(AQW 2826/01)

Reply: Generally Departments only consider core funding for groups operating on a regional basis and relatively few organisations receive such funding.

In the current financial year, the Department for Social Development through its Belfast Regeneration Office have just recently approved £190,000 from their Making Belfast Work Action Plan budget to secure management and administration posts and to provide running costs for 2 Women’ Centres (Ballybeen and Windsor). In the last financial year the same two centres received £167,597 from the same source. The Department for Social Development through its Londonderry Development Initiative also provided funding of £39,026 to three Women’s Centres in the city, because these centres deliver services relevant to that Initiative.

Our officials are presently finalising a position paper on the funding of women’s organizations generally. They are also liaising with officials in the Department for Social Development with a view to identifying how these funding problems can be most effectively addressed.

(AQW 3382/01)

Reply: The number of children living in Northern Ireland is 460,48^4, approximately one third of the total population.

In Norway, there is a total child population of 1.16 million, approximately one quarter of the total population

There are 671,300 children living in Wales, which make up about one fifth of the total population

There are approximately 1.1 million children living in the Republic of Ireland, making up 29% of the total population.

(AQW 3419/01)

Reply: Online transactions are a key priority for all Northern Ireland Departments although they are only one, albeit important, aspect of electronic service delivery.

In the main such transactions are currently related to requests for information, publications and assistance. It is important to note that for many Departments key services include the provision of information and advice and electronic access to that advice is rightly considered to be a transaction. The under-pinning principle is that having contacted government electronically, the customer is satisfied at the end of the interaction.

At present, not all Departments are routinely capturing take-up figures for these transactions although plans to introduce a formal monitoring regime are under consideration as part of the overall e-Business programme.

Nevertheless, a number of Departments have already acknowledged encouraging increases in the uptake of electronic transactions for example Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment have recorded increases as high as 30% month on month and the overall expectation is that this upward trend will continue, particularly as the number of transactions available online grows.

Background statistics which are available for some of the Northern Ireland Civil Service websites also give an indication of the interest in, and usage of, online Departmental information. These, too, have shown encouraging growth in the use of the Internet as a means of interaction between the public and Government Departments and services. For example, job vacancies viewed at Department of Employment and Learning’s ‘JobCentre Online’ increased from 28,128 in April 2001 to 213,129 in April 2002, an increase of 758%.

(AQW 3460/01)

Reply:

(a) As part of the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative the Executive will be able to borrow from Treasury at highly advantageous interest rates which would be below commercial rates. There are two aspects to the borrowing arrangements. In the short term the Executive would be able to borrow up to £125 million from the Treasury under existing legislation. This loan would be repaid from revenue income currently planned. The Initiative also provides for new borrowing arrangements for the Executive in the longer term which, subject to the progress with the Review of Rating Policy, could come into operation from 2004/05.

(b) It will be up to the Executive and the Assembly to decide whether to borrow and by how much to fund public services, though there will be no major changes in local revenue until after full public consultation and until a fairer system for revenue raising has been developed to replace the present system. The extent to which the borrowing power is used will be the subject of full debate within the Executive and the Assembly. There will be major public consultations launched shortly on Public Private Partnerships and the Rating Policy Review, both of which have a relevance to the longer term borrowing under the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative. Consultation will also take place with the Assembly and the public on proposals for the Budget allocations for the coming years.

(AQW 3646/01)

Reply: The table provided contains details of research commissioned over the period 1999 to 2002 and whether or not it has been published. Some of the research is currently in progress and where this is the case a publication date or time period is indicated. The table shows that on one occasion research has not been formally published in terms of a hard copy report. However, this work has been disseminated within the former Centre for the Study of Conflict at the University of Ulster and is available on request.

Additional publications have been produced which are not listed in the table because they were commissioned outside the time period specified. These are either already on the OFMDFM website (www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk) or will be placed there in due course.

(AQW 3743/01)

Reply: The report to the Assembly in February 1999 identified the ten sectors from which membership for the Civic Forum would be drawn. The Ulster Farmers’ Union, the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association and representative organisations from the fishing sector were to nominate 3 members for the agriculture and fisheries sector. However, a member representing NIAPA was not appointed due to internal difficulties within the organisation. We also understand that the member representing the Ulster Farmer’s Union has recently resigned.

