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The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): I am taking the reference in your question to "the last month" to mean the 30 day period ended 12 January 2001, which was the date on which your question was tabled. That being the case, I did not have meetings during that period. However, in November past I met with a number of political representatives accompanied by delegations from the pig industry. I am in regular contact with representatives from the Farming Unions, who regularly raise issues relating to the pig industry.

During the specific time in question, my officials had a number of meetings with the farming unions and other interested parties regarding the operation of the Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme (PIRS). You will, I’m sure, now be aware that my officials, in conjunction with the Ulster Farmers’ Union and the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers’ Association, are currently holding a series of public meetings on the scheme.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to give her assessment of the effectiveness of testing cattle over thirty months old for evidence of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.

Ms Rodgers: At present the only available tests for BSE in cattle are carried out on the brain or spinal cord tissue of dead animals. Testing is carried out using an EU approved rapid test, which has been shown to be both sensitive and specific. The level of testing has been set by the EU and is dependent upon the cattle population of each region. As BSE has a long incubation period older animals present a greater risk of BSE and therefore such animals are being targeted for testing. In Northern Ireland animals aged over thirty months are slaughtered, the carcases rendered and the resultant material incinerated.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to outline the steps she is taking to curtail the smuggling of cattle from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.

Ms Rodgers: My Department's Veterinary Service police the movement of cattle.

The checks carried out include:-

• Checks on the Animal Health and Public Health Information System (APHIS) of calf births for correlation between the number of recorded births and the number of breeding cattle in a herd.
• Checks at all ports to ensure that cattle from Great Britain are not transiting Northern Ireland to the Republic
• Surveillance operations at markets
• Liaison with the Veterinary Authorities in the Republic of Ireland and the RUC.

Where irregularities are found these are investigated and appropriate enforcement action taken.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail (a) the date of her last meeting with representatives of the fishing industry and (b) the matters discussed.

Ms Rodgers: I last met with representatives of the fishing industry when I attended the Fisheries Council in Brussels on 14/15 December, when 2001 Total Allowable Catches were discussed.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to outline her plans to increase the proportion of Common Agricultural Policy expenditure allocated to rural development.

Ms Rodgers: Under the Agenda 2000 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the concept of rural development has been widened and has assumed greater prominence. New European legislation governing the next round of Structural Funds now encompasses initiatives such as agri-environment schemes, support for LFA farmers, forestry, assistance for processing and marketing, restructuring and capital investment as well as areas which we would have traditionally termed ‘rural development’. This was negotiated at an EU level and it is at this level that any future refocusing of broad agricultural policy will be determined.

Plans for the period up to 2006 in respect of agri-environment, private afforestation of agricultural land and LFA support are contained within the Rural Development Regulation Plan (Accompanying Measures) for Northern Ireland, which received its formal approval from the EU Commission at the beginning of December. Expenditure under this Plan will total £266 million between 2000 and 2006, representing a significant increase on previous expenditure levels.

Details of proposals for agriculture/rural development under the Transitional Objective 1 Programme are currently under negotiation with the European Commission. It is expected that funding will be available for processing and marketing, forestry, training as well as a continuation of the Department’s Rural Development Programme. For the 2000 – 2006 period, the Rural development Programme will promote comprehensive and integrated action towards the sustainable and equitable development of rural areas and in doing so, contribute to the economic, environmental, social and cultural well being of the rural community for the benefit of the whole community of Northern Ireland.

Further funding for agriculture/rural development will come through the Peace II Programme, LEADER+ and INTERREG III. Most of these European Programmes (with the exception of the Rural Development Plan) are yet to be agreed with the European Commission and, therefore, I cannot yet quantify the level of assistance that will be available.

Mr Boyd Douglas asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the current timescale for the Countryside Management Scheme and to make a statement regarding its implementation.

