The First Minister and Deputy First Minister (Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon): [holding answer 24 November 2000]: The Executive Committee is determined to ensure that our arrangements for protecting children and upholding children's rights are based on best practice. The draft Programme for Government contains a range of specific actions, including the establishment of a Children's Fund, to ensure a joined up approach to children's issues across Departments. We will carefully examine key developments in other jurisdictions and, in the light of those developments, will consider what new arrangements are needed when formulating proposals for the Children's Fund.

Mr Ian Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will outline her plans to restructure farm businesses to attract younger farmers into the industry.

1. In choosing a career young people and their parents are strongly influenced by future career prospects and the image of the industry. A competitive and profitable industry, perceived as having a viable future, will be successful in attracting young people to enter it.
2. My Department already provides a wide range of support services to help the industry improve its competitiveness. For young people wishing to enter the industry, my Department's colleges provide a wide range of high quality courses. These courses are widely advertised and promoted, with comprehensive careers guidance provided for potential students and their parents. On returning to farm, a young person can receive further support from the Department for the adoption of technology and best management practice.
3. With the present low incomes arising from the strength of sterling, BSE and other factors, some farm families will need to secure additional income from the farm or from off-farm employment. To help young people who wish to combine off-farm employment with part-time farming, my Department is collaborating with the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to provide a 'Multiskilling' programme funded under that Department's ESF allocation.
4. I have previously advised you of my Department's proposals for PEACE II programme to support re-skilling and up-skilling (AQW 429/00).
5. The current Vision exercise is considering other measures to move the industry forward. I look forward to receiving its proposals and developing a positive and proactive programme for industry development. Although a retirement scheme and support for young farmers are permitted under the Rural Development Regulation, questions have been asked about value for money of such schemes. Although a retirement scheme was not mentioned in the Vision Group's "Emerging Themes" paper, I have not ruled it out and have commissioned an independent review of such a scheme.
6. Fairly steady restructuring is already taking place. Over the last three decades the number of farm businesses declined by an average of 1.8% per year. In the last 10 years average area per farm has increased by 17%.

Mr Ian Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if, in relation to Rural Proofing, she will (a) confirm that a group will be appointed to rural proof all Government polices, (b) outline who will appoint this group and to whom it will be responsible, (c) detail when this group will be appointed and (d) ensure that the Assembly will be able to scrutinise its activities.

Ms Rodgers: There is a commitment in the Executive's draft Programme for Government to establish a Ministerial-led group to proof all Government policies for their rural impact. As we are still consulting on the draft Programme, and the Assembly has yet to approve a Programme, it would be premature to finalise arrangements for implementing rural proofing. The concerns raised will be taken into account when implementation is being considered.

Mr Ian Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will detail the amount spent by her Department on the Peace Maze at Castlewellan and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: At the end of October 2000, a total of £138,000 has been spent on the Peace Maze at Castlewellan from a total allocation of £500,000 under the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. Of this figure, 75% (£103, 500) has been provided from EU funds with the remaining 25% (£34,500) being allocated from Government matching funds.

This unique project is intended to symbolise the long and difficult path to peace, marking the journey through community involvement at all stages in its design, planting and use. It has received widespread support from its inception and at the design stage captured the imagination of over 4,000 schoolchildren who submitted design ideas. The best of those ideas were incorporated into the final design. Planting, which is taking place over the next 4-5 weeks, has also been organised to involve as wide a cross section of the community as possible and includes special days for the general public, youth groups, community groups and schools.

When the project is finished ( early Spring 2001), it will be the largest hedge maze in the world and its setting within one of our premier Forest Parks, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, will make it a unique attraction. Whilst the main focus of the project is to foster peace and reconciliation within our own community in Northern Ireland, it also has the potential to capture the imagination internationally and become a major tourist attraction in its own right.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will detail when she last met representatives of the Ulster Farmers Union to discuss the impact of fuel duty upon hill farmers.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if he will detail the funding available through the Sports Council for Northern Ireland for minority sports particularly karate, judo and squash in each of the last three years.