The difficulties within NIAPA have now been resolved and officials have begun the process to obtain nominations to fill both the vacancies within the agriculture sector.

(AQO 1458/01)

Reply: We have not jointly considered the exclusion of Sinn Féin Ministers under Section 30 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

(AQO 1424/01)

Reply: The Executive previously agreed that the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should extend to Northern Ireland and it will be fully in force by January 2005. We will also be reviewing the desirability of separate legislation for Northern Ireland.

We are of course aware of the legislation being introduced in Scotland and we will take account of this in considering the desirability of separate legislation for Northern Ireland.

(AQO 1434/01)

Reply: We explained to this House on 7 May that a lot of work now needs to be done to implement the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative. An Executive sub-Committee is being established to oversee the work.

We have already put in hand action to make early progress. We need to decide in the coming weeks how best to utilise the £200 million which will be available to us over the next two years. Departments have already been asked for their proposals. A new regional cancer centre has been identified as a possible project which could benefit from the short-term package.

We are also working to establish the new strategic investment body as soon as possible to help us take a more strategic approach to investment in our infrastructure. The Executive has agreed to set up a Project Board, with members nominated by parties in the Executive, to advise on the most appropriate remit and status for the new body. The Project Board is expected to meet for the first time shortly.

On the use of the sites at Ebrington and the Maze, Members will be aware that work to develop proposals for the use of Ebrington has already commenced. We are establishing a partnership and regeneration panel involving central and local government, community and business sectors, to bring forward proposals for the Executive’s consideration. We want to use local experience and expertise to advise us on how best to use this strategically important asset. We also want local community and business groups to be consulted and involved in developing ideas for the use of other such sites including the Maze. These extensive estates offer us many possibilities for major economic and social regeneration. We will want to consider the options carefully so that we achieve dynamic development, working in partnership with local communities.

(AQO 1556/01)

Reply: The next plenary of the NSMC is scheduled to take place on Friday 28 June in Armagh.

(AQO 1558/01)

Reply: The first meeting of the Project Board took place on 11 June.

A key function of the Project Board, which comprises members nominated by Ministers from the parties in the Executive, will be to advise on the role, remit and status of the new Strategic Investment Body.

We have nominated the chairs of the Project Board and the UUP, SDLP, DUP and Sinn Fein Ministers have nominated members.

(AQO 1537/01)

Reply: These are, of course, mainly matters for the Northern Ireland Office.

We understand that the timing of the release by the Northern Ireland Prison Service of the Maze will be determined by operational factors including the availability of adequate contingency accommodation within the Prisons estate (currently restricted by an extensive refurbishment programme at other prison establishments) and the need to relocate a number of operational units from the Maze to other sites. It is not, therefore, possible at this stage to put a precise timescale on the site’s release.

(AQO 1569/01)

Reply: At the second British- Irish Summit Council meeting in November 2001, it was agreed that tourism was of significant importance to all members in terms of jobs, revenue, culture and heritage and that benefit would be derived from greater co-ordination across this industry. The Council decided that Guernsey should take the lead on the Tourism Sector and a progress report will be made to the next British-Irish Summit Council meeting which is scheduled to take place in Jersey on 14 June.

The lead responsibility for taking work forward within this sector in Northern Ireland lies with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. A representative from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has attended Tourism senior officials meetings held on 1 March and 21 May 2002, with a view to agreeing a future work programme which would be of most benefit to all members.

(AQW 3688/01)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): My Department conducted a consultation, locally, on the European Commission’s Green Paper proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, and fed these through by way of contributions to the Commission’s Green Paper consultation. Through regular ongoing communication with UK Ministerial colleagues, I have ensured that issues specific to Northern Ireland, such as the long term future of our nephrops industry, and recognition for the capacity reductions which we have made, have been maintained at the forefront of Member State thinking and communicated at European level negotiations.

