(AQW 1766/00)

Ms Rodgers: (i) TOTAL SPENDING ON ADVERTISING

Statutory advertising i.e. legal notices, job advertising, Rivers Agency notices, animal health notices, and tendering adverts account for the largest proportion of Departmental spend on advertising in the years concerned. Detailed below is the total spend on campaign advertising to recruit students for the four DARD Colleges at Enniskillen, Greenmount, Loughry, and Newforge Lane.

(III) Advertising Impact surveys target first year students at the Colleges to establish the route by which the individual was made aware about available courses. The results influence the usage of publications/newspaper advertising or media for the following year.

Result Surveys from the Colleges demonstrate the ability of students and exam grades being achieved. This factor is also taken into consideration when composing the content of advertising and prospectuses.

(AQW 1791/00)

Ms Rodgers: All DARD Meat Inspection staff and Veterinary Officers are tasked with checking imported consignments of XAP beef quarters and carry out routine inspections in establishments for the presence of SRM, including spinal cord. Following incidents where consignments of beef from Germany had SRM attached, importers have been requested to notify DARD of such imports and every German consignment is now checked by DARD for the presence of spinal cord. There is also a due diligence requirement on all beef processors to ensure that beef with SRM attached does not get into the food chain. Any quarters of beef found with spinal cord attached are seized and destroyed. DARD has currently 24 Meat Veterinary Officers and 123 Meat Inspectorate staff responsible for ensuring compliance with the legislation.

(AQW 1814/00)

Ms Rodgers: Northern Ireland Departments are required to produce E-Business Strategies by May 2001. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has appointed consultants to undertake work on the DARD E-Business Strategy. This exercise is aimed at optimising the benefits of electronic delivery and integration of services that could provide a better quality service to the citizen.

The Strategy will encompass all key services provided to the public, business and other sectors, together with all internal and interdepartmental processes. The consultant’s findings should be available to the Department by May 2001.

(AQW 1845/00)

Ms Rodgers: It is too early to speculate on the reaction of the Commission and Member States to the outcome of the year 2000 testing programme. However, industry has continued to press for a relaxation of the export ban, and I am determined to pursue the matter as soon as it is appropriate to do so. Other Member States will be testing the same category of animals this year and that may well demonstrate that NI has a comparatively low incidence of BSE, even if the overall number of cases was higher than we had thought.

(AQO 808/00)

Ms Rodgers: As the Member is aware, the concept of rural proofing features prominently in the Executive’s Draft Programme for Government which I am confident the Assembly will endorse shortly.

Once it has done so I shall take steps to introduce appropriate machinery to ensure that rural proofing is carried out effectively across the system, and I intend to consult the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee before taking final decisions. Nevertheless, as is mentioned in the Draft Programme for Government I see a need for an inter departmental group of officials from most, if not all, Departments, under my Chairmanship, to manage the process.

(AQO 843/00)

Ms Rodgers: I am more than happy to confirm the importance of childcare in rural communities. Under the 1994-1999 Rural Development Programme a number of community based regeneration projects located in disadvantaged rural areas included the provision of childcare facilities. These facilities have been provided because the local communities have identified childcare as an issue that needs to be addressed.

I spoke recently at a major Cross Border Rural Childcare Conference which celebrated some excellent work in rural areas. In Northern Ireland the project, funded by my Department and the EU, piloted a range of childcare provision in Belleek, Donemana, and the Clogher Valley. Models of rural childcare that can be replicated in other areas have been developed.

Although we are still negotiating the 2001-2006 Rural Development Programme with the European Commission I expect it to bring opportunities for local communities and women’s organisations to identify and address their needs and look forward to proposals coming forward.

(AQO 859/00)

Ms Rodgers: The Livestock and Meat Commission has statutory responsibility for promoting Northern Ireland beef and lamb. My Department has provided £2m towards implementation by the LMC of the Red Meat Strategy. That strategy included considerable volume of expenditure for generic promotion of beef in target markets which would not necessarily be confined to Europe.

While the beef export ban has prevented a major marketing drive, promotional activity has continued. For example considerable effort has been made to promote the Greenfields brand in Holland. In addition the LMC and major processors have maintained a significant presence at major international food shows in Europe each year. This means that there is a real base to build upon when we are able to export again.

I have been pleased to be able to assist the industry in its promotional work with existing and potential customers both in Northern Ireland and other countries and I look forward to continuing to do so.

(AQO 865/00)

Ms Rodgers: This is a food safety issue and is therefore primarily a matter for the Food Standards Agency. However I can confirm that discovery of remnants of spinal cord in two consignments of beef quarters imported into Northern Ireland from Germany constituted serious breaches of EU rules on the removal of specified risk materials. I would wish to point out that it was the vigilance of DARD’s Veterinary Service inspectors that ensured the breaches were detected during their routine checks on imported beef and as a result, the consignments were detained and subsequently re-exported. The matter was referred to the European Commission and they have raised the issue with the German authorities.

