(AQW 2797/01)

Reply: The objective of Measure 4.1 as outlined in the PEACE II Operational Programme is to contribute to making Northern Ireland and the Border Region a more outward and forward looking region by developing networks of co-operation on a cross-sectoral basis and encouraging a structured approach to participation in wider European and international networks.

Measure 4.1 gives examples of the types of actions which might be supported including:

"a structural approach to the participation of Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland in wider European and international networks, including the identification and communication for best practices through networking between sectors in Northern Ireland to support and develop the international and inter-regional linkages."

(AQO 1559/01)

Reply: We are currently considering two papers identifying strategic priorities for the NI Bureau’s operations in the coming year, together with the associated business objectives, to ensure that the political and business messages to United States target audiences are more closely integrated than at present and that the Bureau’s representational function gives maximum value for money. While the NI Bureau is a separate unit, its personnel are afforded diplomatic status through the British Embassy. Good relationships are maintained with the Irish Embassy and a variety of other bodies.

(AQO 1519/01)

Reply: We are currently considering two papers identifying strategic priorities for the NI Bureau’s operations in the coming year, together with the associated business objectives, to ensure that the political and business messages to United States target audiences are more closely integrated than at present and that the Bureau’s representational function gives maximum value for money. While the NI Bureau is a separate unit, its personnel are afforded diplomatic status through the British Embassy. Good relationships are maintained with the Irish Embassy and a variety of other bodies.

(AQW 4033/01)

Reply: The terms of reference for the ad hoc, temporary Non Governmental Organisations’ Forum were drawn up in April 2001 to encompass work on both the establishment of a Commissioner for Children and Young People, and the development of a Children’s Strategy. Therefore, it is not necessary to review the terms of reference at this time.

The terms of reference will be reviewed when consideration is given to whether there needs to be a permanent mechanism, as part of the Children’s Strategy.

(AQW 3898/01)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): Over the past 10 years, employment statistics indicate a reduction in numbers of people employed in the catching sector:

Some of Northern Ireland’s fisheries dependent communities lie within the most socio-economically deprived areas of Northern Ireland. The co-operation of the Social Security Agency has therefore been important in ensuring prompt and relevant benefit services to those who are seasonally employed, or facing unemployment, as a result of wider trends in the industry.

As regards levels of training and education, all four of Northern Ireland’s main east coast fisheries dependent communities score low in terms of Noble indicators. This indicates that the adult population is currently not as well equipped as it needs to be to meet the challenges of diversification which the rationalisation of fishing effort, and the modernisation of the industry, as well as other factors, entail. This is an issue which requires to be pursued within a wider context of a full review of the fisheries industry.

I have already announced my wish to indicate a wide ranging review of the whole spectrum of the fisheries industry in Northern Ireland, including European, UK and Northern Ireland policies; all sectors, including the catching, processing and aquaculture sectors; and opportunities for future markets and diversification. Such a review could also address, in a holistic manner, the socio-economic needs of fisheries dependent and traditional fishing communities.

The support and contribution of all key interests is essential to such an important and significant review, whose findings and recommendations have the potential to secure a viable and sustainable fisheries industry for current and future generations of Northern Ireland people, while conserving natural fisheries stocks and other natural marine resources.

(AQW 4138/01)

Ms Rodgers: The report provides a useful starting point for all those engaged in rural policy development appraisal or indeed those who simply need to know more about the complex issues and factors that form part of the modern way of life in rural areas and communities.

It also provides a useful and informative compendium of rural statistics which will complement work on Neighbourhood Statistics which the Executive is funding in the Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency. This work involves collating and disseminating geographically referenced small area statistics that will be important to rural development as they will provide socio-economic data across Northern Ireland.

The Department has commissioned the Council to complete further short term work relevant to the baseline.

Through this additional work the Council will explore with other funding bodies, for example Local Strategic Partnerships, the potential for them to draw on baseline information relevant to their programmes. It will also consider the application of the Noble Deprivation Indices to the Rural Development Programme, how the participation of the Long Term Unemployed in the Rural Development Programme can be encouraged and how access to rural services might be improved.

(AQW 4156/01)

Ms Rodgers: Restrictions on the docking of dogs’ tails in Northern Ireland are presently imposed through United Kingdom-wide animal welfare legislation.

