Does the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister accept that the Good Friday Agreement does not create a cold house for anyone, but rather an equal house for everyone? Do they accept that there is, as Richard Haass has pointed out, a duty on all political leaders to articulate a new inclusive vision for our society? Do the Ministers also accept Mr Haass's view that there has been a failure by political leaders to articulate such a vision?

There is a lot of merit in what the Member says, and I warmly commend the speech by Ambassador Richard Haass that she refers to. The central section of that speech addressed some of the issues that the previous Member addressed and, indeed, put its finger on the problem of the quality of leadership that is being offered in some quarters. In particular, I endorse one sentence from Richard Haass's speech:

Implicit in what he says, and explicit at times, is that they have to have a breadth that covers the community as a whole, and not just concern themselves purely with the interests of one section alone. Modesty might prevent me from referring to the fact that I addressed many of these issues myself in a speech to the British-Irish Association nearly two years ago.

Will the First Minister accept a personal invitation to tour my constituency of Mid Ulster and see for himself the evidence of Republican chill-factor tactics - hordes of tricolours, IRA flags and other offensive Republican slogans, with the aggravating aim of insulting Unionists and the callous intent of putting, and keeping, decent Unionist people in a cold house?

The Member makes reference to the prevalence of paramilitary flags and slogans in a number of areas. That is a problem in other constituencies, as well as Mid Ulster. The display of paramilitary flags and slogans creates more than a chill factor; it contains an implicit threat, and that is to be deprecated wherever it occurs. Those who represent or are linked with some of the paramilitaries responsible for this behaviour have a duty to try to ensure that nothing is done by those organisations that in any way inhibits the human rights of the people of Northern Ireland.

3.

asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to make a statement on the Obstacles to Mobility Study commissioned by the North/South Ministerial Council.

(AQO 623/01)

As the joint communiqué from the third plenary meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in September confirmed, and as I said last week, it is intended to publish the consultants' report on obstacles to cross-border mobility on the island of Ireland by the end of this month. The study comprises a wide range of research methods, including surveys of members of the public, a programme of case studies and interviews with representative bodies. Towards the end of the assignment, two public consultation conferences were held in Omagh and Carrickmacross. At these conferences the views of interested parties, including consumers, were identified and explored. The report makes a number of recommendations for information improvements, social security and pensions, education, training and employment, telecommunications, banking and insurance.

In view of the scope of the study the devolved Administration and the Irish Government have agreed that, upon publication and prior to offering views, a consultation exercise will be undertaken. That process will enable interested organisations, including Government Departments and individuals, to give their views on the recommendations and their implementation. We have no doubt that the appropriate Departments and bodies which have an interest in the range of issues covered by the report will want to study it in detail before presenting their views during the consultation process.

I welcome the Deputy Minister's clear assurances. How will the study be carried forward, and how can the ordinary person in the street participate in the consultative stage?

The steering group responsible for taking forward the decisions agreed at the North/South Ministerial Council plenary meeting on 30 November 2001 met last week to discuss the next steps. I can confirm that, as part of the publication process, the report will first be made available to Assembly Members and then mailed to key organisations, including Government Departments and agencies. Advertisements will be placed in key newspapers announcing publication and inviting interested individuals and organisations to respond. A press release will accompany the publication. This range of measures will allow citizens to respond to the report by the closing date of early March 2002.

Can the Deputy First Minister give assurances that any actions resulting from the Obstacles to Mobility Study will concentrate on addressing genuine obstacles and not those designed to give frontier workers an advantage over non-frontier workers?

The report is now going out for consultation, and the North/South Ministerial Council, in considering and agreeing the report's publication back in September 2001, did not take an opinion on any of the proposals. It would be wrong to do that prior to implementation. However, the Council did agree that the working intent and thrust of the report is to ensure that any disadvantages created by existing obstacles are removed and that new obstacles are not created. Neither does it want there to be any unequal treatment. The Council also wishes to make sure that any improvement in the North/South situation is part of enhanced mobility on an east-west basis as well.