The process of consultation on the Commission’s substantive legislative proposals, which were published on 28 May 2002, has now begun. I shall continue to pursue Northern Ireland’s regional interests at Member State and European Level, and by pressing our interests at Fisheries Council meeting. I attended the June Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 11 June to ensure, through meetings and representations to UK Ministers, that Northern Ireland’s interests are were represented in these negotiations.

I attach particular importance to local consultations with fisheries interests, to ensure that all important aspects of the future viability of Northern Ireland’s fisheries industry are appropriately covered in our response to the Commission’s legislative proposals. I am pleased to say that the Commission’s "Blue Team", which is spearheading their consultation with visits to various locations throughout Europe, will visit Northern Ireland on Thursday 13 June, where the European Commission’s representative office in Belfast will host a seminar for fisheries interests, which will both present the Commission’s proposals, and allow stakeholders to ask questions and put their views directly to Commission officials. I will meet the team during their visit.

(AQW 3769/01)

Ms Rodgers: Equality Impact Assessments have been carried out on the following policies:

• Less Favoured Area Support

• Payment of Agricultural Grants and Subsidies (which included the Implementation of Agenda 2000); and

• Natural Resource Tourism Measure (Peace II)

(AQW 3780/01)

Ms Rodgers: There have been two imports of consignments of corned beef from Argentina in the past 12 months. There have been no other imports of beef from Third Countries within this period.

From the introduction of the European Single Market 1992, the conditions for trade in most products between Member States have been harmonised. This means that, regardless of whether a product is destined for the UK market or another Member State of the European Union, certain basic trade requirements have to be met. With regard to personal imports, general import licences apply which mean that importers can bring small quantities of meat and dairy products into Northern Ireland, without any additional conditions applying. Therefore, no records are kept on the import of beef from Member States.

(AQW 3781/01)

Ms Rodgers: Inspections of imported meat from Third countries are carried out at Border Inspection Posts in accordance with EU Regulations. Once such meat enters the EU it can be traded freely in the same way as EU beef. It is therefore not possible to maintain statistics on the quantity of beef imported into NI, nor is it possible to assess the effect imported beef has on the level of local beef sales.

Market research would however indicate that beef is being imported from the ROI, other EU countries and Third countries with beef from Third countries going to the catering and institutional sectors. It is also understood supermarkets continue to source the majority of their beef from local suppliers. All beef must comply with EU import conditions and with EC beef labelling requirements by having the beef marked with the country and establishment of origin.

I continue to encourage supermarkets and others to make greater use of local produce, including beef, through my attendance at suppliers conferences, company visits and at other events.

(AQW 3795/01)

Ms Rodgers: The Department has made provision under the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 to ensure dealers that import livestock from other Member States and sell them on, are registered.

However, the introduction of the 30 day standstill requirement following the Foot and Mouth outbreak, has meant that the requirement for dealers to be registered has been overtaken by the fact that animals are not able to move through registered dealers premises at present.

It is recognised that standstills contribute significantly to preventing the spread of exotic animal disease and that the principal trigger for spread of animal disease is animal movement, particularly repetitive movement as through dealers premises or movement involving multiple source contacts or destinations. It is therefore the Department’s intention to maintain the 30 day standstill requirement in Northern Ireland for the foreseeable future.

(AQW 3796/01)

Ms Rodgers: There were 65.8 million dozen eggs graded and packed in registered NI egg packing stations during 2001. This represents a 6% increase on the 62.2 million dozen recorded for the previous year. The laying flock also increased by 1% to 2.63 million birds in the year 2001.

(AQW 3845/01)

Ms Rodgers: My Department will comply fully with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act including the preparation of a publication scheme in time to meet the November 2002 deadline. I am also in the process of appointing an Information Manager who will have specific responsibility for Freedom of Information matters. I have asked senior officials within my Department to detail all the information they publish or intend to publish and this will form the basis of the Publication Scheme.

(AQO 1440/01)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): [holding answer 27 May 2002]: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) administers a number of financial assistance schemes- the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation 2000-2004, the International Fund for Ireland Visitor Attractions Scheme, the Tourism Development Scheme and Events Support Scheme- which are aimed at developing existing visitor attractions and amenities, marketing projects and events support. Applications for assistance under these initiatives will be welcome for projects located in the Foyle Fisheries area.

