Friday 10 November 2000
Written Answers to Questions

OFFICE OF FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER

Quangos

Mrs I Robinson asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to detail (a) the number of quangos in Northern Ireland, (b) the remit of each quango, (c) who chairs each quango, and (d) what plans there are to abolish any of them.

(AQW 385/00)

Reply [holding answer 26 October 2000]: The information sought regarding points (a) to (c) in the question is available in the ‘Public Bodies’ publication, produced annually by the Cabinet Office and made available through the Stationery Office. Details of the bodies attached to the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments are included in the publication. The current edition of the publication, ‘Public Bodies 1999’, is available in the Assembly Library. An updated version for 2000, listing the bodies under the new Northern Ireland Departments, will be published by the Cabinet Office before the end of the year.

(d) It is proposed to abolish the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland in September 2001. Its functions will be assumed as part of the responsibilities of the new United Kingdom Nursing and Midwifery Council.

There are no plans to abolish any other public bodies at this time. However, the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill has measures to align the arrangements for decision making and appeals in respect of housing benefit with those applying to other social security benefits. Under the revised arrangements, the functions of the housing benefit review boards would transfer to the Office of the President of Appeal Tribunals at 1 April 2001.

The future role of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be considered within the context of the proposed review of public administration that was included in the Agenda for Government announced on 29 June 2000 and is an important action in the draft Programme for Government.

Officials are carrying out initial preparatory work on the review for the Executive, and it is planned that the terms of reference and organisation of the review should be considered further by the Executive later in November.

Mr Ford asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to provide a list of those appointed as special advisers in the Department, detailing in each case (a) the date appointment was offered, (b) the date employment commenced, (c) the gender of the appointee, (d) whether or not the appointee is disabled, (e) whether or not the appointment was as a result of open competition, and (f) whether the appointee held membership of any political party on the date appointment was offered.

(AQW 470/00)

Reply: The following are employed as special advisers in the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM). During the period of their employment, special advisers have the status of temporary civil servants.

Mr David Campbell

Mr David Kerr

Dr Graham Gudgin

Mr Brian Barrington

These individuals were initially employed in OFMDFM with effect from 2 December 1999. Following suspension, their appointments were terminated with effect from 11 February 2000.

They were re-engaged following restoration. In each case the information requested is as follows:

a. 30 May 2000;

b. 30 May 2000;

c. male;

d. it is Civil Service policy to afford a high degree of confidentiality to individual monitoring information, including that on disability;

e. special advisers are appointed under the Civil Service Commissioners (Northern Ireland) Order 1999, article 3(2) of which disapplies the principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition where an appointment to a situation in the Civil Service is made for the purpose of providing advice to Ministers during a period terminating on or before the end of an Administration;

f. all civil servants, including special advisers, are entitled to hold membership of a political party, although political activity is restricted according to their role. Information on membership of a political party is not held for special advisers or any other civil servants.

In addition to the above, Mr Hugh Logue and Mr Colm Larkin act as advisers to the Deputy First Minister. Unlike the other four advisers, who are on contract to the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister, Messrs Logue and Larkin are seconded from the European Commission under the terms of an exchange scheme for member countries. The European Commission is responsible for the payment of salary and expenses to Mr Logue and Mr Larkin during the period of their secondment.

Mr Ford asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister if any special advisers employed by the Department have taken part in a parliamentary election campaign since their appointment.

(AQW 471/00)

Reply: No. Special advisers may not, under the terms of their contracts, take part in national political activity. They may provide specialist or political advice to their Minister during an election campaign, but may not otherwise take part actively in an election campaign. We are satisfied, on the basis of the information available to us, that all those employed in the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister as special advisers have complied with their terms and conditions of employment.

Mr Kennedy asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to make a statement on written and oral communication between the Executive Committee and the Minister for Social Development.

(AQO 261/00)

Reply: The Minister for Regional Development and the Minister for Social Development have refused to attend meetings of the Executive. Their non-attendance has a detrimental effect on the work of their own Departments, because they deprive themselves of the benefit of discussion with their ministerial colleagues. They submit papers to the Executive, but their proposals cannot always be fully considered since questions arising have to be referred back for further written input — an inefficient way for those Departments to advance policy objectives. Their absence also deprives their Departments of the benefit of contributing to discussions on cross-cutting policies being considered by the Executive.