Before moving to the next question, I must advise the House that question 7 in the name of Mr Cobain has been withdrawn.

4.

asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister what plans it has to meet the Prime Minister and/or the Taoiseach.

(AQO 643/01)

The Deputy First Minister and I met the Prime Minister on 13 December 2001, and we also met the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. The next scheduled joint meeting with the Prime Minister and/or the Taoiseach this year is within our commitment to that Council. There are currently no other joint meetings with the Prime Minister or the Taoiseach in our diaries. However, as in December, issues may arise where it is in the interest of Northern Ireland that a joint meeting be held, and that can be done at short notice.

Does the First Minister accept the need for a charter of rights, as envisaged by the Good Friday Agreement, to be signed by all political parties on the island, reflecting agreed measures for the protection of fundamental rights for everyone living in Ireland?

Of course, I will not obstruct the First Minister if he wishes to respond, but the Member's supplementary question is thoroughly tangential to the question, particularly in view of the fact that it refers to North/ South arrangements more than to meetings with the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach.

I thank you, Mr Speaker, for offering that degree of protection although I appreciate that that question could have arisen in a discussion with the Taoiseach at a previous meeting and that it might arise in a future one.

By coincidence, I have the relevant paragraph of the Belfast Agreement to hand.

That is remarkably prescient of you, First Minister.

The relevant paragraph of the agreement envisages a joint committee of representatives of the two Human Rights Commissions, North and South, as a forum for the consideration of human rights issues. It suggests that the joint committee would consider the possibility of a charter, which would be open to signature by all democratic political parties.

As Members know, I have reservations about many of the individuals who make up the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, although I concede that there has been some improvement in that respect recently.

The Human Rights Commission in the Republic of Ireland has not progressed as far as ours has done. The Irish Government have put their commission on a statutory footing only in recent months, so it is still early days in that regard. It is a matter for the committee to consider whether the charter that is envisaged in that part of the agreement should come into existence.

Having said that, I understand the point behind the Member's question. If there were such a charter, it would be nice to see which parties were prepared to sign it and stand over its provisions. That might be a revealing exercise.

On the subject of ministerial summits, the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister have had some opportunities to meet with their counterparts in the Welsh and Scottish Administrations through the British-Irish Council. Does the First Minister agree that it would be beneficial for himself and the Deputy First Minister to make early arrangements to visit Edinburgh and Cardiff for in-depth discussions, which could include the working of the British-Irish Council?

I agree with the Member's point. At the recent British-Irish Council plenary meeting in Dublin, we met with the Scottish and Welsh First Ministers. I mentioned to them the possibility of a formal visit to the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament by the Deputy First Minister and me. That would be a valuable exercise, not only in the context of the British-Irish Council, but to enable us to share our experiences of how the Administrations work. There are coalitions in Cardiff and Edinburgh, and we are all learning how to frame the Administrations and our procedures. It would be valuable to exchange experiences and consult on other matters. Officials are considering the matter and are in contact with the other Administrations. We hope that such visits can take place soon.

I assure the House that neither the First Minister nor the Deputy First Minister wrote my supplementary question.

When he meets with the Prime Minister, will the First Minister tell him about the magnificent negotiating skills of the leader of the Alliance Party, who turned political somersaults to save the First Minister's skin and then found that the promises that had been made to him were not kept during the review process? Is the First Minister embarrassed that the oft-used tactic of making promises to secure votes and breaking them later has been used not only on the Alliance Party's electorate, but on the Ulster Unionists' also?

I am glad that the Member made it clear that I had no hand in framing his question, because I would be deeply embarrassed to have had produced such rubbish - if he doesn't mind me saying so.

The allegations made about the Alliance Party are off the mark. A review, which will explore the relevant issues, continues. Personally, I have great sympathy with the Alliance Party's concerns about the way in which the procedures operate. However, those are substantial matters, which must be considered carefully, and that is being done. I am sure that the Alliance Party understands and agrees with the way in which we are proceeding.