Historically, this practice was permissible as the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 exempted the carrying out of the tail docking of dogs from the activities that had to be carried out by a qualified veterinary surgeon. However, even then, there were some restrictions, tail docking of dogs had to take place before their eyes opened and needed to be carried out by persons over the age of 18.

The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (Schedule 3 Amendment) Order 1991 amended the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 to remove the reference to the tail docking of dogs from the list of exempted activities. The effect of this amendment was to prohibit the docking of dogs tails by anyone who was not a qualified veterinary surgeon. However, while the circumstances in which a qualified veterinary surgeon may carry out tail docking could arguably be further restricted, a total ban would be difficult to justify as there are a limited number of situations where tail docking or amputation by a veterinary practitioner is necessary for genuine clinical reasons.

Westminster is currently revising animal welfare legislation including the issue of docking dogs’ tails. We would wish to look closely at the decisions reached by Westminster before considering the matter further.

(AQW 4300/01)

Ms Rodgers: On being notified of the escape by the Northern Salmon Company, Department staff visited the site to investigate the circumstances surrounding the escape and to co-ordinate an exercise to recover as many escapees as was practicable and to remove escapees from the Glenarm River. As a result of these site visits Department staff concluded that the escape was the result of structural damage to one of the cages during a storm.

(AQW 4319/01)

Ms Rodgers: Under the Landing of Carcases and Animal Products Order (Northern Ireland) 1985 [as amended], and the Diseases of Animals (Importation of Poultry) Order (Northern Ireland) 1965 [as amended], it is an offence to import an animal product into Northern Ireland except in accordance with a licence issued by the Department. Limited exceptions are permitted for small amounts intended for personal use only (i.e. by the individual or their family or friends – goods brought into Northern Ireland under these exceptions should not be sold or used commercially in any way).

Regular checks are made by DARD Portal staff at ports and airports to ensure that travellers are complying with these limits. Consignments identified during Customs checks will be checked to ensure that they comply with the limits. Travellers exceeding these limits should declare and surrender material in the Red Channel at Customs. Failure to do so may result in confiscation of the material and prosecution.

In addition, a range of further steps are being considered in conjunction with DEFRA to minimise the risk to Northern Ireland’s Agricultural industry presented by animal products. These include announcements on incoming aeroplanes and ferry’s, notices, amnesty bins and sniffer dogs.

(AQW 4148/01)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): There is no person described as a "Cultural Diversity Officer" within my Department.

There is a Cultural Diversity Branch, which was set up in April 2001, and its remit is to agree and implement a cultural diversity strategy and to continue work on commitments such as the Golden Jubilee.

(AQW 4149/01)

Mr McGimpsey: My Department has not had any direct involvement with the Foyle Cup competition and I do not, therefore, have any information on travel assistance offered to participating teams. This information could only be provided by the tournament organisers.

The Northern Ireland Events Company and the Sports Council for NI, both of whom are funded by my Department, have provided financial support for the tournament, but neither have had reason to obtain information about differential levels of travel assistance provided. The Events Company funding has been directed specifically at covering the cost of bringing teams from France and Holland to the tournament, which will enhance its international status and impact. The Sports Council made a small general contribution to the overall travel and tournament costs under its "Awards for All" lottery scheme.

(AQW 4159/01)

Mr McGimpsey: My Department has no funding for capital development other than that voted as part of this year’s budget. As you know, library provision for Lisburn is being taken forward under the public finance initiative. The South Eastern Board is currently finalising an economic appraisal in respect of Bangor Library and will then carry out an appraisal setting out the options for library provision in Newtownards.

The South Eastern Board’s capital programme will be considered along with other competing priorities in the light of available resources. I am, however, seeking to obtain additional resources for library capital development through a bid in Budget 2002.

(AQW 4162/01)

(a) Neither the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland nor the headquarters of the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, on which the Union Flag was flown, are specified in Regulation 6 of the Flags Regulations (NI) 2000;

(b) the Union Flag was flown on both buildings on 15 February 2002;

(c) the decision to fly the Union Flag was taken by the Premises Officer;

(d) discretion was exercised in deciding to fly the Union Flag;

(e) discretionary powers are vested in the Premises Officer;

(f) instructions issued by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister were followed.