Unlike the two Ministers, the Executive are determined to work in a co-ordinated way for the good of all the people of Northern Ireland. Despite the Ministers’ refusal to attend Executive and other ministerial meetings, the Executive have taken forward its work on the Agenda for Government, the draft Programme for Government and the Budget with full regard to the interests of the Departments for Regional Development and Social Development. That is clear from the increased allocations for those Departments as set out by the Minister of Finance and Personnel in his Budget statement to the Assembly on 17 October.

Mrs Carson asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to make a statement on written and oral communication between the Executive Committee and the Minister for Regional Development.

(AQO 260/00)

Reply: The Minister for Regional Development and the Minister for Social Development have refused to attend meetings of the Executive. Their non-attendance has a detrimental effect on the work of their own Departments, because they deprive themselves of the benefit of discussion with their ministerial colleagues. They submit papers to the Executive, but their proposals cannot always be fully considered since questions arising have to be referred back for further written input — an inefficient way for those Departments to advance policy objectives. Their absence also deprives their Departments of the benefit of contributing to discussions on cross- cutting policies being considered by the Executive.

Unlike the two Ministers, the Executive are determined to work in a co-ordinated way for the good of all the people of Northern Ireland. Despite the Ministers’ refusal to attend Executive and other ministerial meetings, the Executive have taken forward its work on the Agenda for Government, the draft Programme for Government and the Budget with full regard to the interests of the Departments for Regional Development and Social Development. That is clear from the increased allocations for those Departments as set out by the Minister of Finance and Personnel in his Budget statement to the Assembly on 17 October.

Mr Ford asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to detail the steps taken to ensure that all policies put forward by the Executive will be appraised for their impact on children.

(AQO 258/00)

Reply: Under the terms of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, public authorities (which includes central Government Departments) shall, in carrying out their functions, have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between a number of social categories. One of the categories is "age" and among the groups making up that category is "children". There is therefore a statutory duty on Departments to assess the impact of both existing policies and new ones put forward or approved by the Executive in terms of promotion of equality of opportunity, including with regard to children. The means of achieving this is set out in the departmental equality schemes, which were submitted to the Equality Commission for approval at the end of June. The commission’s comments on these schemes are expected shortly.

In OFMDFM’s equality scheme, an undertaking was given to organise a conference on consultation involving representatives of those section 75 groups that have traditionally been marginalised. The conference is planned for late November or early December, and one of the groups involved will be Putting Children First. The aim will be to bring representatives of the public sector who are required to produce equality schemes into direct contact with representatives of the voluntary and community sector with whom they may have little or no experience of communicating in the past and facilitate an exchange of views on how such public authorities should consult with these groups to the mutual benefit of both.

Mr McGrady asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to provide an update on progress on the redesignation of new areas for targeting social need (TSN); and to make a statement.

(AQO 223/00)

Reply: The Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister does not designate specific areas for New TSN purposes. Areas for targeting are identified by Departments using objective measures of deprivation. To date our Office has recommended to Departments that they use the indicators of multiple deprivation developed by Prof Robson on the basis of 1991 census data, except where more appropriate indicators exist.

The Minister of Finance and Personnel recently announced that the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency had commissioned the development of new indicators of multiple deprivation for Northern Ireland. These should be available in the spring of 2001. On the completion of this work we, together with the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the Northern Ireland Departments, will consider the use of these indicators for New TSN purposes.

Mr Neeson asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister what steps have been taken to ensure that all policies put forward by the Executive are appraised for their impact on the creation of a shared society in Northern Ireland.

(AQO 249/00)

Reply: There is no specific procedure for assessing the impact of policies on the creation of a shared society in Northern Ireland. However, section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 imposes a statutory obligation on Northern Ireland Departments, in carrying out their functions, to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

Although the 1998 Act does not require formal assessment of the impact of policies on the promotion of good relations, OFMDFM has recommended to Departments that, in their equality schemes, they indicate that, where relevant, an equality impact assessment should include an annex on the promotion of good relations. With regard to the OFMDFM equality scheme, there is a commitment to consult with the Community Relations Council and other relevant organisations in relation to an assessment that deals with the promotion of good relations.

Mr Savage asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to detail the effect on Executive Committee business of the non-attendance at meetings of the Minister for Regional Development and the Minister for Social Development.