(AQO 816/00)

Ms Rodgers: I have concluded, after discussions with the industry and officials, that some elements of the horticulture sector in Northern Ireland appear to offer potential for expansion, both in home and export markets.

It is my considered opinion, that what we now require is a thorough review of the present situation and the production of a workable strategic plan. I have therefore taken steps to initiate such a study which will be developed in consultation with the industry. We are currently considering the terms of reference and scope of the study but identification of business opportunities and market requirements will clearly be important elements of any such study.

Any recommendations will be discussed with the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee in due course but in the meantime my Department will continue with its ongoing programme to support companies in improving the promotion of their products. This is done through initiatives such as the Northern Ireland Garden Centre Awards, the Nursery Trade Directory and exhibits at trade shows such as the Kildare Growers and Four Oaks Shows.

(AQO 828/00)

Ms Rodgers: It is clear that organic food represents a growing market opportunity and I wish to encourage the development of a vibrant organic production and processing sector in Northern Ireland. Increased resources, of some £9 million, have therefore been made available under the Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan 2000-2006 for a new Organic Farming Scheme, to help farmers convert to organic production systems. This Scheme will open for new applications on 1 March 2001.

However, I recognise that the ongoing development of the Northern Ireland organic sector must be progressed in a strategic way. Accordingly, on 31 October 2000, I announced that I was commissioning consultants to undertake a strategic study of the Northern Ireland organic sector. The study is progressing well with the consultants, Elm Farm Research Centre in Berkshire, a much-respected centre of excellence in the organic sector, due to report to me by the end of February 2001. I shall wish to reflect upon the consultant’s recommendations and consult widely thereon including, of course, with the Assembly Committee.

(AQO 857/00)

Ms Rodgers: The importation of beef from other Member States is allowed under EU Single Market Rules provided the redmeat trade conditions are complied with and all such consignments are duly checked at the point of destination. The fact that it is these checks which detect instances of breaches of the rules on SRM, provides evidence of their effectiveness.

Under the EU rules on beef labelling, certain information is required to be shown on beef labels to allow the beef to be traced to the plant of origin and a batch of animals. These requirements apply to beef produced in Northern Ireland or imported. Industry interests in Northern Ireland have been reminded of their obligations regarding the labelling of beef whether sourced in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

(AQO 850/00)

Ms Rodgers: My Department, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Environment and Heritage Service (Department of the Environment) and the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure is finalising proposals for a Natural Resource Rural Tourism initiative within the Peace II negotiations. This will form part of my Department’s next Rural Development Programme which will run from 2001 to 2006.

It is my intention to consult widely on this rural tourism initiative within the next few weeks.

(AQO 814/00)

Ms Rodgers: I was aware that such imports had been taking place. Processed Specified Risk Material from Monery By-Products (now called Monery 2000 Ltd) in Co. Cavan was exported from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland for landfill at the Tullyvar landfill site at Aughnacloy. The imports were under licence from my Department and took place from July 1999 until December 2000.

New EU rules on Specified Risk Material were introduced by the European Commission on 29 June 2000 through Commission Decision 2000/418. This Decision, which came into force on 1 October 2000, made it illegal to export Specified Risk Material to another Member State except for the purposes of incineration. As the Republic of Ireland authorities lacked the necessary landfill facilities to deal with this material they requested that the trade continue beyond 1 October 2000 while they sought a derogation from the Commission. This approach was unsuccessful and the Republic of Ireland authorities immediately stopped the trade in December 2000. No further trade has occurred since.

(AQO 823/00)

Ms Rodgers: I am assuming the Member is referring to the rendered animal residue from the Over Thirty Month Slaughter Scheme, which was introduced throughout the UK in 1996. The costs of storage and associated transport of this material, that is Meat and Bonemeal and Tallow, from May 1996 to the end of November 2000 was just over £178 million.

Around 435,000 tonnes of Meat and Bonemeal and 215,000 tonnes of tallow are currently in secure storage in 18 sites around the UK. In Northern Ireland there are four Meat and Bonemeal stores holding around 90,000 tonnes of Meat and Bonemeal and no tallow stores.

(AQO 836/00)

Ms Rodgers: Following the securing of £2m for beef quality in the Programme for Government my Department has been consulting the industry on methods of improving beef quality in Northern Ireland. The increased use of AI and other new breeding techniques were an integral part of the draft proposals. Subject to ensuring that the proposals meet EU State Aid guidelines they will be finalised as soon as possible.