In addition, all existing tourist accommodation businesses located in the area which have been certified by the NITB are eligible to apply to Invest NI for selective financial assistance. Invest NI can also provide support for a range of management disciplines including marketing, finance and operations.

I am also aware that the Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (FCILC), a cross-border body sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, is currently preparing a marine tourism strategy which will set out the Agency’s plans for the development of marine tourism in these areas. As part of this strategy the Agency is in the process of commissioning a marine tourism audit with a view to ascertaining the level of facilities currently available in the Foyle and Carlingford Areas. The Agency hopes to be in a position to publish its marine tourism strategy later this year.

(AQW 3797/01)

Mr McGimpsey: The national stadium issue is currently being considered in the context of my Department’s work on developing a Soccer Strategy for Northern Ireland.

I hope to make a statement in the near future about the Soccer Strategy and this will include my views on the way forward on the national stadium issue.

(AQW 3822/01)

Mr McGimpsey: My Department has not as yet carried out any equality impact assessments but has contributed £10k to the Electronic Libraries for Northern Ireland project carried out by the education and library boards in compliance with the equality schemes of the five boards.

(AQW 3846/01)

Mr McGimpsey: My Department has taken steps to ensure that it fully complies with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. To this end, a dedicated resource has been identified to oversee the production of a ‘Publication Scheme’ which will cover my core Department and our Executive Agencies, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

I have also established an informal Working Group to ensure we meet the November 2002 deadline.

(AQW 3488/01)

The Minister of Education (Mr M McGuinness): PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) has only been in existence as a company since July 1998 as a result of the merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers and Lybrand; the following information relates only to the period since the merger.

Information in relation to specific a) projects and b) period of project is provided below. However, the value of individual contracts awarded to consultants can not be provided as this would breach commercial confidentiality.

(AQW 3745/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Inspections conducted during the current school year in individual schools indicate that such classes do place important demands on teachers in terms of organisation, planning and approaches to teaching and learning but also provided evidence that, in general, teachers are responding well to the differing learning needs within their classes and that children experienced a programme of activities appropriate to their individual needs.

(AQW 3746/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The information requested is as follows:

(AQW 3747/01)

Mr M McGuinness: While the level of resources delegated to its schools is primarily a matter for the NEELB, I am aware of the financial difficulties that have been identified by the Board in relation to its schools and have initiated a full review of the Board’s expenditure plans across its total allocation, in order to inform decisions on what further action can be taken. My officials are currently working closely with Board Officers to examine the position in detail.

(AQW 3748/01)

Mr M McGuinness: When Boards allocate resources across their services they take due cognisance of the Department’s allocation letter which requires Boards to keep administration costs to the minimum levels required to maintain core services. It is particularly important that Boards keep administration costs to a minimum with the ever-increasing emphasis on maximising resources that go to the classroom.

(AQW 3770/01)

Mr M McGuinness: (a) There has been one Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) carried out by the Department of Education to date to the formal consultation phase. This was in respect of the Consultation Document "A Common Funding Formula for Grant-Aided Schools" which was launched on 5 April 2001.

(b) This EQIA formed an integral part (ie Chapter 21) of the Consultation Document and it was prepared in accordance with the Equality Commission’s "Guide to Statutory Duties" document. Therefore, in these circumstances, the specific costs in relation to research, consultation, printing and dissemination in relation to this EQIA were subsumed in the overall cost of the Consultation Document.

(AQW 3786/01)

Mr M McGuinness: As the information requested is extensive, I will arrange to have it placed in the Assembly Library. I enclose a copy for your personal use.

(AQW 3788/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The Transfer Test is not compulsory therefore no pupil is required to sit the test.

Over the past five years the number of pupils opting out of sitting the test is as follows:

(AQW 3789/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The information, in respect of non-Grammar schools which had pupils entered for A-level or equivalent examinations in June 2001, is as follows:

(AQW 3798/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I understand that the South- Eastern Education and Library Board has advised the Ards Borough Council that any receipts accruing from the sale of this land will be used for expenditure on capital development in the Comber area.