NAME OF SCHOOL		UNIT TOTAL		ISR
Arellian		353		2-8
Brefne		168		1-7
Denmark Street		112		1-7
Edenderry		350		1-7
Frederick Street		175		1-7
Glenbank		175		1-7
Glendhu		175		1-7
Malvern Street		350		1-7
McArthur		350		1-7
New Lodge		350		1-7
Oldpark		350		1-7
Ravenscroft		350		1-7
Sandbrook		353		2-8
Shaftesbury		350		1-7
Stanshope Street		350		1-7
Tudor Lodge		350		1-7
Victoria		175		1-7
MAINTAINED
NAME OF SCHOOL	UNIT TOTAL				ISR
Bethlehem	350				1-7
Cathedral	350				1-7
Holy Child	350				1-7
Holy Cross	350				1-7
Holy Family	350				1-7
Holy Rosary	350				1-7
Matt Talbot	301				1-7
Our Lady's	350				1-7
St Bernadette's	350				1-7
St Maria Goretti	350				1-7
St Martin's	357				2-8
St Mary's	357				2-8
St Michael's	350				1-7
St Oliver Plunkett	350				1-7
St Paul's	350				1-7
St Peter's	357				2-8
St Teresa's	350				1-7

Southern Education and Library Board

MAINTAINED
NAME OF SCHOOL	UNIT TOTAL		ISR
College Farm, Armagh	364		2-8
St John the Baptist	329		1-7
St Malachy's, Newry	350		1-7

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of Education to detail (a) his assessment of the Northern Ireland Audit Office report (NIA 16/00) (b) what steps he intends to take to address the recommendations therein and (c) what plans he has to provide Boards of Governors with pre-determined and measurable criteria in order to compute salaries for Principals and Vice-Principals.

Mr McGuinness: The Department of Education is currently studying the Northern Ireland Audit Office Report on Pay Flexibilities for School Principals and Vice-Principals. In addition to considering the NIAO recommendations, I shall be looking at any policy implications.

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of Education if he will give his assessment of the total hours worked by teachers in terms of class teaching, extra curricular activities and preparation times before and after school hours.

Mr McGuinness: Under their terms and conditions of employment teachers are required to be available for 1265 hours per year exclusive of time spent off school premises in preparing and marking lessons. Out of this 1265 hours they may not be required to teach for more than 25 hours per week in a primary or special school, and 23.5 hours per week in a secondary school.

My department does not hold information on which to make an assessment of the time that teachers spend on extra curricular activities and preparation time before and after school hours. I do however recognise the very significant contribution which the teaching profession makes in all these areas of activity.

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of Education if he will (a) give his assessment of the funding of controlled, maintained and integrated schools and (b) detail the steps he intends to take to ensure transparency in funding.

(a) Under current arrangements schools are funded through seven formulae operated by Education and Library Boards and the Department of Education. These formulae are broadly similar and are comprised of factors which reflect the relative need for funding across schools. They also take account of the different responsibilities of controlled, maintained and integrated schools.

(b) the different formulae give rise to inequities in funding and I intend therefore to bring forward proposals for a common LMS formula which will continue to base funding on relative need and will ensure that schools of similar size and characteristics receive similar levels of funding.

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of Education if he will give his assessment of teacher morale.

Mr McGuinness: I am very much aware of the pressures and challenges facing the teaching profession. My Department is therefore working closely with teachers' representatives and other partners to seek ways of reducing the bureaucratic burden on teachers and to commission independent research to identify the work pressures that give rise to stress. I am confident that the research will lead to strategies being put in place to further improve the welfare of teachers and to create a healthy working environment for them.

During my visits to schools and in meetings with individual teachers and teacher representatives, I have been most impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of the teaching profession in meeting the needs of their pupils. Their notable success in the recent Teaching Awards scheme is a fitting recognition of their professionalism. Indeed, the high regard in which the profession is held here is reflected in the large number of candidates wishing to enter teacher training each year and the low level of resignations last year.

I believe that teachers are the key to raising educational achievements and I will continue to work closely with them to ensure that their profession remains an attractive and rewarding career in the 21^st century.

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of Education if he will detail his plans to ensure that the teaching profession retains its status in society and is rewarded accordingly.

Mr McGuinness: Work is well underway to establish the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland next year, with the help of an Advisory Group representing the interests who will be members of the Council. As an independent professional body for teachers, the Council will promote high standards within the profession and raise the status and public standing of teachers. In keeping with a higher status for teachers, the Teachers' Salary and Conditions of Service Committee (Schools) is already considering a better career structure for teachers and opportunities for rewarding teachers who meet professional standards.

