Friday 7 July 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Mr Adams asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail all financial assistance committed to Bombardier Aerospace (in relation to Shorts) in the past 12 months; and what steps he has put in place to ensure that such funds will be used to redress the religious imbalances in the employment profile of the workforce.

(AQW 720/99)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): My Department, through the IDB, has made two offers of selective financial assistance to Bombardier Aerospace Shorts in the 12 months to 30 June 2000, totalling £15,055,000, relating to the provision of 1,325 new jobs overall. The company operates a fair employment affirmative action programme and, like other companies in Northern Ireland, is required to recruit in accordance with employment legislation.

Mr Adams asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail what steps will be taken to ensure that young people from West Belfast can successfully access the new employment created at Shorts.

(AQW 721/99)

Sir Reg Empey: It is a matter for Bombardier Aerospace Shorts to take forward its specific recruitment needs for the expansion announced recently. I understand that it is pursuing a number of initiatives to generate interest among young people in careers in aerospace.

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the most recent estimates of the numbers in employment in district council areas.

(AQW 744/99)

Sir Reg Empey: Estimates of the number of employee jobs below Northern Ireland level are only available from the census of employment, and the most up to date figures relate to September 1997. Employee jobs estimates at this date for district council areas can be found in the table below.

¹ Figures exclude Agriculture but include Animal Husbandry Service Activities and Hunting, Trapping and Game Propagation.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to list the numbers of people employed in the 10 Government Departments and to provide a breakdown of the location of these jobs.

(AQW 743/99)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Mr Durkan): The information as at 1 January 2000, including a figure for the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers, is attached.

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of civil servants employed in each of the 18 Northern Ireland constituencies.

(AQW 748/99)

Mr Durkan: The information as at 1 January 2000 for Northern Ireland civil servants employed in Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office, including staff seconded to PANI/RUC and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is attached.

Mr Attwood asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel what targets have been set for the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency in 2000-01.

(AQW 829/99)

Mr Durkan: For 2000-01 the following key performance targets have been set for the agency:

• 95-100% of surveyed key public service users of the agency rating the service they received as satisfactory or better, with 55-60% rating it as very satisfactory;
• 95-100% of surveyed users of the agency outside the public service rating the service they received as satisfactory or better, with 55-60% rating it as very satisfactory;
• To produce no fewer than 65 statistical publications and 16 ad hoc research publications during 2000-01;
• 95-100% of NISRA readers rating key publications as satisfactory or better, with 50-55% rating them as very satisfactory;
• To process 98% of postal and personal applications for General Register Office certificates within eight and three working days respectively;
• To prepare for the 2001 census of population by laying the Census Order (Northern Ireland) 2000 and Regulations; to complete development of census field procedures by 28 February 2001; and to complete assurance testing of 2001 census services by 31 March 2001;
• To achieve a minimum 3% efficiency saving.

Full details are set out in the agency’s corporate and business plans, copies of which have been placed in the Assembly Library.

Mr Attwood asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel what targets have been set for the Business Development Service in 2000-01.

(AQW 830/99)

Mr Durkan: For 2000-01 the following key performance targets have been set for the agency:

• to maintain a level of at least 95% of customers to be satisfied with the services that they have received;
• to maintain a level of at least 95% of customers to be satisfied with the way in which services were provided;
• to achieve levels of efficiency savings in total running costs of 3%;
• to demonstrate, on a notional basis and within the context of service level agreements (where these apply), that the agency would recover the full cost of its operations from its customers; and
• to maintain systems of people development consistent with good human resource practice.

Full details are set out in the agency’s corporate and business plans, copies of which have been placed in the Assembly Library.

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