(AQW 4298/01)

Mr McGimpsey: Under the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966, responsibility for licensing marine fish farms, monitoring their operations and enforcing the conditions of licences lies with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Investigations into the possible causes of escapes of farmed salmon from licensed marine fish farms are for that Department to consider. The Fisheries Conservancy Board has no role in such matters.

(AQW 4299/01)

Mr McGimpsey: The Fisheries Conservancy Board’s functions are the conservation and protection of the salmon and inland fisheries of Northern Ireland other than the fisheries of the Londonderry Area or the Newry Area. In pursuit of these functions, the Board enforces the provisions of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 relating to the regulation and prohibition of salmon fishing. Those provisions do not distinguish between farmed salmon and wild Atlantic salmon. In those cases where the Board has initiated prosecution actions, it will be a matter for the courts to make a judgement on each individual case.

(AQW 4077/01)

(a) 

(i) The criteria for intake to an integrated primary school are 15 pupils for schools in urban areas (Londonderry and Belfast) and 12 for schools in rural areas. The school would then be entitled to recurrent funding from the Department. There is also a medium term target of an intake of 20 for urban schools and 15 for rural schools that must be satisfied before the school is eligible for capital funding.

(ii) The intake criterion for post-primary schools is 50 pupils and if this is achieved a school is entitled to recurrent funding, however it is essential that the school demonstrates its viability over a three year period before capital funding can be approved.

(b) the number of pupils enrolled for the new Sperrin Integrated College, Magherafelt currently stands at 53.

(c) Sperrin College has not yet been formally given final approval for grant-aided status and, in the absence of accurate information on pupils, floor area etc., it is therefore not possible to calculate the financial allocation to be made to the school for the financial year ended 31 March 2003.

(AQW 4105/01)

Mr M McGuinness: (a) The total number of applications to Strabane Grammar School for admission to Year 8 for September 2002 was 76. The total applications and (b) the number of successful applications from each contributory primary school for a place in Year 8 for September 2002 are detailed below as follows:

(AQW 4113/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The distribution agent provided the Household Response Forms to the Royal Mail for delivery as follows:

One postcode area, BT58, contains business addresses only
and was not covered.

(AQW 4118/01)

(a) The admissions and enrolment numbers in each of the last 5 academic years at Saintfield High School is set out below as follows:

(b) The number of applications which have not been successful for admission in each of the last 3 academic years is set out below as follows:

(c) The South Eastern Education and Library Board are currently undertaking an economic appraisal to address the deficiencies in accommodation at Saintfield High School.

It is unlikely that a suitable alternative site within the catchment area of the school will become available. Additionally, due to the constraints of the existing site any future development will have to be restricted to cater for a maximum enrolment of 340 pupils.

There are no plans to increase secondary provision in Saintfield or the surrounding area.

(AQW 4123/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Edexcel have taken a commercial decision to cease to offer GCSE examinations here, but will continue to offer all of their other GCE and post-16 qualifications. CCEA and Edexcel have agreed that any Edexcel specifications not already available from CCEA will now be offered through CCEA. I am satisfied that these new arrangements should not disadvantage candidates here in terms of the range of specifications available.

(AQW 4133/01)

Mr M McGuinness: My Department does not have offices in the Greater Belfast area, as defined by reference to the 4 Belfast constituencies.

(AQW 4151/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The School Building Handbook provides advice and guidance on the planning and design of new school buildings including the standards which should be met. Omagh High School - built in 1961 - has some accommodation deficiencies which are being addressed by the Western Education and Library Board within the resources available to it. The Board upgraded the accommodation for Art and Home Economics last year and this summer it plans to carry out other minor capital works including the upgrading of the toilets.

(AQW 4152/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The School Building Handbook provides advice and guidance on the planning and design of new school buildings including the standards which should be met. Strabane High School - built in 1963 - has some accommodation deficiencies which are being addressed by the Western Education and Library Board within the resources available to it. I understand that the Board has carried out various alterations to the school - including the refurbishment of the science accommodation and the upgrade of the IT facilities - and that work on a new technology block is due to start later this year.