Mr Ian Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Education if he will outline the current arrangements for the handling and marking of school examination papers for 2000/01.

Mr McGuinness: Operational matters relating to the conduct of examinations rests with the awarding body concerned, and are agreed among the 5 main awarding bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the Unitary Awarding Bodies) annually. The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) has responsibility for dealing with the majority of examination entries here. Their procedures are regularly reviewed in order to ensure that the best possible service is provided to examination centres and candidates alike.

I was pleased to be able to write some weeks ago to the Chairman of CCEA to thank him and his staff for an excellent performance in the 1999/2000 examination round and I have asked him to ensure that procedures are kept under review to help in maintaining this high standard.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of Education if, pursuant to AQW 586/00, he will detail the steps he is taking to ensure that Comber High School will be included in the capital building programme in the financial year 2001-2002.

Mr McGuinness: As I indicated, the revised Economic Appraisal for Comber High School is currently under consideration within my Department. When this process has been completed the South-Eastern Education and Library Board will proceed further with the planning of the new school. However, this has not advanced sufficiently to enable the project to be considered for a place in next year's capital programme.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of Education if he will detail the number of school children receiving free school milk in the Killyleagh area.

Mr McGuinness: There are no children in the Killyleagh area currently receiving free milk under the arrangements approved by my Department.

I understand however that there are 10 children in the area currently in receipt of free milk under the Welfare Foods Scheme which is administered by the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety.

Nursery and primary pupils may also avail of milk at a subsidised price through the EU Subsidised Milk Scheme which is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. There are currently 40 children receiving subsidised milk through this scheme in Killyleagh Primary School. I am very pleased that my Department has been able to make a contribution towards the shortfall in EU funding of this scheme.

Mr Roy Beggs asked the Minister of Education if he will detail the level of expenditure by his Department per child in (a) the voluntary play group sector; and (b) the nursery school sector.

Mr McGuinness: In 2000/2001 each part-time place in the voluntary playgroup sector attracted funding of £1,160 and full-time equivalent places in the statutory nursery sector attracted average funding of £2,173.

Ms Patricia Lewsley asked the Minister of Education if he will detail the packages he has put in place within schools to target dyslexia.

Mr McGuinness: The educational provision for children with special educational needs is a statutory responsibility of the Education and Library Boards and is dependent on the assessment made and provision indicated in each child's statement of special educational needs. Not all children with dyslexia, however, will have statements. The provision for children with dyslexia is broadly similar across all five Boards.

Most provision can be made in-school, with supportive organisation and planning, and sometimes with outside assistance from an Education and Library Board Reading Centre, or peripatetic or outreach literacy support. This may include advice to, or in-service training for, the class teacher and the school's special needs co-ordinator.

Statements are made on a few children whose learning difficulties are particularly severe, and in such cases the length of additional tuition is extended and Information Technology equipment may be provided.

Mr Billy Bell asked the Minister of Education for the estimated cost of the Review of Post Primary Education, and if he will make a statement.

Mr McGuinness: Costs of the Review Body for the current financial year are estimated at £500,000. The Body has embarked on a major series of public meetings as part of widespread consultation. Actual costs will depend on the extent of the response to their efforts to encourage the submission of views. My Department will be monitoring the costs. However this is the most significant issue which the education sector has faced in many years and I am determined that sufficient resources will be available to ensure that it is addressed effectively.

Mr Billy Armstrong asked the Minister of Education to detail when he intends to announce the Schools Capital Building Programme for 2001/02.

Mr McGuinness: I hope to announce the programme early next year.

Mr Danny Kennedy asked the Minister of Education if he will confirm that there will be equality in the allocation of resources to all small schools and if he will make a statement.

Mr McGuinness: A consultation document will be published early in the new year setting out proposals for a common funding formula for use in the allocation of resources for all schools, including small schools. This is intended to ensure that schools of the same size and with similar characteristics receive similar levels of funding.

Mr George Savage asked the Minister of Education if he will detail the number of teachers for secondary and grammar schools recruited in each of the last two years from (a) Northern Ireland; (b) the rest of United Kingdom and (c) outside United Kingdom.