Perhaps, in a supplementary question, the leader would like to explain that.

5.

asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister what plans it has to promote social inclusion in the year 2002.

(AQO 637/01)

In line with the commitment the Executive made in the Programme for Government, we have consulted widely on future cross-departmental issues to be tackled under the promoting social inclusion element of New TSN. As a result of that consultation, the new Programme for Government announces two new priority areas - disability and older people. Work will start on those new priorities this year. Other issues arising from that consultation are still under consideration, and the Executive expect to make an announcement on those soon. Work will also continue on existing social inclusion priorities on travellers, ethnic minorities, better services and teenage pregnancy.

Can the Deputy First Minister provide further information on how the promotion of social inclusion will work and how it will be taken forward? Can he assure the House that there will be a focus on the implementation of the Executive's response to the disability rights task force?

During the year the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister will establish an interdepartmental working group that will take forward work on promoting the social inclusion priority of disability. That will include input from the voluntary sector as is deemed necessary. The working group will focus on a strategy to implement the Executive's response to the task force's recommendations and any wider issues that are raised in the consultation. The working group will also monitor progress on the Executive's response to the task force's recommendations.

Will the Deputy First Minister assure the House that pockets of extreme deprivation found in otherwise affluent areas, which were previously overlooked and disadvantaged due to the inadequacies of the Robson indicators, will now be identified positively and treated as priority areas? I am thinking of east Belfast in particular.

The Member refers to some of the shortcomings in relation to the use and application of the Robson indicators. One exercise that has been undertaken on behalf of the Executive, in which I was involved as Minister of Finance and Personnel, was to bring forward new indicators. We now have the Noble indicators. It is hoped that they will, in a more articulate way, express and target deprivation in particular localities, not just at ward level but at sub-ward level too. Through the Executive's New TSN policy, we are committed to dealing with different needs in different areas. It falls to the Departments to decide how they target their programmes and which Noble indicators apply best to different programmes and localities.

6.

asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister if the proposed review of public administration will entail a full analysis of the number of quangos and public appointments that currently exist in Northern Ireland.

(AQO 624/01)

The review of public administration, which is to be launched in the spring, will entail a full analysis of all aspects of public administration in Northern Ireland to ensure proper accountability for all services and an effective and efficient administration structure. The Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister is also considering a separate review of the public appointments system, which will consider the most appropriate arrangements for making appointments to public bodies. The separate review may need to take into account issues raised by the review of public administration.

The First Minister will be aware of the unrepresentative nature of quangos in the past. He mentioned in his initial response that he would be paying due regard to making the bodies fair and accountable. How will he ensure that they are seen to be so?

The review of public appointments will determine whether the current arrangements are suitable for use by the devolved Administration. The review will address several issues, including ways of ensuring that applications to public bodies are as representative as possible.

Several other issues must be considered, including that of the central appointments unit, which, with responsibility for public appointments, encourages best practice across Departments.

If we ensure that a wide range of persons applies for public appointments, such appointments are guaranteed to be as well balanced as the Member wants. In that respect, we wish to encourage people to apply. Procedures are in place that must be followed, and appointments are now very rarely made purely on ministerial discretion. However, that is the first issue that must be addressed.

Does the First Minister agree that it is of immense concern that 19 different health trusts and four different health bodies are flourishing? They contribute to extraordinary bureaucratic wastage in the poorly performing Health Service. Will the eagerly awaited review of public administration deal with that outrageous situation properly? Will the review of quangos be addressed separately in order to expedite the necessary changes?

The reason it is called a review of public administration is precisely because the review will not only be of local government but will take into account all arrangements for the local delivery of services. That means looking at the structure of health trusts and, indeed, boards in Northern Ireland generally.

They have already been considered to a degree. The recent Burns and Hayes reviews highlighted organisational issues that are relevant to the review of public administration. Although those reviews are under consultation and the Executive have not yet taken a view, it will be necessary to ensure that the specific organisational recommendations in them are addressed and taken into account by the team responsible for the review of public administration. That again underlines the need for that review to move with all due deliberation so that we can properly integrate our consideration of those matters.