Ms Rodgers: The Countryside Management Scheme opened for an initial round of applications between 24 May and 30 July 1999 but the EU empowering legislation lapsed on 31 December 1999 before contracts could be offered to any of the initial applicants. This Scheme was then resubmitted to the EU Commission as a component of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan 2000-2006 (NIRDP), which only received formal approval from the EU Commission on 4 December 2000. In anticipation of that approval the draft legislation to give effect to this part of the NIRDP had previously been the subject of consultation with relevant interests. As required by Assembly procedures a memorandum on the draft Countryside Management Scheme legislation will have to be considered by the Assembly Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.

Subject to the view of the Committee and the making of the legislation necessary to bring the Scheme into effect, successful applicants from the original round may enter into agreements with the Department and steps can be taken to open a further application period during the summer and on an annual basis thereafter.

Mr Boyd Douglas asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of students who have completed courses at Agricultural Colleges in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available and outline the breakdown of these students by course and by country of origin.

Ms Rodgers: Placed in the assembly library are student statistic tables detailing numbers of students who have completed a Full-Time or Part-Time course at one of the Department’s Colleges in Northern Ireland.

The information has been broken down to show the individual courses and the nationality of the students enrolled.

(Copies of these tables have been placed in the Assembly Library)

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to outline the steps she is taking to encourage for farm diversification.

Ms Rodgers: The Department encourages farmers to consider farm diversification as one option when examining strategies for the future development of the family farm. AFDS Rural Enterprise Advisers are available to assist farmers in the consideration and development of potential diversification projects.

Greenmount, Loughry and Enniskillen Colleges provide education and training to develop the competences of farmers undertaking farm diversification projects through their lifelong learning courses.

On 20 November 2000 I announced the allocation of up to £150,000 to promote diversification by improving the Department’s farm diversification information including an enhanced web-site and producing an advisory booklet. This work is proceeding and information is also being obtained by providing financial support to a small number of farm businesses and farmers’ groups to investigate aspects of their farm diversification projects to provide practical and relevant case studies for future use.

Presently the Department is considering options for the provision of financial and technical support for diversifying farm businesses under the PEACE II and the Leader + programmes to be launched later this year.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the amount of meat imported into Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Ms Rodgers: The Department encourages farmers to consider farm diversification as one option when Under EU trade rules there is no requirement to maintain data on the imports of meat and meat products entering Northern Ireland. However, as charges are placed on products coming from Third Countries the details for this trade are available as follows:-

Tonnes

1995 39.3

1996 134.3

1997 109.0

1998 103.9

1999 59.2

2000 45.9

Figures include fresh meat and poultry meat imports.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail her arrangements for representing the fishing industry in discussions within the European Union.

Ms Rodgers: I attend European Union Fisheries Councils where there are particular issues of importance to the Northern Ireland fishing industry. An example would be my recent attendance at the December Fisheries Council when 2001 Total Allowable Catches were the main topic for consideration.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline any plans to celebrate the Bicentenary of the United Kingdom.

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): My Department launched the first in a rolling programme of events to commemorate the Bicentenary of the United Kingdom in 2001, in the Ards Arts Centre/Town Hall on Monday evening, 22 January 2001 - exactly 200 years after the United Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland first met at Westminster.

The first event featured an inaugural lecture entitled, ‘Castlereagh and the making of the Irish Act of Union’ by Dr Patrick M Geoghegan, author of the recently published academic book, The Irish Act of Union: A Study in High Politics 1798-1801 (Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, 1999). Monday evening also witnessed the launch of the Royal Historical Society’s Transactions publication - the volume contains papers delivered at the Society’s British-Irish Union of 1801 conference, 9-11 September 1999, held at the Queen’s University of Belfast and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

A centrepiece exhibition (with a travelling offshoot), a one-day conference, and education workshops for A-level students are to follow. These events will be held in venues throughout the British Isles in 2001. A more detailed outline of the rolling programme is set out below.

