Friday 16 June 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Mr A Doherty asked the Minister of the Environment 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 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.

(AQW 503/99)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Foster): (a) The Department has awarded a contract to McCann Erickson Belfast Ltd for a period of three years from 1 July 1999 (with an option for renewal for a further two years). The contract is for public relations and advertising work in support of the Department’s road safety responsibilities. Expenditure includes research, development and the production of new road safety advertisements, the cost of placement on television and radio and in cinemas of road safety advertisements, together with associated media and public relations activities. The value of the contract is in the region of £600,000 annually.

(b) Nil.

(c) Nil.

(d) As at (a) above.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of the Environment if he will accept that the Department’s road safety education officers should include education in railway safety as part of their responsibility.

(AQW 522/99)

Mr Foster: Road safety education officers currently promote the teaching in schools of road safety at railway level crossings in line with advice contained in the Highway Code. The Department’s road safety teaching aid calendar, which is made available annually to all nursery and primary schools, regularly features advice on the use of level crossings. Road safety education officers also assist with the distribution to schools of advice leaflets and posters provided by Northern Ireland Railways, where unmanned level crossings are installed nearby. The safety of passengers on trains is a matter for the operator, Northern Ireland Railways.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister of the Environment if the Department will introduce a review of planning legislation which will promote a balance in planning decisions between commercial and residential interests.

(AQW 525/99)

Mr Foster: Existing planning legislation already provides a framework which ensures that the interests of commercial, residential and other groups are taken into account when planning decisions are being taken.

Mr M Murphy asked the Minister of the Environment what progress has been made and what action he intends to take in the implementation of a bio-diversity strategy; what policy he will pursue in relation to the conservation of the natural environment; and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 532/99)

Mr Foster: The protection, conservation and enhancement of the natural environment is one of my Department’s strategic policy objectives. Extensive consultations were undertaken during 1999 on proposals for a Northern Ireland biodiversity strategy. Analysis of responses to these consultations by my Department’s advisory group on biodiversity is almost complete, and I expect to receive their recommendations for a strategy in the autumn. I will wish to take the views of the Assembly Environment Committee before coming to firm conclusions.

Mr M Murphy asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the total allocation to each district council from the £43 million public expenditure budget to local government, and the amounts allocated for waste management, parks and leisure, technical and other services by each district council.

(AQW 533/99)

Mr Foster: The figure of £43 million represents the 2000-01 provision for general Exchequer grant and other specific grant payments to district councils. The table provides a detailed analysis of estimated allocations to each council. Amounts of general exchequer grant for particular services are not available, as this allocation is a matter for individual councils.

Mr M Murphy asked the Minister of the Environment what plans he has to liaise with district councils and community groups to promote the conservation of wild life and the natural environment.

(AQW 535/99)

Mr Foster: I have been pleased to note that some excellent conservation work has already been done by district councils and community groups. A recent example is the establishment by Belfast City Council of a local nature reserve at Bog Meadows in partnership with the Friends of Bog Meadows, the Ulster Wildlife Trust and the Environment and Heritage Service.

I believe that partnerships of this kind offer many benefits. Under its recently published strategy for environmental education the Environment and Heritage Service of my Department will promote educational partnerships and good environmental practice at local level. I have asked the service to draw up an action plan for putting this strategy into practice and also to publish guidance on conservation work at the local level. This will be designed to assist district councils and community groups in developing conservation plans and local nature reserves.

I expect to receive further advice later this year from the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group on how best to promote conservation on a local scale.

Mr A Doherty asked the Minister of the Environment to state what steps have been taken to ensure the integration of sustainable development principles in all policies and actions of Departments, public bodies and wider society in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 568/99)

Mr Foster: The promotion of sustainable development principles in all the activities of government and wider society is part of my Department’s strategic aim.

I will be seeking the commitment of the Executive Committee to aligning all actions of the Administration with sustainable development objectives and making sustainable development a key cross-cutting theme in the programme of government. I expect to publish a Northern Ireland sustainable development strategy in 2001.

Mr Leslie asked the Minister of the Environment what further measures are proposed in Northern Ireland to meet the requirements of the European Council’s Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC).

(AQW 639/99)

Mr Foster: My Department proposes to include an additional 22 sites in Northern Ireland on the revised UK list of candidate special areas of conservation (SACs). These sites are listed at Annex A.

Twenty-one candidate SACs in Northern Ireland have already been submitted to the Commission. Additional qualifying features have been identified for 14 of these sites, and for three of these the boundary has also been extended. These sites are listed at Annex B.

Consultation with owners, occupiers and other interested parties on these proposals is under way. After due consideration of comments received, the revised list of UK candidate SACs will be submitted to the Commission.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel how many candidates were recruited to the management trainee programme in 1996 and how many of those recruited at that time were still on the programme at 31 December 1999.

(AQW 473/99)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Mr Durkan): Twenty people were recruited to the 1996 management trainee scheme. Twelve people remained on the scheme at 31December1999.

Mr ONeill asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel 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 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.

(AQW 502/99)

Mr Durkan: No contracts have been awarded to McCann Erickson (Belfast) Ltd for the periods in question.

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