(AQW 4153/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The School Building Handbook provides advice and guidance on the planning and design of new school buildings including the standards which should be met. A large proportion of the accommodation at Strabane Grammar School falls below those standards and the Western Education and Library Board is currently undertaking an economic appraisal to see how the accommodation needs of the school might best be addressed.

(AQW 4158/01)

Mr M McGuinness: This information is not currently available. It is anticipated that such information will be available from the Family Resources Survey, which was extended to Northern Ireland in April of this year. Initial results from the Survey will be available in November 2003, with more detailed analyses to follow.

(AQW 4208/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Schools are able to educate young people about the issue of homelessness within the current curriculum, for example as part of personal and social education. The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment is proposing the introduction of a new programme for Citizenship at Key Stages 3 and 4 as part of the current curriculum review and it is intended that this will provide further scope for teaching young people about homelessness. In addition, my Department has provided support to the Simon Community to help with their work with young homeless people. In particular, the Department has part-funded Simon’s Peer Education Programme, which involves young people who currently are, or have been, homeless visiting schools and youth clubs to raise awareness about the practical implications for young people of leaving home.

(AQW 4231/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The four threshold standards, agreed by Teachers’ Side and Management Side of the Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee (Schools) as part of the 2000 salary award, are about the professional effectiveness of teachers in meeting the needs of their pupils. The teachers applying for threshold assessment present evidence that they have been working broadly at these high standards over the previous two to three years, and external assessors ensure that the standards have been applied consistently and fairly.

(AQW 4232/01)

Mr M McGuinness: About 25% of full-time equivalent teachers did not move to the upper salary scale for post-threshold teachers, as they, apart from the unsuccessful cohort 1 appeals, did not satisfy the eligibility criterion under the negotiated agreement in order to apply for threshold assessment.

(AQW 4233/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I refer the Member to my answer to AQW 4232/01. As it takes account of the teachers who did not meet the required standards, the same percentage of 25% of full-time equivalent teachers were not eligible to move to the upper salary scale for post-threshold teachers.

(AQW 4234/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The first year administrative cost was £952,000, which covered the costs of training and accrediting the external assessors and their fees, training all principals in the scheme and substitute cover for teaching principals, developing training materials and manuals, advertising, and the regional centre’s costs. This will fall significantly in subsequent rounds as some of the start up costs apply only in the first year, and there is a marked reduction in the number of teachers eligible to apply in the following years’ rounds.

(AQW 4235/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Only teachers on point 9 of the teachers’ main salary scale at 1 September 1999, for experience and qualifications, were eligible to apply in cohort 1. The additional cost of paying all teachers, compared to the present system, would be more than £11m per year, including employers’ National Insurance and superannuation overheads.

(AQW 4244/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Under the Northern Ireland Drug Strategy, approximately £800,000 for two years was allocated to 6 projects in the education sector in March 2000 to enable provision in schools and the Youth Service to be strengthened. My Department has secured further funding to enable these programmes to continue for a further two years to March 2004. In 2002, under the Northern Ireland Drug and Alcohol Strategy, some £600,000 has been allocated to support activities proposed by the Education and Prevention Working Group, including the development and funding of training courses for drugs and alcohol educators and a revision of the ‘Misuse of Drugs’ pack issued to schools in 1996. A further £350,000 has been made available to fund public information campaigns.

(AQW 4257/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The closing date for responses to the consultation was 28 June 2002. There have been some delays in distributing forms to a few areas including Saintfield. In the light of this, if forms are received in my Department shortly after the closing date, they will be fully considered. Everyone’s views will be taken into account.

(AQW 4289/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The ratio of teachers to children at Ardmore House Special School, Downpatrick, is currently 12 teachers (including the Principal and Vice-Principal) to 31 pupils. All teachers, including the Principal and Vice Principal, also undertake outreach duties, equivalent to 1-1.5 days per week.

(AQW 4292/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The threshold arrangements agreed last year by Teachers’ Side and Management Side of the Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee (Schools) also apply to the second round, with the eligibility date rolled forward by one year. The process, which is well underway, is set out in detail in a handbook available to all eligible teachers. Within the Department arrangements are in place to ensure that teachers receive their payments through the payroll as quickly as possible once the Department has received the necessary documentation.

(AQW 4293/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The threshold scheme, which was agreed by Teachers’ Side and Management Side of the Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee (Schools), rewards teachers for their professionalism in the classroom. They are advised to keep their applications factual and concise in order to limit additional administrative burden.