1. Inaugural lecture and reception in the Londonderry Room, Ards Arts Centre/Town Hall, Newtownards: Monday, 22 January 2001 (as noted above).
2. A PRONI-Ulster Museum/MAGNI centrepiece exhibition will be on display in the Ulster Museum: 21 May – 24 August 2001.
3. A one-day academic conference is to be held in the new Millennium Complex, Londonderry – in the autumn of 2001.
4. Education workshops for ‘A’ – level students are to be held in the NTL Studio, Belfast Waterfront Hall – Tuesday, 16 October 2001.
5. The travelling exhibition will be on display at the Bank of Ireland’s Arts Centre, Foster Place, Dublin 2: 27 August – 10 September 2001.
6. It is expected that the travelling exhibition will be hosted by a number of District Councils (Newry and Mourne, North Down and Larne have already indicated their interest), and that it will tour local venues either concurrently with the centrepiece exhibition and/or in the autumn of 2001 depending on the demand.
7. A bicentenary event is to be held in Mount Stewart, Co Down (at the home of one of the main architects of the Union – Viscount Castlereagh), in late summer 2001. The travelling exhibition is to be on show at the same time.
8. A Castlereagh lecture will be delivered on Tuesday, 30 October 2001 in the Palace of Westminster, London. It is expected that the speaker will be the First Minister, David Trimble.
9. Efforts are still on-going to arrange for the travelling exhibition to be displayed in Westminster Hall, Palace of Westminster, London, in the Autumn of 2001.

NB: It should be noted however that a number of the arrangements at this stage are tentative.

Mr Boyd Douglas asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail what high profile sporting and cultural events he hopes to bring to Northern Ireland in the years 2002-2004.

Mr McGimpsey: The only event which is currently organised is - The World Masters Judo Championships in Templemore Leisure Complex, Londonderry, from 20-23 June 2002.

In addition the Department is actively considering a number of other ideas, as follows:-

Hosting the BBC Young Musician of the Year;

Looking at the possibility of the Belfast Festival being enhanced to feature regularly arts performances or events of at least national significance, marketed and promoted to attract optimum attendances and media coverage; and

Developing a programme of international exchanges, possibly promoted through the offices of the Arts Council and the British Council which could provide a vehicle for bringing unique artistic and cultural experiences to Northern Ireland.

The Events Company is also considering funding support for the following events in the period 2002 - 2004:

1. Senior British Open Golf Championship
2. Belfast Festival at Queens
3. Cinemagic 2002
4. Northern Ireland Festival of Racing

The Company is also negotiating for the:-

Staging of a Tour of Ireland Cycle Race

Options for developing a regular summer event at Stormont.

The Board of the Events Company will be reviewing its future events portfolio for the period 2002-2005 at its March 2001 meeting. This debate will be informed by input from various other bodies, such as Sports Council for Northern Ireland, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Belfast City Council.

Ms Mary Nelis asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to confirm that the Football Task Force is representative of all football interests in Northern Ireland.

Mr McGimpsey: From the outset, my initiative ‘Creating a Soccer Strategy for Northern Ireland’, has been an open and inclusive one, and I can confirm that all football interests in Northern Ireland have been, and continue to be, involved in the process.

This process has involved widespread consultation with key football interests and the general public and has included:

• key informant interviews with a range of organisations involved in running the game
• workshop sessions with district councils, education and library boards, the voluntary youth sector, the media and senior club chairmen
• focus group discussions with supporters, coaches and managers
• postal surveys of clubs, players and other interested bodies
• both a street survey of the general public and a series of five Open Forums held in different locations across the province.

In addition, a Conference Workshop is planned for 10-12 February 2001, at which some eighty participants, again representing all the key interests in football, will take part.

I also established the Advisory Panel, detailed membership of which is set out in the attached Appendix, to oversee the process of developing a strategy. It brings together a number of people with a wide range of expertise and experience in football, both locally and further afield. In inviting the members to serve, I considered it important that they should do so as individuals rather than representatives of any specific interest they may have.