(AQW 3844/01)

(a) The number of pupils accepted into Year 8 for the 2002/03 school year in Down High School and St Patrick’s Grammar School, Downpatrick, is as follows:

(b) A breakdown of the Transfer Procedure results obtained by these pupils is set out below:

(AQW 3847/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The Department of Education has appointed an Information Officer whose responsibilities include the preparation of the Department’s Publication Scheme. An Implementation Plan has been drawn up to ensure compliance with the November 2002 deadline and an information audit of the Department is currently under way.

(AQW 3899/01)

Mr M McGuinness: This is the largest consultation ever undertaken on an education issue and the household response form is being distributed to over 670,000 households. Distribution has taken longer than was originally anticipated due to the massive scale of this exercise. However all forms will be delivered within the next few days.

The deadline for comments is 28 June 2002 and I believe this allows sufficient time for everyone to respond.

(AQW 3972/01)

(a) My driver is an employee of Sinn Féin

(b) The driver salary is met by Sinn Féin, which is in turn reimbursed by the Department of Education

(c), (d), & (e) I consider these queries to be internal matters for my Party.

(AQW 3980/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I have said, on a number of occasions in the past, that children should be able to travel to and from school without fear of attack or abuse. I therefore totally deplore the attack which took place in Strabane on 5 June. Any attack on pupils, or vehicles used to transport pupils, when travelling to and from school, is totally unacceptable and there can be no possible justification or excuse for this recent incident.

(AQW 3787/01)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Ms Hanna): The Department for Employment and Learning does not have information available on the type of school attended prior to enrolment on higher education courses.

(AQW 3799/01)

Ms Hanna: To date, a total of 14 Equality Impact Assessments have been carried out by my Department.

Identifiable invoiced costs are as follows:

• Student Support Review 
  (printing and distribution costs) £3,400
  

• Changes to Employment Legislation
  13 Equality Impact Assessments
  (Research and Consultation costs) £17,110

My Department makes every effort to keep the costs of conducting Equality Impact Assessments to a minimum. The Department does not routinely collate information in relation to in house preparation and ancillary costs associated with the completion of Equality Impact Assessments.

(AQW 3823/01)

(a) The University of Ulster provides a number of places on PGCE (secondary) courses and the decision on how they are split over the various disciplines at both the Coleraine and Jordanstown campuses is at the discretion of the university. All places on the courses are normally filled.

(b) The number of successful applicants will be the same as the number of enrolments, given in the table in part (a).

(c) Number of Republic of Ireland domiciled, full-time enrolments on PGCE (secondary) courses at the University of Ulster, Coleraine campus 1997/98 – 2001/02

(AQW 3848/01)

Ms Hanna: My Department will seek to ensure that it complies fully with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. To this end, an Information Manager has been appointed to oversee all corporate information matters. This includes preparation of the Publication Scheme in time to meet the November 2002 deadline.

(AQW 3860/01)

Ms Hanna: I will complete my review of the operation of the Individual Learning Accounts scheme as it applied in Northern Ireland, and announce my intentions for the future as soon as possible. It is important to absorb fully the lessons from the original ILA national framework, and in particular to take account of the work of the Employability Task Force, in shaping new arrangements to encourage and widen participation in adult learning.

(AQW 3982/01)

Ms Hanna: I have noted with regret the announcement of the closure of Dunnes Stores in Kilkeel with the loss of 36 full and part time jobs.

My local JobCentre manager in Kilkeel has already been in contact with local Dunnes Stores management and has put in place arrangements to offer the full range of JobCentre services to all staff affected by the closure.

(AQW 3659/01)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): [holding answer 5 June 2002]: The development of renewable energy projects is a matter for the private sector. My Department would only generally become aware of the development of projects when planning permission is being sought and/or an application is made for a generating licence. It is known, however, that planning permission is currently being sought for 2 wind farms (one in Co Tyrone and the other in Co Fermanagh).