Mr McGuinness: In 1998/99, 78 permanent teachers were recruited to secondary schools and 61 to grammar schools. In 1999/00, the equivalent numbers were 99 to secondary schools and 40 to grammar schools. These figures relate to first-time appointments and do not include teachers transferring from other teaching posts.

Information about the countries from which these teachers were recruited is not held by the Department of Education.

Mr McGuinness: Figures for 2000/2001 are not yet available. For 1999/2000 the following number of pupils are in funded pre-school places:

Belfast Education and Library Board 3,410

Western Education and Library Board 2,938

North-Eastern Education and Library Board 3,259

South-Eastern Education and Library Board 2,825

Southern Education and Library Board 3,304

All Boards 15,736

Mr Edwin Poots asked the Minister of Education if he will detail the number of children who fail to achieve four grade 'C' GCSE's or higher in Northern Ireland and what are the comparable figures for Scotland, England and Wales.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will give his assessment of recent trends in tourist figures for Northern Ireland and if he will make a statement.

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): Recent tourism trends in Northern Ireland have been positive. 1999 recorded the highest ever levels of visitors bringing £265m into the economy. Estimates for 2000 would indicate further progress. It is pleasing to report continued growth in a context of adverse exchange rates and the continuing negative impact of disturbances related to the parades disputes - in what should be our peak tourist season.

Mr Jim Wells asked the Minister of the Environment if he will detail the number of planning applications for single dwellings in the countryside have been granted during the period 1973 to 1999 and outline the proportion of successful applications that were located within a greenbelt area of special control.

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Foster): Since 1979, when details were first recorded in the format requested, 66,531 new single dwellings have been approved in the countryside of which 27% were in the greenbelt areas of special control.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment if he will detail (a) the amount of landfill tax available to councils in the last financial year (1999-2000) and (b) the projected amount available for each council area for 2000/01.

Mr Foster: Landfill tax is an excepted matter. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment if he will ensure that the Biffa Waste Services company will allocate funds to each council area from the landfill tax credit scheme.

Mr Foster: The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme is an excepted matter. I am not able to ensure the allocation of tax credits under the scheme.

Mr David McClarty asked the Minister of the Environment what steps he is taking to update existing legislation for the protection of wildlife and Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) within Northern Ireland and if he will make a statement.

Mr Foster: My officials have been considering whether additional measures are required to ensure that wildlife and ASSIs are effectively protected and managed. I expect them to bring forward shortly proposals on possible means of strengthening the existing legislation. I will consult widely on any such proposals.

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of the Environment to detail (a) his assessment of Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in Northern Ireland (b) how many such areas there are (c) the legislation governing them and (d) if he has plans to amend this legislation.

Mr Foster: The declaration of ASSIs is governed by the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

To date 179 ASSIs have been declared, covering over 87,000 hectares and involving around 4,500 landowners.

ASSIs are central to the conservation of our biodiversity. The vast majority of the sites declared remain in good condition. Serious incidents of damage have been very rare and most landowners willingly co-operate with my Department.

My officials have been considering whether additional measures are required to ensure that such sites are effectively protected and managed. I expect them to bring forward shortly proposals on possible means of strengthening the existing legislation. I will consult widely on any such proposals.

Dr Dara O'Hagan asked the Minister of the Environment if he will detail the total number of licensed vehicles in the parliamentary constituency of West Belfast and the total revenue generated by payment of road tax on these vehicles.

Mr Foster: The licensing of vehicles and the collection of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) are excepted matters. These functions are carried out in Northern Ireland by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland (DVLNI) under the terms of a formal agency agreement between my Department and the UK Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The information requested is not held by parliamentary constituency and is available only for the whole of Northern Ireland. At 18 November 2000 there were 709,493 licensed vehicles in Northern Ireland and £124m in VED was collected in the financial year 1999/2000. VED is an unhypothecated tax and the revenue collected is paid into the UK Consolidated Fund

(AQW 436/00)

Mr Durkan: Under the Environment Priority of the Transitional Objective 1 Operational Programme there is a proposed allocation of 33 meuro - of which only 3 meuro is for environmental actions which include the promotion of biodiversity. Given the difficulty in measuring biodiversity within the Priority, it has been decided not to include this as a macro indicator.