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8.

asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to make a statement on the follow up to its welcome initiative on Holy Cross/Glenbryn.

(AQO 645/01)

Our senior liaison officer in Ardoyne continues to facilitate and support efforts to establish a joint community forum. We have announced our willingness to support requests for assistance with facilitation or mediation. We are determined to implement, as quickly as possible, the measures that we announced on 23 November. Work on road ramps on the Ardoyne Road continues, and the necessary statutory procedures to introduce a traffic-calming scheme are under way.

We have commissioned the preparation of a detailed design for the regeneration and improvement of the Alliance Avenue intersection and related community safety measures that fall to this Administration. Those include a possible road realignment at the intersection. That work will be progressed urgently in consultation with local communities and other interested parties.

An engineering design of the proposed realignment of the Ardoyne Road has been received from the Department for Regional Development's Roads Service. Design options for the environmental treatment of the interface should be complete in the next few days. Those designs will enable detailed local consultation with both sides of the community to take place urgently.

In December, we visited north Belfast with the Minister for Social Development to unveil the North Belfast Community Action Project, which aims to put in place a series of short-, medium- and long-term actions to address social and community issues in north Belfast. In particular, it will focus on building community capacity in those areas where it is weak and on maintaining community activity where it is working well.

An outreach advisory service is being provided to help to ensure that all areas can take full advantage of existing programmes, including Peace II. The project's aim is to help the people of north Belfast to address their needs by engaging more effectively with the devolved Administration and the statutory agencies. It is also about enabling them to work with other communities in a positive and co-ordinated manner.

Although we hope that the project will facilitate early action, we recognise that there is no quick fix for the problems in north Belfast. We are fully committed to the medium- and long-term work that will be necessary to address divisions there. I am sure that the Member knows that we are also committed to a range of educational and health issues.

I thank the First Minister for that detailed answer. I congratulate the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister for their continued interest in and perseverance with what is a very difficult problem in north Belfast. Are there are any practical plans to help people living at the interface with protection for windows?

I am familiar with the problem at the interface on Alliance Avenue in the area represented by the Member. Properties have been subject to attack from a variety of missiles, and there are problems in protecting windows. A scheme already exists to protect the homes of Housing Executive and housing association tenants. Measures have been taken to deal with several Housing Executive homes. However, five properties are privately owned, and there have been difficulties in finding a scheme to address that problem. Officials in the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister have been working closely with colleagues in the Department for Social Development and the Department of Finance and Personnel to develop a scheme to address those cases.

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Culture, arts and leisure

I wish to inform the House that question 3 in the name of Mr Eddie McGrady MP has been withdrawn and will receive a written answer.

1.

asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if he has consulted with the Minister of Finance and Personnel about rate relief for outdoor sporting pitches and changing accommodation.

(AQO 614/01)

I have not consulted with the Minister of Finance and Personnel regarding rate relief for outdoor sporting pitches and changing accommodation, because I understand that under current rating legislation substantial rate relief is already available for sport and recreation. While additional relief might seem highly desirable, I recognise that any increase in the current level of relief would inevitably have implications for those who pay full rates. The sports sector therefore needs to look beyond rate relief for other ways to ease the financial burden, such as those that Her Majesty's Treasury's recently published consultation document, 'Promoting Sport in the Community,' asks community amateur sports clubs to consider.

Does the Minister agree, however, that given the lack of financial resources at club level and the current poor revenue cash flow such rate relief would be a welcome reduction in the establishment overhead and a significant boost to clubs that are fighting for survival in the continual battle to improve facilities and participation at player and spectator levels?

I recognise that sport is underfunded, and that point has been made on several occasions in the House. I would prefer to see the Assembly vote grant-in-aid funds to my Department to allow me to increase further the potential of the Sports Council to assist directly in the promotion of sport.