Public funding for renewable energy projects is provided through EU grants, and various UK and Northern Ireland support schemes. In the 5 years ending March 2002 a total of £2,781,995.72 was paid to developers of a range of eligible projects in Northern Ireland. Within this total the amounts allocated to wind, solar and wave projects is as follows:

• £447,302.85 for wind energy;

• £97,224.80 for solar energy; and

• £126,985 for an integrated wind/wave project.

(AQW 3704/01)

For the years ending 31 March 2000 and 2001, the full listings of the third parties who received selective financial assistance are published in the NITB annual accounts contained in the NITB Annual Reports. These Reports are held in the Assembly Library. The Annual Report for 2001-2002 is not yet available

(AQW 3726/01)

Sir Reg Empey: My Department and Invest NI recognise the potential of Londonderry and the North West to develop as an economic hub as envisaged in the Regional Development Strategy.

We are committed to working with local partners to help those in the North West progress from the high level vision for the region towards conceiving solid new Developmental ideas that will help the region to fulfill its potential.

We believe that the availability of the Ebrington site is of major strategic importance to the overall economic potential, not only of the Waterside but of Londonderry and indeed the wider North West. We are supportive of the partnership concept being proposed to look at how the site could be best developed and would be eager to play a role in the consultations that will undoubtedly occur regarding the site. The development of the site needs to be set in the context of other opportunities such as Atlantic Cross at Dupont, the plans of the Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners for Fort George, the plans for development of the University of Ulster and North West Institute for Further & Higher Education and, of course, those of a number of private developers in the city.

(AQW 3740/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Invest NI’s remit is for all of Northern Ireland. Part of this remit is to encourage an increase in the overall level and quality of new start up businesses and to stimulate growth in established businesses through a range of initiatives and services.

The budget allocated for those initiatives and services is based on anticipated demand and need and covers all of Northern Ireland rather than at sub-regional level.

(AQW 3742/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Invest NI’s remit is for all of Northern Ireland. It encourages new inward investment to locate in appropriate areas based on a range of criteria including availability of labour skills and infrastructure. Particular focus is given to New TSN areas which include West Tyrone.

(AQW 3771/01)

Sir Reg Empey: As the company is currently in Administration, the Administrator is responsible for running the affairs of the company. Invest NI is awaiting the Administrator’s proposals for re-establishing the business on a viable footing, and this will enable Invest NI to determine what role it may be able to play in facilitating the future development of the business.

(AQW 3772/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The company is currently in Administration and we are awaiting proposals from the Administrator on the way forward. I hope these proposals will establish a basis for re-establishing the business on a commercial footing, but until these are to hand it is not possible to provide an assessment of the long- term viability of the company.

(AQW 3794/01)

Sir Reg Empey: DETI has issued four EQIA’s to date for consultation. The following table details these EQIAs and their associated costs:

(AQW 3825/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Costs associated with producing LEDU’s Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) document of it’s Policy Area 1, "To maximise the sustainable growth of small businesses in Northern Ireland (through increased competitiveness") are shown in the following table.

There were no external costs associated with research/ creation of this document.

(AQW 3826/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) administers the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation 2000-2004 which includes funding for marketing projects that will assist Northern Ireland position itself in the global marketplace. To date in 2002-2003 no allocations have been made to projects in the West Tyrone area but applications are under consideration by NITB. Further applications for assistance under this initiative will be welcome for projects located in the West Tyrone area.

(AQW 3834/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The problems of the global economy have impacted on Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector. The latest available data shows that manufacturing output fell by 8.8% over the year to December 2001, and by 3.5% over the quarter September 2001 to December 2001.

It does not appear that the recent decline of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing output will be reversed in the short term. The latest CBI/Business Strategies Limited Regional Trends Survey (May 2002) reports continued pessimism amongst Northern Ireland’s manufacturers concerning the general business situation. The survey indicates that total orders recorded a pronounced decline in the last quarter (to March 2002) and a further, albeit smaller, fall is expected in the coming months. Despite this general pessimism, it is pleasing to note that export optimism has turned positive for the first time in over a year.