(AQO 239/00)

Reply: The Minister for Regional Development and the Minister for Social Development have refused to attend meetings of the Executive. Their non-attendance has a detrimental effect on the work of their own Departments, because they deprive themselves of the benefit of discussion with their ministerial colleagues. They submit papers to the Executive, but their proposals cannot always be fully considered since questions arising have to be referred back for further written input — an inefficient way for those Departments to advance policy objectives. Their absence also deprives their Departments of the benefit of contributing to discussions on cross- cutting policies being considered by the Executive.

Unlike the two Ministers, the Executive are determined to work in a co-ordinated way for the good of all the people of Northern Ireland. Despite the Ministers’ refusal to attend Executive and other ministerial meetings, the Executive have taken forward its work on the Agenda for Government, the draft Programme for Government and the Budget with full regard to the interests of the Departments for Regional Development and Social Development. That is clear from the increased allocations for those Departments as set out by the Minister of Finance and Personnel in his Budget statement to the Assembly on 17 October.

Mr Byrne asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister what progress the Economic Policy Unit has made toward devising an economic development strategy.

(AQO 262/00)

Reply: The Executive Committee’s proposals for the Programme for Government were presented to the Assembly on 24 October. This exercise involved all Departments and was co-ordinated by our Department’s Economic Policy Unit.

The draft Programme for Government has as its vision a dynamic, competitive economy, creating opportunities for all in a wide range of sectors, with many more new, skilled jobs in the new knowledge-based economy.

The programme contains two priorities — "Securing a Competitive Economy" and "Investing in Education and Skills" — which are very closely linked to achieving its economic development goals. Within these two priorities, the programme proposes a wide range of actions that will contribute to the achievement of a modern, high- skilled, knowledge-based economy. These include actions on improving our infrastructure; attracting inward investment; promoting enterprise and innovation; regenerating the rural economy; and improving the education and training of our young people. This approach builds on the ‘Strategy 2010’ proposals for an economic development strategy. It focuses on creating the right conditions for economic growth and involves actions across a range of Departments. Our strategy for economic development will be a central element of the Programme for Government.

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Sir Reg Empey, will be reviewing future enterprise, trade and investment policy in the light of what has been agreed in the Programme for Government and in light of the findings of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee inquiry into ‘Strategy 2010’. How this review will be taken forward will be published in the Department of Enterprise’s corporate plan in the new year.

The five new programme funds will help to support the Executive’s economic development and other objectives. tacThe funds will help to promote policy and service innovation, kle weaknesses in infrastructure and ensure effective targeting of programmes on individuals, groups and areas in greatest need.

Mr Benson asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to detail the number of meetings each Minister in the Executive Committee has attended with his or her counterparts in the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales.

(AQO 238/00)

Reply: Up to 26 October, there have been a total of 15 meetings between Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive Committee and their counterparts in Scotland and Wales.

A number of these meetings involved more than one Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive Committee.

The details requested are listed below:

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to explain why there are no retailers in the vision group.

(AQW 426/00)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): It was necessary to keep the size of the vision steering group to manageable proportions while, at the same time, including the main production, processing, environmental and rural development interests. I was also keen to make room for a number of independent members.

I feel that the group is balanced and that the method of working enables the views of sectors not directly represented to be obtained. The four subgroups take evidence from different interests, including retailers. In any case, the processors in the group are able to advise on the requirements of retailers.

Mr Kane asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to give consideration to electronic tagging, alternative land use and objective beef carcass grading in order to improve productivity in Northern Ireland agriculture.

(AQW 428/00)

Ms Rodgers: Electronic identification is currently being trialled in a number of EU countries under the control of the European Commission. The Commission is due to report on the trials by 31 December 2001. Since cattle identification is governed by EU rules, any action on electronic identification can only be taken forward on foot of proposals from the Commission.

Grants to encourage tree planting on farms as an alternative land use are already available. The Woodland Grant Scheme provides the basic grant assistance for tree planting, while the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme provides an annual payment to farmers over a period of 10 or 15 years depending on the type of woodland planted. The latter is intended to compensate for income foregone in taking the land out of agriculture.

Automated machines, which seek to develop a system of objective classification of carcasses, are currently under field trials in various EU member states. As the results of those trials will have to be assessed by EU experts, I am not in a position to consider their use in Northern Ireland at this stage.