(AQW 4295/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The agreement reached last year between Teachers’ Side and Management Side of the Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee (Schools) provided for subsequent rounds of threshold applications.

(AQW 4302/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Education legislation encourages schools to consider making their premises available to the community when not in use by the schools themselves. I would hope therefore that schools will, as far as they are able, be responsive to the needs of local communities for facilities. I consider, however, that this is a matter for each school to determine in the light of their individual circumstances.

I am, however, pleased to say that the new opportunities for PE and Sport Programme will greatly enhance opportunities for the community use of school sports facilities. The programme is making available a total of £33.75 million to: build new and refurbish existing sports facilities for school and community use; support the development and promotion of these facilities for community use; and build or refurbish outdoor adventure facilities.

The funding will be split between five area partnerships, led by the Education and Library Boards, who will facilitate schools in developing projects in association with the local community and sports clubs.

(AQW 4316/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I refer the Member to my answer to AQW 4068/01.

(AQW 4318/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The Southern Education and Library Board provides home to school transport in its area to those pupils who are eligible for that assistance. In some instances, buses carrying eligible children to school have empty seats. It has been the practice of the board to permit pupils, who are otherwise ineligible for transport assistance, to avail of these seats until such times as they are required by eligible pupils, or until the board revises its routes, or services on a route, because declining numbers of eligible pupils make such routes uneconomical to run. Only 6 eligible children remained on two routes servicing Derrychrin Primary School, while only 5 remained on the St Peter’s Primary School route. The board took its decision to remove services from these routes because they were no longer economical to run. The remaining eligible pupils will be accommodated by other means.

Boards have the authority to make such operational decisions in order to ensure that funds are not diverted from key priorities, such as the classroom resource, to provide services for those who are otherwise ineligible.

(AQW 4140/01)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Ms Hanna): I specifically asked Prof Fulton, who chaired the Review of Careers Education and Guidance, to consider what structures might be most appropriate for the delivery of careers guidance in Northern Ireland, bearing in mind developments on this issue in Great Britain. I am prepared to look positively at proposals which strengthen the careers guidance service locally.

(AQW 4146/01)

Ms Hanna: Information is not held in precisely the form requested. The numbers of civil servants in the Department of Employment and Learning who are known to live in (a) the constituency of West Tyrone and (b) the constituencies of Foyle and East Londonderry who work in one of the 4 Belfast constituencies as at January 2002 are 18 and 31 respectively.

(AQW 4213/01)

Ms Hanna: Universities in the UK are autonomous institutions responsible for their own policies, practices and admission procedures and I have no locus in these matters, nor does my Department hold the statistical breakdown of applications which you have requested.

(AQO 1690/01)

Ms Hanna: I am entirely satisfied that the requirements of Section 75 of the Act are being fulfilled. Young people from the North West are treated no less favourably than those from other parts of Northern Ireland when making an application to join the Electrical Installation Modern Apprenticeship programme. All those who satisfy the eligibility criteria laid down by the Department and the industry are offered a place on the programme.

(AQO 1681/01)

Ms Hanna: The information that is available comes from the Regulatory Impact Assessments that my Department has carried out on each piece of proposed employment legislation since devolution. These assessments are forecasts, made prior to implementation, of the risks, costs and benefits likely to arise as a result of the legislation. For the five pieces of employment legislation that have come into operation since devolution an estimated total cost to all employers ranging from £889,250 to £4,150,000 for the first year of their operation was forecast. It is not possible to separate out the estimated impact on small business.

It is worth mentioning that these impact assessments are published along with the relevant consultation documents.

(AQO 1668/01)

Ms Hanna: The closing date for written responses to the Essential Skills for Living Strategy was 21 June 2002. During the consultation period all of the strands detailed in the Strategy have been closely examined by the key stakeholders working in this area. It is not possible to indicate the specific issues that have been raised until all the responses have been analysed.

(AQO 1676/01)

Ms Hanna: The existing systems for monitoring starts against achievement rates will continue to be applied to all Jobskills training organisations during the temporary extension period.