It is also worth noting that despite the decline in industrial manufacturing the small firms sector in Northern Ireland continues to out perform its counterparts in GB. In fact, the recent Engineering Output Survey from the Engineering Employers Federation indicates that Northern Ireland is the only region in the UK that projects an increase in total output over the next 3 months.

(AQW 3849/01)

Sir Reg Empey: In anticipation of the demands of Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation, and of other emerging requirements relating to records management, my Department appointed an Information Manager to coordinate the necessary preparatory measures.

DETI has also established an internal network of local information managers, comprising representatives from the Department’s main business areas and NDPBs. This provides us with a channel for disseminating information and guidance on FOI and other matters and for coordinating action required at branch and division level.

To meet our obligations in respect of publication schemes, a programme of work has already been completed to gather required inputs from the various business areas of the Department. A draft publication scheme incorporating these inputs has been produced and is currently being reviewed by senior officials within the Department. Work is also ongoing to format a web version of the scheme.

In summary, we are on course to meet the November 2002 deadline for completion of this work.

(AQW 3896/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The Manager has been given a verbal and written reprimand about his failure to produce appropriate documentation.

He has also been given a written warning about his conduct in relation to duplicate and personal claims. This stressed the need for absolute accuracy when submitting expenses claims and the need for full supporting documentation.

(AQW 3945/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The lands, in question, were acquired by the then Electricity Board for Northern Ireland, in the 1970s, to facilitate a pump storage electricity generation scheme which did not proceed. They are therefore being disposed of by Northern Ireland Electricity plc (NIE) in accordance with a Disposal Strategy drawn up by the company and approved by the electricity Regulator under the terms of a formal Consent granted by the Regulator. The strategy involves offering the lands back to their original owners or their successors in title.

I am informed by NIE that: (a) at 31 May 2002, there remained 17 outstanding cases in which individuals have applied to purchase lots of land; (b) in 7 of the cases the company is waiting for the purchaser to complete the contract, in 8 cases negotiations between the company and the prospective purchaser are ongoing on a variety of matters, for example, clarification of rights of way, one case is the subject of litigation, and in the remaining case a number of members of the same family have applied to purchase the same portion of land; and (c) it is not possible to give a timescale for completion of all outstanding cases, since this depends on the legal process and the complexity of each case, and is not within the company’s direct control.

(AQW 3983/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Since the closure announcement of Youngs Bluecrest, Kilkeel on Thursday 2nd May Invest NI officials have been in ongoing contact with a wide range of interested parties in an attempt both to avoid closure, if possible, and to address the ramifications if Youngs Bluecrest do indeed cease trading in Kilkeel.

Invest NI has written to Youngs Bluecrest on two separate occasions to set up a meeting to discuss the following issues:

To understand the basis of the closure decision and to investigate if there is any possibility of Youngs Bluecrest (UK) Limited reconsidering or amending their plans.

To investigate alternative usage for Youngs Bluecrest, Kilkeel and to discuss the possibility of non-competing usage, and

To discuss any other possible solutions.

I regret to say that Invest NI is still awaiting a response from Youngs Bluecrest.

There is a strong demand for skilled labour in this sector and I understand that other Kilkeel fish processing companies will be in a position to offer employment to approximately 40 employees of Youngs Bluecrest in the event of closure.

Currently Invest NI officials are involved in discussions with other interested parties in an attempt to minimise the potential employment losses in Kilkeel.

(AQW 3708/01)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Nesbitt): The enforcement of the legislation governing litter and fly- tipping is a matter for district councils.

The Litter (NI) Order 1994 provides district councils with powers to serve fixed penalty fines (currently £25) for littering. The provisions of the Order are further enforceable through the courts, where littering offences carry a maximum fine of £2,500.

The practice generally referred to as fly-tipping is an offence under Article 5 of the Pollution Control and Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 1978, liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £5000 or on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to an unlimited fine or both. The fines and jail term may be increased where the waste in question is of a hazardous nature.

District councils also have powers under Article 16 of the 1978 Order to require the occupier of the land to remove fly-tipped waste and to take any necessary remedial action. Failure to comply with such a notice is an offence liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £2500 and to a further fine of £1000 for each day that the offence continues.