While I would be happy to see the machines trialled in Northern Ireland conditions, if that were helpful, the relevant EU legislation would have to be changed before a mechanised system of classification could be introduced in any region or member state.

Mr McHugh asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will outline her policy regarding the removal of animals from farms where animals have tested positive for brucellosis and indicate the timescale involved.

(AQW 452/00)

Ms Rodgers: Where reactors to brucellosis are identified and active infection confirmed in the laboratory, our policy is to remove for slaughter all reactors and all other breeding and potential breeding animals in the herd. Where active infection is not confirmed, removal of animals for slaughter normally involves only those animals reacting to the test. It is our policy to remove animals for slaughter without delay and, if possible, within 15 working days of the blood sample being taken. However, because of the increased incidence of brucellosis, the average timescale involved over the last year is about 18 to 20 working days.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what assessment she has made of the 90% drop in farm incomes and if she will detail her plans to assist the farming community.

(AQW 455/00)

Ms Rodgers: The report in the press that farm incomes have dropped by 90% over the past five years refers to farms in England. However, comparable falls in farm incomes have occurred in Northern Ireland. My Department’s assessment of the fall in incomes indicates that, in the main, it has been caused by the strength of sterling relative to the euro, weak international markets and the continuing impact of the BSE crisis.

A number of initiatives to assist the farming industry have been announced this year. These include the measures announced following the summit on 30 March, including the payment of agri-monetary compensation, for which I pressed the case prior to suspension of devolution, and a pig industry restructuring scheme. There are also measures aimed at improving the longer-term competitiveness of the industry. I have continued to argue for the payment of optional agri-monetary compensation, but that must be agreed on a UK basis; there is no provision for regional payments. The additional funding for agriculture and rural development announced in the Northern Ireland Budget will help to develop skill levels and the use of information and communication technology and improve quality and competitiveness.

Approval for the Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan, worth £266 million, has recently been given by the EU Committee on Agricultural Structures and Rural Development. This includes extra funding for less favoured areas, an expanded agri-environment programme and measures to increase private forestry plantings.

The steering group set up to develop a vision for the future of the agrifood sector in Northern Ireland is considering issues surrounding the longer-term competitiveness of the agrifood industry. When I have the group’s report, early next year, I will respond to it in detail.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will confirm that the payments to beef and sheep farmers announced recently are funded from Europe and to detail what new funds have been targeted towards farmers over the past 12 months.

(AQW 456/00)

Ms Rodgers: My announcement of 12 October detailed payments worth £59 million on their way to beef and sheep farmers. I can confirm that these payments are all fully funded by the EU, though the agrimonetary compensation payments represent a further 71% cost to the Exchequer because of the implications of the Fontainebleau rebate. Some of these payments reflect the implementation for the first time of the Agenda 2000 agreement on reform of the common agricultural policy — for example, payments under the slaughter premium scheme.

You also ask what new funds have been targeted at farmers over the last 12 months. In addition to increases or changes forthcoming from implementation of Agenda 2000 and agrimonetary compensation payments, the following have been paid or announced within that period:

• £8·5 million additional assistance for hill farmers paid out to farmers earlier this year as increased payments under the 2000 hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme;
• the Downing Street summit announcement included further assistance of £7·1 million for hill farmers to be paid out under the new LFA support scheme to apply in 2001 (this announcement also included £1·4 million to provide better skills training for farmers);
• a total of £24·6 million between 2001 and 2004 to further increase support for hill farmers under the new LFA scheme and provide safety net arrangements to ease the financial impact of the transition from support based on headage to support based on land area farmed;
• £66 million over three years for a UK pig industry restructuring scheme, in which Northern Ireland will share.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide a list of those appointed as special advisers in her Department, detailing in each case (a) the date appointment was offered, (b) the date employment commenced, (c) the gender of the appointee, (d) whether or not the appointee is disabled, (e) whether or not the appointment was as a result of open competition, and (f) whether the appointee held membership of any political party on the date appointment was offered.

(AQW 463/00)

Ms Rodgers: I have appointed Conall McDevitt as a special adviser. My special adviser holds the status of a temporary civil servant during the period of his service. The additional information requested is as follows:

(a) He was offered appointment on 18 June 2000.

(b) The employment commenced with effect from 1 July 2000.

(c) He is male.

(d) It is Civil Service policy to afford a high degree of confidentiality to individual monitoring information, including that on disability.