(AQO 1670/01)

Ms Hanna: Research and development by the universities make a significant contribution to the economy of Northern Ireland. My Department has a number of initiatives designed to enhance the responsiveness of higher education to the needs of business, including the Higher Education Reach Out to Business and the Community fund and the Universities centres of excellence established with funding under the Support Programme for University Research.

(AQO 1680/01)

Ms Hanna: In 2000 the Government identified widening participation as its main priority in higher education and set as a target for the Higher Education Funding Council for England that 50% of those between the ages of 18 and 30 should have the opportunity to benefit from higher education by the end of the decade. Higher Education is a transferred matter and my Department has decided not to adopt the participation target for 18-30 year olds. My key strategic goal is to widen access to, and increase participation in, higher education by students from groups who are under represented in HE and I am addressing this issue through a number of broad policy directions and a range of specific target actions.

(AQO 1671/01)

Ms Hanna: The task force on Employability and Long-Term Unemployment is considering these issues on a Northern Ireland-wide basis. There is considerable commonality on both the analysis of the problems and of possible areas for action between the 3 Taskforces. A number of the targeted initiatives coming out of the Employability Taskforce report will be relevant to the issues raised in the West Belfast and Greater Shankill Taskforces.

(AQO 1669/01)

Ms Hanna: The impact of the GB Student Support review on Northern Ireland will depend on its outcomes, which are due to be announced in July. I will give serious consideration to any new initiatives that may be proposed and will consider the implications for Northern Ireland.

(AQW 4100/01)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): My Department, through its agency Invest NI, is committed to attracting inward investment to Northern Ireland.

Invest NI can offer potential investors a range of incentives to locate in Northern Ireland. Investors have largely chosen locations in or close to the Belfast and Londonderry conurbations. Invest NI recognizes that the skills and opportunities available in local areas to potential investors will be critical to attracting investment to these areas.

Invest NI’s Corporate Plan 2002-2005 includes an objective "to attract high-quality, knowledge based investment from outside Northern Ireland". To help achieve this aim, Invest NI plans to strengthen the services that are delivered through it’s local office network, including energising the effort to attract inward investment to specific localities of Northern Ireland. Much work has already been done to develop a local sales message. Workshops have taken place recently at five locations throughout Northern Ireland where local stakeholders were brought together to establish how this local sales message can be taken even further.

Invest NI will continue to market all of Northern Ireland as an investment location. Indeed Invest NI’s Corporate Plan, includes a specific target of attracting 75% of all first-time inward investment projects to New TSN areas. We will encourage potential investors to visit all areas of Northern Ireland including Armagh City and District Council, which will benefit the Keady and Markethill areas.

(AQW 4166/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The role of the Industrial Development Board was to encourage the development of competitive companies, leading to increased employment. The table below provides information on jobs created in IDB client companies in South Down during each of the last 4 years.

(AQW 4167/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Estimates of the number of employee jobs at electoral ward level are only available from the Census of Employment and the most up to date figures relate to September 1999.

Employee jobs estimates by electoral ward for the South Down Parliamentary Constituency Area can be found in Table 1 overleaf.

Source: NI Census of Employment, September 1999

(AQW 4168/01)

Sir Reg Empey: On 22 May 2002 the Permanent Secretary issued an instruction to staff in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and NDPBs outlining guidance, in terms of control systems, for the use of credit cards. The guidance was also copied to the Chairs of the Audit Committees in the Department’s sponsored bodies. The Internal Audit Service within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has been instructed to ensure that control systems, over the use of credit cards, are reviewed as a priority item. This circular supports guidance previously issued on 16 November 2001 to Accounting Officers by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

In addition, the departmental Fraud Policy governs all types of fraud, including credit card fraud.

(AQW 4169/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I can confirm that no disciplinary action was taken against the Chief Executive of IDB in relation to the information which was given to the Westminster Public Accounts Committee in 1999 on the Hualon Project.

(AQW 4170/01)

Sir Reg Empey: My Department and Invest Northern Ireland are not aware of any political representations having been made on behalf of grant aid applications by Lintrend Textiles.