It is also important to examine the current situation with regard to rates. District council swimming pools and leisure centres, playing pitches and changing rooms are exempt from rates. Amateur sports clubs - that is, those which are non-profit-making and do not employ professional staff or players - have a 65% reduction available to them. Last autumn the Chancellor brought forward an Inland Revenue tax incentive scheme to help community amateur sports clubs. Around the same time the Charities Commission made a statement that charitable status could be a possible way forward. I refer to 'Promoting Sport in the Community' as mentioned in my previous answer. The Chancellor now asks sports clubs to determine which way they want to go, whether by the Charities Commission's statement on possible charitable status or by his Inland Revenue tax incentive scheme. Responses are due by 1 February 2002, and I encourage all clubs to respond. That will determine a way forward with regard to rates.

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2.

asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline (a) the expertise of staff in the Linguistic Diversity Department in Ulster Scots; and (b) the number of meetings branch officers have had since 1 January 2001 with (i) Irish language groups and (ii) Ulster- Scots language groups.

(AQO 606/01)

The officials in the Linguistic Diversity Branch of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure belong to the Northern Ireland Civil Service's general administrative grades and were recruited in accordance with Northern Ireland Civil Service competencies and procedures. Expert advice is sourced as appropriate. They take appropriate opportunities to develop contact with people who have an interest in the Irish language and in Ulster-Scots language and culture.

In 2001, officials attended 18 meetings or events with an Irish language or Ulster-Scots language and cultural dimension. Since January 2001, officials with responsibility for linguistic diversity have held four meetings with groups with an Irish language dimension and five meetings with groups with an Ulster-Scots language or cultural dimension. They also have regular meetings with Tha Boord o Ulster-Scotch and Foras na Gaeilge.

I thank the Minister for his response. Can he assure the House that the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure will maintain parity of esteem between the Irish language and Ulster-Scots?

I readily give that assurance to Dr Adamson. I refer to the statement that I made last week about Foras na Gaeilge and Tha Boord o Ulster-Scotch. I said that both Tha Boord o Ulster-Scotch and Foras na Gaeilge are functioning well, and we want that to continue. Equity and fair treatment are the benchmark for how the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure treats the Irish language and Ulster-Scots.

4.

asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail (a) the number of arts festivals that currently operate in Northern Ireland; and (b) the measures taken to make them inclusive for all communities.

(AQO 617/01)

Numerous arts festivals in Northern Ireland are sponsored by a variety of bodies, including district councils and community and arts organisations. Although I am unable to give an exhaustive list of all arts festivals, I can say that under the cultural diversity grant application scheme run by the Department, several festivals, with a strong arts component, have received financial support. The Northern Ireland Events Company funded four arts festivals, and during the millennium celebrations, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure funded 84 festivals and projects.

All applications for cultural diversity funding must adhere to the criteria outlined by the cultural diversity assessment panel. The projects must have strong cultural diversity elements to encourage participation from all sections of the community. They are aimed at increasing people's understanding of, and education in, a variety of issues.

The Arts Council funded 42 festivals in the 2001-02 financial year. The Arts Council and its clients are committed to the promotion of equal opportunities and the targeting of social need in all their programmes, including arts festivals.

The standard conditions for grants state that the Arts Council must inspect the client's equal opportunities policies and stipulate that all events must be open and inclusive.

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. However, when allocating finances to local arts festivals, will he consider giving proportionate amounts to different communities, unless it can be shown that the festival is truly cross-community?

To give the Member a better understanding, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure does not directly fund any arts festivals. It allocates funding through an intermediate body - the Arts Council. As I said earlier, it supported 42 festivals in the previous financial year, at a total cost of £530,000. That amount was made up of £273,000 of grant and aid funds, for which the House voted, and £257,000 of lottery funding.

The Northern Ireland Events Company, which is the direct responsibility of the Department, has also supported approximately four festivals. Most festivals are not directly supported by those organisations; district councils play an important role. Ken Robinson said that such events should be inclusive of all communities. We all strongly support that notion. Where it exists, division reflects our society. Those fundamental ills cannot necessarily be cured by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Events Company, or any district council. Our aim is to address the issues and to tackle them through our policies on equality, promoting cultural diversity and targeting social need (TSN). In tackling those problems, the proper way forward is to eliminate the chill factors, or perceived chill factors.

5.

asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the likely cost implications and timescale for the national stadium.

(AQO 629/01)

The cost implications of providing a national stadium would be considerable. A pre-feasibility study carried out in 1999 indicated that some £60 million would be required for a 35,000-seater stadium. The cost of the site, site works, car parking and so on would be additional. The study also indicated that the annual running cost would be some £2 million. The advisory panel's report on creating a soccer strategy for Northern Ireland is out for consultation until 31 January 2002. The report recommended the establishment of a national stadium, which would provide a neutral and welcoming environment and meet international standards for football. That recommendation will be given further consideration in the light of the responses received during the consultation period. The needs of other key sports, and proposals for meeting those needs, will also have a bearing on the issue.

I thank the Minister for his response. Given the likely cost implications which the Minister referred to, and the impractical physical task of creating a stadium which is multi-purpose, does the Minister not agree that it would be more feasible to upgrade the existing stadium at Windsor than to construct a new one?

One option is to upgrade Windsor Park. However, that is merely an option. We do not have a strategy for soccer at the moment. We have a strategy for Gaelic football, which is being finalised. The strategy for rugby is also being finalised - that is no secret, because representatives of the sport made it clear that a 15,000-seater stadium is required. Gaelic football officials are examining their requirements. We must deal with the matter holistically, and we must consider the needs of more than one sport. In addition, the costs are steep. We have yet to make a final decision; we are still considering the possibilities.

The upgrading of Windsor Park would certainly be an option, if we decided to provide a soccer-only stadium. That would presuppose that Gaelic football officials were content to go ahead with the facility at Casement Park, or that rugby representatives were content to provide their own facility at Ravenhill Road. All of the options have cost implications. It is not enough to say that Windsor Park is cheaper - the cost implication of that option for other sports must also go into the mix. The size of the pitch, the number of spectators, the locations, the possibility of sharing and the costs must all be considered in the light of the various sports' strategies.

I welcome the fact that the Minister seems to be giving broad consideration to every option. In the light of that, has the Minister met, or does he intend to meet, Government representatives from the Republic of Ireland, given the fiasco surrounding proposals for their national stadium, which is popularly known as "Bertie's bowl"?

I have not met representatives from the Irish Republic. Their experience in respect of proposals for a stadium in Dublin is not relevant to us. We have our own problems to tackle; we can see a way forward, and we aim to follow that. We do not need to look South of the border for experience on the matter. Organisers of the various sports - soccer, rugby, Gaelic, athletics, and so on - have enough expertise to allow us to go forward in partnership.

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Does the Minister accept that the word "nation", when applied to the Six Counties, is offensive to Nationalists and that nationally-minded Irish citizens look to the Abbotstown project, if any, for the provision of a national stadium? Does he also acknowledge that pursuance of his pet project would be a waste of resources?

I am confused by Mr McElduff's remarks about my pet project and causing offence. This issue is about the possible provision of a major sports facility that, if it is built on a joint campus, will benefit all sports. If sports' societies want to go their separate ways, then we must see how we can support each of those sporting groups. Equity and fair treatment are the benchmark and hallmark of my Department. I am therefore confused by Mr McElduff's remarks - I have not heard such remarks from anyone else.

Can the Minister give his view on the real problem - which the previous contributor did not mention - namely that the current GAA rules prevent GAA players from sharing pitches with other codes?

I have had discussions with the GAA about sharing grounds. Rule 21, another GAA rule that appeared to be immutable, was abolished. I congratulate and thank the GAA for that. It is a major step towards creating an inclusive society in Northern Ireland, and it shows that there are those within the GAA who have a responsible and forward-looking attitude. That is the type of attitude that we will look for, and find, when examining rules and obstacles.

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6.

asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what specific measures he proposes to revitalise the tourist industry in West Tyrone.

(AQO 605/01)

The Member will appreciate that tourism is primarily the responsibility of my Colleague, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. However, my Department has an important role to play in ensuring that the product on offer assists in the drive for a vibrant tourist industry.

In West Tyrone, my Department is responsible for the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, which is an international tourism facility that attracts 112,000 visitors per annum. The Northern Ireland Events Company has informed me of the international carriage-driving trials that will take place in the Baronscourt Estate at Newtownstewart in July and of the country music festival that will be held at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh in 2003 or 2004. Both events have the potential to increase substantially the number of tourists to the West Tyrone area.

Furthermore, my Department is working with the local councils to ensure that there is a strong cultural dimension to their integrated local strategies in the context of the Peace II programme. Finally, my Department will also administer the distribution of approximately £5 million from the European Union's Programme for Peace and Reconciliation for a water-based tourism measure that will provide further opportunities in the area for angling development and water recreation.

I thank the Minister for recognising that the Ulster American Folk Park is the third largest attraction in Northern Ireland. Hotels and bed-and- breakfast accommodation have experienced a serious downturn in trade this year, and it is those private sector businesses which have suffered the most. Can the Minister and his Colleague, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, suggest how the hotels and bed-and-breakfast accommodation can overcome their current financial difficulties?

I think there was a question there, Minister.

I accept the sentiments behind Mr Gibson's remarks, particularly with regard to the hardship being experienced as a result of the past year's difficulties, not least those brought about by foot-and-mouth disease. My Department does not have direct responsibility for hotels - that is a matter for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. However, I will certainly take on board those remarks and pass them on.

Also, we regard our role in this as working in partnership. It is encouraging that we work with district councils through the cultural forum to provide local cultural strategies that assist in marketing the tourist potential through cultural tourism and that 16 of the 26 local councils have completed their local cultural strategies. Two of those are Omagh and Strabane, which are in the Member's area, and I know that one is of particular interest to him. The goal is an agreed strategy for the development of cultural tourism, which will contribute to a positive image of Northern Ireland at home and abroad. Partnership is the way to take this forward.

7.

asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail progress in Northern Ireland on the Host Town Programme for the 2003 Special Olympics to be held in Dublin.

(AQO 650/01)

The host town programme was launched in Northern Ireland on 30 April 2001. I am delighted at the level of interest shown by towns in Northern Ireland, which has been demonstrated by the fact that 23 submitted applications to become host towns. The outcome of the competition was announced on 19 November 2001, with 22 towns being successful and Larne is being placed on a waiting list. One of the most significant successes is that Belfast will be the host town for a 1,200- to 1,500-strong team from the United States.

The Minister bypassed the significance of the awarding of a host town programme to Strabane. He will be aware that the host town programme will involve substantial financial implications for the councils concerned, particularly those with a smaller rate base. Given the Minister's welcome for the success of this programme, would it not be appropriate for his Department to offer financial support to those councils involved?

Strabane will be linked with the Cayman Islands. Also, in the west of the Province, Omagh will be linked with Spain. These will be important connections. It is important to stress that this is not just an altruistic exercise for the host towns - there will be major benefits for each of them. The benefits for Belfast, which is the illustration I gave, of a United States team of some 1,200 to 1,500 participants demonstrate the sort of tourist business from which these towns will be able to benefit. This relates to an earlier question from Mr Gibson about the regeneration of tourism. This is another example of how it will be regenerated.

It is believed that the cost per delegate will be in the region of £210 over the course of the stay in the host town. This figure is based on bed-and-breakfast-style accommodation, meals and transport. This cost will be borne entirely by the host town. However, in addition there will be a spend to go with that. It is a matter for the host town to decide whether it will be the beneficiary. My Department does not have the budget to offer the type of grant aid the Member is suggesting, but I do not think it is necessary. The benefits to each town will be such that they will be able to recoup their investment and then some.

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