The 1978 Order also provides district councils with powers to remove fly-tipped waste and to recover its costs from the occupier or from the person responsible for the fly-tipping, if known.

Similar provisions in the Waste and Contaminated Land Order (NI) 1997, replacing those in the 1978 Order, will come into operation when new Waste Management Regulations are made, probably in autumn 2003. The 1997 Order penalties for fly-tipping are in some respects more severe; for example, the maximum fine penalty on summary conviction will be increased from £5000 to £20,000.

While I expect that the penalties for littering and fly-tipping act as a deterrent, the problem which remains is how to make those responsible for these activities, who can be very difficult to trace or apprehend, amenable to the enforcement powers of District Councils.

(AQW 3728/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The unauthorised discharge, referred to in AQW 3548/01, originates from the Downpatrick Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), which is the responsibility of the Water Service, an Agency of the Department for Regional Development.

The discharge, which occurs intermittently particularly in periods of heavy rain, is a result of sewage surcharging through a manhole cover inside the works, and flowing through the site fence, directly into a downstream waterway.

(AQW 3800/01)

Mr Nesbitt: No specific discussions have taken place with the European Commission in relation to the implementation of Waste or Waste Packaging Directives. In the general context, and to the extent that resources permit, my officials provide advice to Whitehall Departments on the Northern Ireland position within the overall UK negotiations on new European Community Directives and on discussions between the UK and the Commission in relation to the transposition and implementation of existing Directives. This is part of the ongoing development of EC law.

Apart from this ongoing indirect communication, senior officials from my department met with senior European Commission officials in February this year to discuss issues around the transposition and implementation of environmental Directives. The purpose of that meeting was to fully inform the Commission of the efforts being made by the Department to deal with the large backlog of untransposed Directives inherited from the period of Direct Rule. In the course of the visit an invitation to the Director General to visit Northern Ireland was issued. It is hoped this invitation will be taken up later in the year.

As the need arises and on a case by case basis, officials also raise detailed transposition or implementation issues with their counterparts in the Commission. Discussions on the implementation of the Nitrates Directive are a recent example of this.

(AQW 3816/01)

(a) The sea pen Virgularia mirabilis is found in Carlingford Lough. It is found on all British and Irish coasts but is less frequent in the south. There are three species of sea pen found in the British Isles, but this is the only one found in Carlingford Lough.

(b) The upper part of the Lough is shallow and the seabed consists of a plain of fine muddy sand. The sea pens are found in dense colonies in the shallower waters (0-5m).

(c) There have been two surveys undertaken on behalf of my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS): - (i) the Northern Ireland Sublittoral Survey published in 1986;and (ii) the Estuarine Classification Monitoring Program published in 1997. The former was a diving project and the sea pens were recorded at six of the sites. The latter was a "grab sampling" programme which found examples of the species but did not indicate the extent of the colonies.

(d) In August 2001, EHS commissioned Queen’s University to undertake a project entitled ‘Marine Survey and Mapping (Benthic Habitats) of Northern Ireland’. The object was to provide information on the extent and distribution of benthic communities and species around our coasts. This work will help identify sites of national and international conservation importance and inform the selection and management of sites under the Habitats Directive. A report is due in March 2003 and will be published shortly thereafter.

(AQW 3824/01)

Mr Nesbitt: My department and other local road safety agencies and departments are committed to using research and analysis of the causes of road collisions involving deaths and serious injuries in guiding our efforts aimed at road casualty reduction.

The investigation of road traffic collisions and the attribution of cause and responsibility is a matter for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The PSNI annual report, "Road Traffic Accident Statistics", provides a summary of the road traffic injury accidents reported to the police including the main causes of collisions and the types of road user responsible for them.

In some collisions, other factors which contribute to the cause of the collision, in addition to the principal cause, may be identified. However, the principal focus of PSNI’s statistical analysis is on the identification of the main causes of collisions to inform road safety policy and assist targeting resources at road casualty reduction.

The PSNI’s statistical information on collision causation factors is used by my Department in the development and direction of road safety education and publicity, by the Department for Regional Development in developing road engineering measures, including ac