Former player for Spurs, Watford and West Bromwich Albion. An ex-Northern Ireland international, and capped by Northern Ireland 63 times, he scored the winning goal in the 1982 World Cup game against Spain and in the same year was presented with the Golden Boot Award. Played for Real Majorca from 1983-85. Is currently the Spanish Football Analyst and Commentator for Sky Television.

Professor in Sports Studies at the University of Ulster. He is co-author of a book entitled 'Sport Sectarianism and Society in a Divided Ireland' and co-editor of a book entitled 'Sport in Divided Societies'. He is involved with the IFA through their community relations programme.

Former Irish Hockey player and ex-member of NI Women's Football Team. President of Pegasus Hockey Club. Head of Development Services in Newtownabbey Borough Council with responsibility for the development of various services, including tourism, sport and the arts. A member of the Sports Council for Northern Ireland.

Played for Luton Town in 1998 before going on to play for West Ham, Southampton, Crystal Palace and, finally, Queen's Park Rangers. He has been Assistant Manager at QPR for the last two and a half years. He has been capped 59 times by Northern Ireland, captained the team on 11 occasions and is the second highest goal scorer for his country.

Has been Deputy Editor of the Belfast Telegraph for approximately the last five years. He is a member of the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association and attends local games as often as possible.

Has played and managed in the Irish League, mainly for Distillery Football Club, from 1990 to 1995. He has been capped 42 times by Northern Ireland and was one of Northern Ireland's World Cup 1982 heroes in Spain. He also played in the World Cup in Mexico in 1986.

He has had a 37 year association with football in a variety of capacities. Capped by Northern Ireland 50 times, he succeeded Billy Bingham in 1994 as Manager and Coach of the NI international teams. He has played for Ipswich and Everton and managed teams at every level in the English League. He was recently manager of Norwich City Football Club.

He has had a distinguished career at both Glentoran and Linfield Football Clubs and was a member of the NI squad in the 1982 World Cup. He maintains an interest at all levels in the local game.

Played junior football for Strabane and several local teams. Was an Irish League referee and linesman from 1976, and still referees junior football. He organises youth football around the Strabane area and continues to work with the Strabane Intermediate League team. He is also one of the attendants involved with the Co Tyrone Milk Cup Team.

Former Manchester United player and NI team Captain. In January 2000, he succeeded Lawrie McMenemy as Manager of Northern Ireland.

Currently a PE teacher at Belfast Royal Academy and a former member of the Northern Ireland Women's Football Team. A past Development Officer with the Irish Football Association and involved in coaching.

Martin had a long and distinguished playing career in the English League and Northern Ireland's national team. On retirement he entered management and enjoyed success with Wycombe and Leicester City before moving on to his current position as boss of Glasgow Celtic.

Jim Price is a life-long supporter of Crusaders and an ardent supporter of Northern Ireland, travelling abroad as much as possible in support of the international team. (He is Chairman of the Official Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters' Clubs.) Mr Price, who lives in Newtownabbey, is a health and safety instructor with the Construction Industry Training Board.

A Belfast City Councillor and currently Vice-Chairman of the Belfast Education and Library Board. Former Chief Scout and Youth Development Officer of Glentoran Football Club between 1975-1994. Played soccer for both Bangor and Portadown as well as several junior clubs. Keenly interested in Association Football and has worked closely with several Irish League sides to obtain better training facilities.

Chairman of the Sports Council for Northern Ireland and a former Professor of the School of Leisure and Tourism at the University of Ulster where for over 28 years he headed staff involved in sport and PE. He played a key role in establishing the Northern Ireland Institute of Coaching.

Outstanding servant to Irish League football with an exemplary record. Has a great knowledge of the local game and local clubs. Currently Youth Development Officer with Cliftonville Football Club.

Sports presenter and commentator with the BBC for just over 1 year (formerly with UTV for 7 years). Football commentator and great supporter of Irish League football. As well as commentating on local matches, attends as a spectator as often as possible.

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