(e) Appointment was made under the Civil Service Commissioners (Northern Ireland) Order 1999, article 3(2) of which disapplies the principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition where an appointment to a situation in the Civil Service is made for the purpose of providing advice to Ministers during a period terminating on or before the end of an Administration.

(f) All civil servants, including special advisers, are entitled to hold membership of a political party, although political activity is restricted according to their role. Information on membership of a political party is not held for special advisers or any other civil servants.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, in relation to the computer system used to maintain the Northern Ireland beef tracing system, to detail (a) how many times this computer has crashed in the last year, (b) how many orders have been affected, (c) the amount of money lost due to these breakdowns, and (d) what steps she is taking to correct these difficulties.

(AQW 490/00)

Ms Rodgers: The information requested is as follows:

(a) the Animal and Public Health Information System (APHIS) computer has failed seven times in the last year;

(b) we have no evidence that any orders have been affected;

(c) we are not aware of any financial loss incurred; and

(d) we have set up a group involving industry interests to address the level of service and availability of APHIS in relation to the developing needs of the industry.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of cattle brought into Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland for slaughter.

(AQW 494/00)

Ms Rodgers: During 1999 a total of 18,054 cattle were imported from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland meat plants for direct slaughter. This represents approximately 5% of the total slaughterings, 370,036 in 1999.

In 2000, to date, there have been 17,657 such imports.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail what procedures are in place to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) contamination of beef stocks by cattle from the Republic of Ireland.

(AQW 495/00)

Ms Rodgers: Cattle imported from any country, including the Republic of Ireland, are identified as imported animals on the Department’s Animal and Public Health Information System. All such cattle are subject to the full range of BSE controls that are applied to Northern Ireland cattle, including:

• eligibility for human consumption only if they are under 30 months of age at the time of slaughter;
• removal of specified risk material immediately following slaughter.

These precautions are recognised as being an effective way of preventing transmission of the BSE agent in beef, even in animals that may have been incubating the disease. Thus, there is no reason to believe that the importation of animals from any country, including the Republic of Ireland, will contaminate beef stocks in Northern Ireland.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development whether (a) she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of articles 17(1) and (38) of the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973, (b) she will conduct a review of those articles in the light of recent complaints and (c) she will make a statement on the operation of those articles in relation to recent flooding in Castlereagh.

(AQW 497/00)

Ms Rodgers: I have assessed articles 17(1) and 38 of the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973 and I am satisfied that they are effective in their separate contexts and purposes. These articles provide for payment of reasonable compensation in circumstances where the Department by its actions or negligence causes loss or damage to land or property.

Article 17(1) specifically provides for reasonable compensation to be paid by the Department if loss arises from the Department’s Rivers Agency, in the course of carrying out its functions under the Order, constructing drainage or sea defence works on land, or entering on to or interfering with land, water or fishery rights.

In a different context, article 38 makes reasonable compensation available where damage to land or property arising from flooding has been caused by the Department’s negligent construction or repair of any embankment, dam or sluice for which it has responsibility.

Paragraph (1) of article 38, however, absolves the Department from liability in relation to the accidental overflowing of a watercourse or the failure of a flood defence structure arising from reasons other than negligent construction or repair. That reflects the general principle that Government does not pay compensation for abnormal weather conditions or for losses that are normally insurable.

The interpretation of these articles and their application to particular flooding events is a matter for the courts, and I have no plans to instigate a review at this stage.

Under the provisions of the 1973 Order, I do not consider that liability for damage arising from the recent flooding event at Dunlady in Castlereagh caused by exceptional weather conditions rests with my Department. The grille inlet structures on the culverted watercourses that overflowed on this occasion were inspected and maintained on a weekly basis, including during the week that the flooding occurred. In these circumstances I would not accept that my Department was negligent in either inspection or maintenance of the watercourses in question.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to (a) detail her plans for 2003 in relation to agrimonetary compensation and (b) outline her policy should such compensation end in that year.

(AQW 498/00)

Ms Rodgers: It is too soon for agrimonetary compensation to have been triggered in relation to 2003. The amount that may be paid to compensate for the effects of any appreciation of sterling relative to the euro in 2000 depends on the average exchange rate in December 2000. The sterling/euro exchange rate in July 2001 could also trigger compensation in the arable sector. No further compensation may be triggered after 2001under the existing regulations.