A straightforward subsidy for farmers for the production of higher grade beef would be unlikely to secure state aid approval and I am not convinced that it could have the necessary effect since it would impact more directly on beef finishers than suckled calf producers. However I have already indicated that I will consider the feasibility of applying quality criteria in the use of the Beef National Envelope next year.

(AQO 826/00)

Ms Rodgers: The main focus of the Council was BSE. The Commission reported on progress made by Member States in implementing the new measures adopted in December, as well as on the market and budgetary problems arising from the dramatic fall in beef consumption in many Member States. In the light of advice from the EU Scientific Steering Committee, the Council agreed that new rules should be put in place banning the use of mechanically recovered meat from ruminant bones, requiring heat treatment of fat from ruminants for use in animal feed and requiring the removal of vertebral columns from beef carcases. The UK was able to secure a derogation which means that the decision in question will not apply to it.

The Council has received a package of proposals addressing the problems in the Beef market for discussion at the forthcoming Council of Ministers meeting, which I will be attending. I am currently considering these proposals in consultation with the local industry. The proposals will be financed within the budget limits laid down by the Berlin European Council.

The Council also heard presentations from Commissioner Byrne on proposals to improve the welfare of pigs and planned proposals to improve the operation of the Directive on the welfare of animals in transit.

Commissioner Fischler presented new proposals for reform of the olive oil regime and for a pilot scheme introducing a new simplified subsidy to replace certain production-linked aids. The scheme would be limited to farmers receiving no more than 1000 euros a year in direct subsidies.

(AQW 1605/00)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): The official Christmas card list for my Department includes all of my Ministerial colleagues in the Northern Ireland Assembly - the First and Deputy First Minister, the two Junior Ministers and the other Executive Ministers - and all members of the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee.

As Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure I can confirm that official Christmas cards were sent according to the official list, without deletions.

(AQW 1695/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The review of PRONI’s Curatorial E and F grades completed in 1999 examined PRONI’s current and future staffing requirements at these levels and made recommendations on the numbers and grades required. PRONI’s senior management team is currently considering recommendations contained in this report and in a number of other organisational and efficiency reports covering fundamental aspects of the agency’s business and operations.

The outcome of PRONI’s deliberations will be incorporated into the Agency’s draft Corporate and Business Plans which will be presented to the Department for approval during March 2001.

The extent and speed of implementation will be subject to inter alia the availability of financial resources.

(AQW 1721/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The Sports Council, which is responsible for the development of sport within the Province, provides exchequer funding to assist young people entering or remaining in outdoor sports such as mountaineering, canoeing, orienteering, sailing and caving. It also supports the training of instructors who are instrumental in the recruitment and retention of young participants. Courses specifically designed for young people are offered at Tollymore Mountain Centre on the introduction to, leadership, and instruction, in mountaineering and canoeing.

The Countryside Access and Activities Network is an initiative of the Sports Council and the Environment and Heritage Service, designed to develop and sustain a vibrant countryside recreation culture for all, and proposals for the New Opportunities Fund suggests a number of possibilities specifically for Outdoor Adventure activities.

In addition, there are 12 outdoor education centres run by the education and library boards or voluntary youth organisations.

(AQW 1722/00)

Mr McGimpsey: Most sports facilities, such as pitches, courts, athletic tracks and swimming pools are available to individuals of all ages and all levels of ability. Specialist services to talented individuals from all parts of the Province will, however, be provided through the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland, which is situated at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown.

(AQW 1734/00)

Mr McGimpsey: I have no plans to meet with Omagh District Council to discuss funding for the Ulster History Park as no meeting has been requested. However, should the Council wish to arrange a meeting, my Diary Secretary, Sarah Elwood, may be contacted on 028 9025 8893.

(AQW 1757/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The game of football in the Republic of Ireland is administered entirely separately from the game in Northern Ireland, with separate governing body and senior league arrangements recognised by the European and World bodies, UEFA and FIFA. My initiative, To Create a Soccer Strategy for Northern Ireland, is intended to tackle the problems facing the sport here, taking account of all levels of the game, from grass-roots to international level.

I am not aware of any suggestions that this initiative should be extended beyond Northern Ireland and I have no plans to examine the merits of establishing an All Ireland soccer strategy. However I do understand, that discussions are ongoing between the Irish Football League and Eircom League about a North/South knock-out competition at senior level.

(AQW 1759/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The scientific evidence is that Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle resulted from the use of feedingstuffs containing contaminated mammalian meat and bone meal (MMBM). The BSE Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 prohibits the sale, supply and use of any MMBM in the production of any feedingstuff for fish, and also prohibits the feeding to any fish any feedingstuff in which MMBM has been incorporated. I have not consulted the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on this matter as the legislation is already in place banning MMBM in fish feedingstuffs.