In assessing the impact of environmental actions across both Operational Programmes within the CSF consideration is being given to the inclusion of parameters measuring, amongst other things, biodiversity as part of a number of macro indicators.

I have appointed representatives of independent environmental bodies as permanent members of the Monitoring Committees which will oversee the work of all European Programmes.

Mr Nigel Dodds asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel if he will detail those ex prisoner groups to which the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust allocated European Union and Government funding in each of the last five years.

Mr Durkan: The ex prisoner groups allocated funding by the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust under the European Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (the Peace I Programme) and the Northern Ireland Single Programme (Physical and Social Environment Programme) in each of the last five years are listed below. This is based on information provided by NIVT. The list also includes allocations to organisations which are not ex-prisoner groups but which have funded projects for ex-prisoner groups.

EPIC Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre

Linc Resource Centre

Tar Anall

Linc Resource Centre

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement (Shankill)

West Belfast Community Festival (Feile an Phobail)

Probation Board for NI

Upper Springfield Development Trust

Amber House

Ulster Community Action Network

Ar Ais Aris

Cairde Strabane Republican Ex-Prisoners Group

Committee on the Administration of Justice

Community of the Peace People

Cumann Na Meirleach Ard Mhacha Tueas

Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre

Eastway Community Fitness Suite

Fermanagh Prisoners Dependants Association

Linc Resource Centre

Prison Arts Foundation

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement (Shankill)

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement East Belfast

Prisoners Enterprise Project (South Belfast)

Tar Abhaile

Tar Anall

Tar Anall - Iuir Cinn Tra

Teacht na Failte (Prisoners & Defendants Welfare Assoc

The Welfare Unit (Maze Prison)

Tra Ghearr Prisoner's Group

Ulster Quaker Service Committee

West Belfast Community Festival (Feile an Phobail)

Ar Ais Aris

Coalisland Allottment Association

Prisoners Aid Post Conflict Resettlement North Belfast

West Belfast Community Festival (Feile an Phobail)

New Lodge Forum

Cumann Na Meirleach Ard Mhacha Tueas

EPIC Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre

Tra Ghearr Prisoners Support Group

Cairde Strabane Republican Ex-Prisoners Group

Glencairn People's Project

INTERCOMM (Inter Community Development Project)

Innis Toide Crafts Ltd

Larne Co-operative Enterprise Development

Linc Resource Centre

Lisburn Prisoners Support Project

Mourne Workshop Trust

Newtownabbey Prisoners Resettlement Group

Phoenix Drama Society

Prison Fellowship (Northern Ireland)

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement East Belfast

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement Group

Prisoners Aid Post Conflict Resettlement North Belfast

Prisoners Enterprise Project (South Belfast)

Tar Abhaile

Tar Anall

Tar Anall - Iuir Cinn Tra

The Welfare Unit (Maze Prison)

Ulster Prisoners' Aid

Ulster Quaker Service Committee

Female Republican Prisoners in Maghaberry Prison

Fermanagh Prisoners Dependants Association

Newtownabbey Prisoners Resettlement Group

Highfield Community Advice Centre

New Lodge Forum

Tar Anall

Innis Toide Crafts Ltd

Educational Trust (N.I.)

Linc Resource Centre

Tra Ghearr/BIFHE Programme

Coiste na n-larchimi

Ard Eoin Amach Agus Isteach

EPIC NORTH

Fermanagh Prisoners Dependants Association

Gae Lairn Project, Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlemen

Larne Associated Enterprise Development (L.A.E.D.)

Linc Resource Centre

Mediation Resource Centre

New Lodge Forum

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement (Shankill)

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement East Belfast

Prisoners' Aid Networking Group

Support for Non-Aligned Prisoner (SNAP)

Tar Anall - Iuir Cinn Tra

The Welfare Unit (Maze Prison)

An Eochair Ex-Prisoner Support Group

Ar Ais Aris

Ard Eoin Amach Agus Isteach

EPIC (North Ulster Branch)

EPIC (Mid Ulster Branch)

EPIC EAST

EPIC Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre

GOITSE

Gae Lairn Project, Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlemen

Highfield Prisoners in Partnership

Law Centre (NI)