(AQW 4173/01)

Sir Reg Empey: During the period 1997-2001 public funding has been provided as follows:

The funding involved 4 projects, 2 involving photovoltaic panels at the Southern Education and Library Board’s Headquarters (Armagh) and at the ECOS Millennium Centre (Ballymena). The other 2 projects involved solar panels for heating water, 1 at Fermanagh District Council’s Offices (Townhall, Enniskillen) and 1 at the ECOS Centre (Ballymena)

(AQW 4174/01)

Sir Reg Empey: No public funding has been paid to land based wind turbine farms in any of the last 5 years. Such developments are entirely a matter for the private sector. However funding has been provided over the last 5 years for 13 small scale wind turbines projects designed to displace electricity from the grid for onsite use.

(AQW 4177/01)

1. Invest NI has recently completed a review of the operations of its Local Office Network to ensure that it is best positioned to meet the needs of its client companies. The review also took into account the expanded role of local offices resulting from their integration into Invest NI with a greater range of involvement in economic development issues. The local offices are now involved in supporting the Inward Investment work of Invest NI’s Business International Division and in Property Services issues. Working in partnership with local Councils and other agencies in local economic development will be a high priority for the Local Office Network.

2. The review took into account the expanded role of the network and also its geographical coverage of Northern Ireland. A recruitment process is underway and additional staff should be in place by late summer. The geographical coverage of the network is being expanded with the proposed opening of extension offices in Craigavon, Enniskillen and Coleraine as an outreach of existing Local Office Network.

3. The Local Office network is therefore in the process of being fully complemented to meet and fulfil its role within Invest NI. The agency will keep both the complement level and the geographic distribution of offices under review.

(AQW 4381/01)

Sir Reg Empey: A range of measures are in place to encourage anyone with a business idea to consider setting up his own business. These include the current TV media campaign, a series of Personal Enterprise Roadshows and the support available under the Invest NI Business Start Programme and Invest NI Growth Start Programme.

All of the above are available to people over 60.

(AQW 4382/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I am very aware of the significance of this issue. In this context my Department is fully committed to supporting the work of the NI Ageing Population Panel who have identified the opportunity for new market opportunities arising from the increase in the number of people living beyond 60 as a key economic issue for the future. With my Department’s support the Panel has organised a number of seminars related to this and other age-related issues, and more are planned for the future.

(AQW 4089/01)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Nesbitt): The Department is currently considering 5 planning applications for development at Millmount, Dundonald.

The principle of development on these lands was established in the Belfast Urban Area Plan 2001 which identified lands suitable for development at the edge of the Belfast Urban Area (BUA) to meet an anticipated requirement for expansion of the urban area beyond 1993. These lands are referred to as ‘Whitelands’.

In addition the RDS indicates that housing in the Belfast Metropolitan Area should include the ‘whitelands’ as one element in meeting anticipated growth requirements.

Seventeen planning applications for housing development on the Belfast Urban Area "whitelands" including 3 of the Millmount applications were submitted during the latter half of 1996. These applications were submitted to meet housing needs up to the time of adoption of a new Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan.

These applications were subject to a public inquiry during 1997. In a press statement issued on 7 September 1998, the then Minister, Lord Dubs, announced that he was minded to grant planning permission to fourteen applications for a total of 3,700 houses in line with the recommendations of the PAC following the public inquiry.

This included approval of 1,080 houses in the Millmount area. The Department subsequently wrote to the applicants on 7 September 1998 stating that it was minded to approve, in line with the recommendations of the Planning Appeals Commission. Approval of the applications is subject to Article 40 Agreements involving my Department and each of the landowners. Article 40 Agreements are currently being finalised with solicitors acting for each of the parties.

The fourth application was submitted in 1999 relating to land adjacent to Ballyoran House, which was previously included in one of the original applications submitted in 1996.

The fifth application, for a small area of land which was subject to the public inquiry but which constitutes the remainder of the "whiteland" in the Millmount area, has been submitted and the Department has considered this additional land as part of the overall development.

The Millmount "whitelands" have already been considered suitable for housing following the public inquiry held in 1997 and the Planning Service has been working with the land owners and developers to ensure the delivery of good quality sustainable development.

(AQW 4114/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The number of applications which have been approved for planning permission in the South Belfast constituency area in the last two years is set out below.

Information on the number of these applications relating to building work which had already begun is not available from the Department’s computer records and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

(AQW 4194/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2) 

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4195/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2) 

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4196/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2) 

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4197/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2)

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey.