The Northern Ireland Assembly - Written Answers to Questions: Friday 16 June 2000

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to explain the criteria applied in reaching the decision to place the North/South tourism body in Coleraine and to confirm whether or not TSN criteria were applied in making this decision.

Reply: Decisions on the location of new cross-border implementation bodies and the Tourism Company were taken by Ministers, North and South, in the North/South Ministerial Council. Ministers considered a range of factors, including objective need and the importance of ensuring a geographical distribution of offices for all of the new bodies located in Northern Ireland, and this is reflected in the final outcome.

Mr Billy Bell asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to confirm when the next meeting of the British-Irish Council will take place and what contribution the Northern Ireland delegation will be making to that meeting.

Reply: No decisions have been taken yet about the next plenary British-Irish Council meeting.

Dr McDonnell asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to detail (a) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 1 April 1999 to 2 December 1999 and currently extant; (b) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 2 December 1999 to 11 February 2000 and currently extant; (c) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 11 February 2000 to 30 May 2000 and currently extant; and (d) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department which are still extant; and if they will make a statement.

Reply: (a) No contract awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd between 1 April 1999 and 2 December 1999 is currently extant.

Mr Bradley asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail (a) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 1 April 1999 to 2 December 1999 and currently extant; (b) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 2 December 1999 to 11 February 2000 and currently extant; (c) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 11 February 2000 to 30 May 2000 and currently extant; and (d) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department which are still extant; and if she will make a statement.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): My Department has not awarded any such contracts.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she has made an assessment of the contents of the Rural Community Network’s report ‘Reconciliation and Social Inclusion in Rural Areas’.

Ms Rodgers: This document is one of a number of policy discussion documents produced by the Rural Community Network looking at various issues that affect the rural community in Northern Ireland. They pull together academic research, past experience and current thinking, with the aim of stimulating wider debate on topical issues and problem areas. In doing so, the documents provide a valuable addition to the policy debate.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to confirm whether genetically modified seed from a contaminated batch of Hyola Spring oilseed rape supplied by Advanta Seeds has been planted in Northern Ireland and to make a statement on what areas have been affected and what compensation she plans to put in place for farmers in these areas.

Ms Rodgers: The recent publicity about the inadvertent mixing of GM seed with conventional seed relates to a spring-sown oilseed rape variety supplied by Advanta Seeds (UK). Checks have established that there is nothing to indicate that there is any of this oilseed rape variety in Northern Ireland. Only a very small area of oilseed rape is grown in Northern Ireland, and most of this is winter- sown. The only Northern Ireland supplier of spring-sown oilseed rape has confirmed that it has not purchased seed from Advanta (UK). While the question of compensation does not, therefore, arise in Northern Ireland, Advanta announced on 2 June that it will compensate those farmers who inadvertently sowed GM rapeseed.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to give financial assistance for the development of the farmers’ market at St George’s Market in Belfast and to make provision for similar farmers’ markets throughout Northern Ireland.

Ms Rodgers: The Department, through the Agri-Food Development Service, has provided and is continuing to provide both financial and staff resources to the Farming and Retailing Movement (NI). This is for the development of the farm retail sector in Northern Ireland and for the promotion of locally produced food.

I am pleased to see this assistance being used in the establishment of the Belfast Farmers’ Market and envisage that the Farming and Retailing Movement (NI) will receive continued support of this kind to develop similar markets in key towns in Northern Ireland.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she has seen the recently published advertisement by United Kingdom pig producers, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: I am aware of the recent advertisement promoting pigmeat by the Meat and Livestock Commission, which is a Great Britain body. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on an advertisement by a body for which I have no responsibility.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what is the current status of the Countryside Management Scheme.

Ms Rodgers: The Countryside Management Scheme (CMS) opened for applications between 24 May and 30 July 1999. A total of 1,010 applications were received, of which 280 were subsequently withdrawn or rejected as ineligible. The remaining 730 have undergone a preliminary audit and have been ranked against predetermined criteria to assess relevant environmental features.

A further main audit is currently being conducted on the 575 top-scoring applications, and financial resources available should allow all those who can demonstrate their ability to comply with the scheme and who wish to enter to do so. It is anticipated that agreements will be completed following scheme approval from Brussels later this summer. All applicants were written to in April 2000 and advised of the progress of their applications. A further CMS application period is planned for November 2000 to mid-February 2001.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development how much money will be available under the Countryside Management Scheme, when it will commence, and when the scheme will close.

Ms Rodgers: The Countryside Management Scheme (CMS) opened for an initial round of applications between 24 May and 30 July 1999. This scheme is a component of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan (2000-06), which is currently awaiting approval from the EU Commission. Once that approval is obtained — and it is expected in July/August 2000 — successful applicants may enter into agreements with the Department, and the first payments will be made 15 months after conclusion of an agreement.

Expenditure on the CMS in the 2001-02 financial year is expected to be in the region of £1·4 million, which should allow approximately 500 applicants to be invited to join the scheme from the initial application round.

It is planned to open further application periods between November 2000 and mid-February 2001 and on an annual basis thereafter. It is anticipated that a further 500 farms could enter the scheme in 2001-02, 750 in 2002-03 and 1000 in 2003-04. The value of the scheme would be reviewed at that stage.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will make representations to the Minister of Finance and Personnel to reduce the rate burden on farm-based retail outlets.

Ms Rodgers [holding answer 12 June 2000]: The net annual valuation (NAV) of premises is determined by the Valuation and Lands Agency (VLA) of the Department of Finance and Personnel and is judged on an individual basis, using a number of criteria. In general, the rates for on-farm retail outlets are lower than those for similar outlets in an urban location.

Whilst I and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are active in assisting farm businesses to seek alternative sources of income, I believe that this is a matter for the Department of Finance and Personnel. I will discuss the issue with Mr Mark Durkan, the Minister of Finance and Personnel.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to state what plans she has to implement a compensation scheme to alleviate the financial problems of local pig producers.

Ms Rodgers: One of the financial assistance measures announced at the Prime Minister’s agriculture summit meeting on 30 March was a three-year UK Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme. The scheme is designed to improve the long-term viability of the UK pig industry. Since then my Department has been co-operating with the other UK Agriculture Departments in planning the operational aspects of this scheme.

The scheme will be in two parts: (a) aid to outgoers who wish to leave pig farming, and (b) a restructuring or ongoers element for those who wish to remain in pig farming but want to restructure their business to make it viable in the longer term. The scheme must meet EU state aid rules, principal among which for this scheme is the need to permanently reduce UK capacity by at least 16% from that which existed in June 1998. An application has been made to the European Commission for approval of the scheme under the state aid rules. EU Commission approval is still awaited, but, as it is the type of scheme with which the Commission is familiar, the UK is reasonably optimistic that it will be approved. An announcement will be made in due course.

Proposals, although not final, suggest that the outgoers element will be run centrally for the whole of the UK, using a sealed bidding system. The UK agriculture Departments are currently consulting their respective industry representative bodies on this element of the scheme.

The outgoers element will be introduced as soon as possible after Commission approval is received. It is planned to close the application period for this element about 10 October and have approvals issued within one month, actual decommissioning completed by 31 January and payments made by 31 March.

The ongoers element cannot proceed until and unless the required reduction in UK capacity is achieved. The ongoers scheme will involve producers agreeing a loan to carry out a business plan with a bank or other lender institution and submitting an application for assistance based on that plan. The Government will pay the equivalent of a reduction of five percentage points on the interest charge over two years.

In an earlier decision, announced last autumn, a sum of £5 million was allocated by the Government to the UK pig industry to assist the marketing of pigmeat. £400,000 of this allocation has been made available in Northern Ireland. Following discussions with the industry as to how this funding should be deployed, a state aid application has been lodged.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to state what plans she has to implement a compensation scheme for fishing boats and crew members, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: I have no plans to implement a compensation scheme for fishing boats and crew members. I do not believe it is appropriate to compensate fishermen for a decline in stocks or for conservation measures designed to improve stocks and, hence, fishing opportunities in the future.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if the Department has any plans to permit growing trials of any genetically modified organisms in Northern Ireland and, if so, to give details.

Ms Rodgers: There are no genetically modified crops being grown in Northern Ireland, either commercially, in farm scale evaluations or in research establishments, nor are there any such plans. There is an agreement with the plant breeding industry which rules out the commercial marketing and growing of GM crops in the UK before 2003.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what information the Department has about the planting of any seed contaminated with genetically modified organisms in Northern Ireland.

Ms Rodgers: The recent publicity about the inadvertent mixing of GM seed with conventional seed relates to a spring-sown oilseed rape variety supplied by Advanta Seeds (UK). Checks have established that there is nothing to indicate that there is any of this oilseed rape variety in Northern Ireland. Only a very small area of oilseed rape is grown in Northern Ireland, and most of this is winter-sown. The only Northern Ireland supplier of spring-sown oilseed rape has confirmed that it has not purchased seed from Advanta (UK).

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to clarify when the Forest Service Agency expects to have its development plans cleared by the European Commission, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: The Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan, including the forestry section, was submitted to the European Commission on 1 February 2000. The plan is expected to be approved by early autumn.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if the Department intends to publish its development plans for forests in Northern Ireland, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: Once the Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan is approved by the European Commission, it will be published. The plan will contain a section on forestry.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps will be taken to ensure parity between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the promotion of private forestry grants.

Ms Rodgers: The forestry grant schemes, North and South, vary considerably in their specific requirements and levels of grant. Direct comparisons are therefore difficult, and harmonisation would be impossible without major scheme changes and a substantial increase in the funding in Northern Ireland. Promotion of private planting will be kept under review and will be specifically considered as part of the current forest policy review.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps will be taken to increase the planting of forests in Northern Ireland.

Ms Rodgers: The area of woodland is currently increasing by about 700 hectares a year through a combination of public and private planting. At current funding levels this is likely to be the maximum achievable. All funding is, of course, under review as part of the 2000 comprehensive spending review.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to explain the reduction of £9 million in spending on food, farming and environmental policy between 1999 and 2001, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: The estimate for 2001 represents baseline provision only, as established by the comprehensive spending review, whereas the 1999 estimate includes the baseline provision for the year plus supplementary estimate provision, chiefly to cover in-year pressures in relation to animal disease compensation and associated fees for private veterinary practitioners.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps will be taken by the Forest Service Agency to ensure that targets for private- sector tree planting, as set out in the Department’s recent five-year plan, will be met, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: The Forest Service will maintain and raise awareness of the availability of forestry grants through the distribution of booklets and leaflets to the public from Forest Service and agriculture offices. The schemes will also be promoted by Forest Service staff at agricultural and other shows.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what assessment she has made in relation to the Rural Community Network policy document ‘The Environment and the Farming Community in Northern Ireland’, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: This document is one of a number of policy discussion documents produced by the Rural Development Network looking at various issues that affect the rural community in Northern Ireland. They pull together academic research, past experience and current thinking, with the aim of stimulating wider debate on topical issues and problem areas. This latest document provides a valuable addition to the policy debate on the environmental aspects of farming in Northern Ireland.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps will be taken to implement a strategy to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture in the light of a 78% decline in farm incomes, and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rodgers: On 3 December 1999 I announced my intention to set up a Group to develop a "vision" for the future of the Northern Ireland agri-food sector. This is intended to enable the industry to develop a strategy to realise that vision. Progress on this exercise was interrupted during the period of suspension, but following the Downing Street summit a steering group was set up, and its first meeting was held on 11 May.

The steering group is now fully into its work, and the four sub-groups set up by the main committee held their first meetings in the week beginning 12 June. I expect to receive a report from the steering group in the autumn and will make this public.

You will also be aware of the decisions announced at the Prime Minister’s agriculture summit on 30 March, which have been welcomed by the industry. A short- term aid package included £8·1m in agri-money compensation for Northern Ireland, £8·5m in additional aid for hill areas, and a substantial pig industry restructuring scheme. On top of this, a significant programme of measures was announced to reduce bureaucratic burdens on farmers and to assist with the long-term development of the agri-food sector.

Mr Bradley asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what performance targets have been set for the Rivers Agency for the financial year 2000-01.

Ms Rodgers: The following key performance targets have been set for the Rivers Agency for 2000-01:

to construct or refurbish 5.76 km of urban flood defences;
to increase the length of designated sea defences having appropriate standards of protection to 34.9%;
to accommodate increased storm run-off from 190 hectares of development land;
to replace/refurbish 1.6 km of dangerous culverts;
to complete maintenance works on 267 km of urban watercourses and 1,029 km of rural watercourses;
to issue substantive replies to 80% of written enquiries within 15 working days of receipt;
to respond to 98% of schedule 6 applications within three months;
to control programme expenditure to within 0.5% shortfall of the final control total;
to control DRC expenditure to within 1% shortfall of the final control total.
The Rivers Agency business plan for 2000-01 will be placed in the Library at a later date.

CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline what steps he has taken to ensure equality of treatment and promotion of Ulster-Scots in the media and in primary and secondary schools.

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): Ulster-Scots is one of the languages recognised under Part II of the Council of Europe Charter on Regional or Minority Languages, which sets out general principles of recognition and support for indigenous minority languages and the removal of discrimination against them. This treatment reflects the current state of development and language planning of Ulster-Scots. It is not the intention of the Government to use treatment of one language as a benchmark for treatment of another. Treatment of both Irish and Ulster-Scots will reflect their respective positions and will be on an equitable basis.

The issue of media coverage of Ulster-Scots is a matter for those responsible for taking editorial decisions for the media.

As regards the education sector, there are no current demands from within the schools system for Ulster- Scots to be taught as a language. There is, however, scope within the statutory curriculum for the study of Ulster- Scots, and any school can include it on a voluntary basis where there is a demand.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what assessment he has made in relation to the development of an international-standard motorcycle circuit to promote tourism and sport in Northern Ireland.

Mr McGimpsey: I should explain that I am unaware of any firm proposal for the development of a motorcycle circuit other than that a number of councils have passed a motion in favour of the idea. While there may be merit in Northern Ireland’s having an international motorcycle circuit, it would be inappropriate for me to comment until a specific proposal has been developed. Such a proposal would in the first instance be an issue for the governing body of the sport. The matter would then need to be considered by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, which has statutory responsibility for the development of sport in the Province, including assistance to bodies involved in providing facilities.

Mr McMenamin asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail (a) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 1 April 1999 to 2 December 1999 and currently extant; (b) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 2 December 1999 to 11 February 2000 and currently extant; (c) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department from 11 February 2000 to 30 May 2000 and currently extant; and (d) the number and value of contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department which are still extant; and if he will make a statement.

Mr McGimpsey: I can confirm that no contracts have been awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure during the periods mentioned in (a) to (c). I can also confirm that there are no contracts awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd by the Department that are still extant.