(AQW 1760/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The measures taken by each of my Department’s Statutory Bodies to monitor Internet usage by members of staff are as follows:

The Ulster-Scots Agency has only five full-time staff at this present time. General procedures for staff behaviour have not yet been written (adopted) formally. However staff are aware that general civil service principles from both sides of the border apply. All staff are aware that abuse of the Internet is not acceptable, and in particular the downloading of pornographic, extremist or other similar material is a most serious matter. They have no intentions, at this time of instituting any more formal monitoring process although this may well soon come within audit requirements.

At present no measures are in place to monitor Internet usage by members of staff. Foras Na Gaeilge is a relatively new organisation and have plans to look at organisational structures and procedures. These procedures will include internet usage.

Waterways Ireland is at an early stage of building up a staffing presence at its Headquarters in Enniskillen. Use of the Internet is being addressed as part of a project considering the overall IT needs of the Body for the medium to long term. Existing staff who have access to the Internet have been made aware of their personal responsibilities and line managers monitor its use. In addition, guidelines are being developed as part of an overall training programme for the Body.

Three members of the Board's staff have Internet access. Access was provided in November 2000. Itemised accounts, detailing log-on time and date, duration and cost are monitored on a quarterly basis by the Board's Support Manager. Any apparent anomalies or matters of concern are drawn to the attention of the Chief Executive for clarification and/or any appropriate action that may be necessary. The first such account has just been received.

The Sports Council have no measures in place to monitor Internet usage. They are investigating the purchase of necessary software and have made preparatory changes to their existing systems to facilitate internal monitoring through the implementation of new software.

The Arts Council permits access to the Internet through a limited number of PCs. All staff have access to the Council's internal (Intranet) site from their own PCs. All of the computers with full external Internet access have monitoring software installed on them. The software used is Stealth Activity Monitor (SAM). This software creates a log of the name of the user and all activity undertaken. These logs are monitored on a regular basis by the Council's IT Officer. The Business Development Service (BDS), the Council's Internet Service Provider also maintains a list of banned sites which cannot be accessed from any PC making use of their server to access the Internet.

Ms Mary Nelis asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the cost of the Bi-centenary exhibition of the Act of Union 1801.

Mr Derek Hussey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail, pursuant to AQW 1479/00, those participants from the Fermanagh and Western Football Association invited to the conference workshop planned for 10/12 February 2001.

Mr Derek Hussey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail, pursuant to AQW 1479/00, the involvement of the Fermanagh and Western Football Association in focus group discussions in respect of "Creating a Soccer Strategy for Northern Ireland".

Mr Derek Hussey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if, pursuant to AQW 1479/00, he will detail those members of the Fermanagh and Western Football Association who were interviewed either in person or by telephone in relation to the consultation exercise carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mr Derek Hussey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail, pursuant to AQW 1479/00, the clubs and individual players from the Fermanagh and Western Football Association who were invited to respond to the postal survey undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers in respect of the "creating a soccer strategy for Northern Ireland" initiative.

Mr Derek Hussey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail, pursuant to AQW 1479/00, in relation to the consultation exercise carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers on behalf of his Department, the results of the public surveys undertaken within that area covered by the Fermanagh and Western Football Association.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail any plans to fund the creation of a major athletics facility in Northern Ireland.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail any representations he has received in respect of the construction of a national football stadium in the Belfast area.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the proposed timetable for the promotion of the Ulster Scots language, culture and history throughout Northern Ireland.

Ms Mary Nelis asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail his programme to improve accessibility to culture and leisure facilities in respect of the disabled and socially disadvantaged.

Mr David Ford asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to give his assessment of the Electronic Libraries Project for Northern Ireland.

Mr Pat McNamee asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to consult with the Minister for Regional Development in relation to obtaining permission for South Armagh Tourist Initiative (S.A.T.I.) to erect bi-lingual road signs in the Ring of Gullion.

Mr Ian Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to give his assessment of the future of motorsport in Northern Ireland.

Mr Gardiner Kane asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if he will detail the level of funding made available to promote the culture and heritage of the Ulster-Scots community in comparison to that made available to promote Irish culture and language.

Mr Eddie McGrady asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail what provisions there are within the current departmental arrangements to ensure a coherent response to the cultural tourism opportunity recognised in the 1998 report entitled "The Cultural Sector : A Development Opportunity for Tourism in Northern Ireland" and to make a statement.

Mrs Annie Courtney asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if, the appointment of Belfast as a European City of Culture in 2008, will allow events and performances to be held throughout the region.

Mrs Iris Robinson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline his policy on motor cycle racing in Northern Ireland.

Mr Sean Neeson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline his language policy for ethnic minority languages.

Ms Monica McWilliams asked the Minister of Education to detail the funding received by each grammar school in each of the last five years for which figures are available and outline the proportion of funding which has been spent on (a) buildings (b) classroom resources and (c) salaries.