Lisburn Prisoners Support Project

Monkstown Community Resource Centre

Prisoners Aid Post Conflict Resettlement North Belfast

Ulster Quaker Service Committee

Venture International

Tar Abhaile

Tar Anall

Cumann Na Meirleach Ard Mhacha Tueas

Aras Tar Abhaile

Cumann Na Meirleach Ard Mhacha Tueas

EPIC Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre

Linc Resource Centre

Lisburn Prisoners Support Project

Monkstown Community Resource Centre

Tar Anall

Tra Ghearr Prisoners' Group

Tus Nua (Upper Springfield Development Trust)

Coiste na n-larchimi

Cunamh, Tar Abhaile, Donegal Republican Ex-Prisoners Group

ECOM/MENTOR

Fountain Street Community Association

Larne Associated Enterprise Development (L.A.E.D.)

Prison Arts Foundation

Ti Chulainn

An Eochair Ex-Prisoner Support Group

EPIC (South Belfast)

EPIC Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre

Highfield Prisoners in Partnership

Lisburn Prisoners Support Project

Media Training Services/PANG

Newtownabbey Prisoners Resettlement Group

Prison Arts Foundation

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement (Shankill)

Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement East Belfast

Tar Abhaile

Tar Isteach

Ulster Prisoners' Aid

Ar Ais Ar An Omaigh Caaaa

Ar Ais Aris

Ard Eoin Amach Agus Isteach

Cairde Strabane Republican Ex-Prisoners Group

Coiste na n-larchimi

Cumann Na Meirleach Ard Mhacha Tueas

EPIC (East Ulster)

EPIC (Mid Ulster Branch)

EPIC EAST

EPIC Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre

EPIC WEST BELFAST

EXPAC (Ex-Prisoners Assistance Committee)

Fermanagh Prisoners Dependants Association

Gae Lairn Project, Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlement

Glencairn People's Project

Goitse

Highfield Prisoners in Partnership

Inner East Youth Project

Linc Resource Centre

Lisburn Prisoners Support Project

Magilligan Family Centre - NIACRO

Newtownabbey Prisoners Resettlement Group

Oganaigh le Cheile

Portadown Irish Prisoners Group

Prisoners Aid Post Conflict Resettlement North Belfast

Prisoners Enterprise Project (South Belfast)

Tar Abhaile

Tar Anall

Tar Anall - Iuir Cinn Tra

Teacht na Failte (Prisoners & Defendants Welfare Assoc

Ulster Prisoners' Aid

Gae Lairn Project, Prisoners Aid & Post Conflict Resettlemen

Prisoners Enterprise Project (South Belfast)

The Greater St James' Ex-Prisoners Association

U.D.A. Prisoners

Mr Nigel Dodds asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel if he will detail what funding was allocated from (a) European Union and (b) other funds, to projects and groups associated with victims of violence in each of the last five years.

Mr Durkan: The Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust (NIVT) is the Intermediary Funding Body responsible for selecting the victims of violence projects funded under the European Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (the Peace I Programme) and the Northern Ireland Single Programme (Physical and Social Environment Programme). The following table shows the amount of EU and Government funding allocated by NIVT to victims of violence groups under each Programme over the last five years.

In addition over £6.25 million has also been allocated through the Victims Liaison Unit (Northern Ireland Office) for a series of initiatives to support the needs of victims in line with the themes of Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report "We Will Remember Them". The allocation and administration of this funding is a matter for the NIO and any further information relating to this element of funding for victims would need to be obtained directly from them.

It should be noted that victims of violence groups also have access to funding from other sources such as private trusts, local and national charities and the Lottery but this information is not held by Departments.

Dr Dara O'Hagan asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel if he will detail (a) the number of jobs created as a consequence of the delivery of the European Union Special Support Programme Peace and Reconciliation (EUSSPPR) by intermediate funding agencies by electoral ward and parliamentary constituency and (b) the level of EUSSPPR finance awarded to the creation of jobs by electoral ward and parliamentary constituency,

Mr Durkan: The information provided in the following tables has been extracted from the monitoring database established for the European Union Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE I). The information contained in the PEACE I monitoring database is supplied by projects via funding bodies on an ongoing basis. The tables are wholly based on the information received from these funding bodies at a given point in time and is, therefore, subject to change. The background notes outline the assumptions used to generate the information and the definitions on which the information is based.