities and Inclusion team also undertakes business outreach activity in the local community, in particular with BAME groups, to raise awareness of Games-related business opportunities. This focuses on the CompeteFor system which is designed to give businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), access to opportunities in London 2012's supply chains, and provides links to business support services.
Additionally, the ODA works with the five host boroughs, local grass roots and business support organisations, such as East London Business Place and Supply London, to target minority ethnic owned businesses to tell them how they can get involved in Games-related business opportunities, including details of business support services available to them.
The Department for Business and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has run a series of 2012 business workshops across the country targeting BAME-owned businesses. In September 2008, representatives from 250 diverse businesses attended an event in London, which was aimed at dispelling the myth that only large businesses can benefit from 2012 opportunities. The workshop showed BAME-owned businesses how they can bid for Games-related contracts including signposting them to business support through Business Link. BERR is looking to run a similar event in late autumn.
There is also ongoing work by the ODA and its partners to ensure that local people benefit in terms of jobs and training. The London 2012 "Jobs, Skills, Futures" brokerage works in partnership with the contractors on the Olympic Park to identify all job vacancies that can be made available to local people. These are offered exclusively and equally to each of the five host borough (Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Greenwich and Hackney) employment brokerages for a period of two days (48 hours). If no suitable candidates are put forward by the local employment brokerages, all vacancies are then made available throughout London (through Relay London jobs) for a further two days and after this time they are advertised nationally.
20 Apr 2009 : Column WA360
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether black and minority ethnic and other local people in East London have gained proportionate employment opportunities from the investment in the developments for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. [HL2337]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), its partners in the five host boroughs and Jobcentre Plus, aim to ensure local people, including people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are well placed to benefit from employment and training on the Olympic Park. The London 2012 "Jobs, Skills, Futures" brokerage works in partnership with the contractors on the Olympic Park to identify all job vacancies that can be made available to local people.
The figures published by the ODA in January 2009 show that there are 3,315 people working on the Olympic Park of which 751 (23 per cent) were residents of the five host boroughs and 561 (17 per cent) were defined as BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic).
The table below provides a breakdown of the number of BAME people from each of the five host boroughs working on site in January.
| Borough | Contractor workforce number | BAME - expressed as aproportion of a borough'scontractor workforce |
Pensions
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