If compensation is triggered in respect of 2000 or 2001, it will be payable in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Such compensation would be optional for the member state and degressive. You will be aware that, given the current state of the industry, I am in favour of the payment of optional compensation in the United Kingdom, but any such decision would require the agreement, not only of the Agriculture Ministers of the four countries, but also of the Treasury. There is no provision for payment of agrimonetary compensation on a regional basis.

Amendment of the regulations to extend agrimonetary compensation to appreciations occurring after 2001 would require an approach by the UK or another member state Government, a formal proposal by the EU Commission and support by a qualified majority of the 15 member states in the EU Council of Ministers. While I would support such a move, it will be for the United Kingdom Government to initiate and take forward this issue.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to explain why her Department’s funds are being used in reskilling and computer training programmes and why such are not sourced at either the Department of or the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Industry.

(AQW 556/00)

1. My Department is authorised to provide education and training under the Agriculture Act (Northern Ireland) 1949 and the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1970.

2. Any transfer of responsibility for education and training from my Department to DHFETE would also mean the transfer of the funding to carry out the functions. There is no possibility of my Department transferring the responsibility and retaining the funding for other uses. The present arrangement has many advantages for the agrifood industry.

3. EU support for the training of farmers, farm families and others in rural areas is available from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) under the terms of Council Regulation EC 1257/1999. In Northern Ireland, only the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is authorised to draw down EAGGF funds.

4. Reskilling and computer training are two elements within a comprehensive measure being proposed by my Department for funding under Peace II. The measure was drawn up in response to representations from MLAs, the farming unions and others for action to help farm families to improve their incomes. The Department has consulted the two farming unions, which are supportive.

5. The Peace II measure is designed to provide farming families with opportunities to secure additional income via the three main methods open to them:

• Achieve higher levels of performance in the farm business — both traditional and diversified enterprise;
  
• Create new income-generating enterprise;
  
• Secure alternative off-farm employment.

Further education (FE) colleges and other bodies funded by DHFETE provide general training in computer skills to all in the community. The unique contribution of the DARD colleges is to provide specialised training primarily aimed at improving the performance of farm businesses.

The reskilling element will be open to farmers, their spouses and other family members who are totally or partially dependent on the farm for income. It will provide counselling, signposting to training opportunities, financial support towards the costs of training which are not covered from other sources, mentoring through the training process and assistance to secure employment. The actual education/training course will typically be provided by a FE college or other DHFETE-funded organisation.

Computer training and reskilling represent excellent examples of effective joined-up government.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will outline her policy to sustain a viable agriculture industry and detail her plans for the industry for the next five years.

(AQW 559/00)

Ms Rodgers: While the agriculture industry has had its difficulties in recent years, I do not believe that its future viability is in question. The size and structure of the industry in the future will, however, be decided by how it responds to variations in exchange rates, policy changes and competitive pressures. That said, I have been active in pressing for short-term aid to help the industry through its current difficulties, most recently in relation to the arable agrimonetary compensation announced on 2 November.

I am, of course, a firm believer in longer-term measures to improve the industry’s efficiency and competitiveness. This was one of the reasons why I proposed the setting up of a group to develop a vision for the future of the agrifood sector. As you know, this group began work in May of this year and has produced a paper on emerging themes, which has been discussed with the Assembly Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development. This paper focuses on measures likely to have an impact on the industry’s competitiveness. I have asked the vision group to report to me by the end of February 2001 and will publish its report and my response to it as soon as possible after that. This will help to inform my strategic view of the industry’s long-term future and needs.

Mr Kane asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development whether she will introduce a diversity of membership within the vision group to provide greater coverage across the agrifood chain.

(AQO 256/00)

Ms Rodgers: I have already ensured that the steering group set up to develop a strategic vision for the future development of the Northern Ireland agrifood sector has considerable diversity of membership. Farming, food processing, input supply, environmental and rural development interests are all represented. It also includes members drawn from Government Departments and academia. In addition, the group, through the activities of its subgroups, has taken evidence from a wide range of interests including banking, education, retailing, currency experts and others.

Mr Bradley asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will sanction the return of organophosphate (OP) sheep dips to the local market.

(AQO 229/00)

Ms Rodgers: Following advice from the Veterinary Products Committee, I, along with the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and ministerial colleagues in Great Britain, approved applications from two suppliers to have suspensions on their OP sheep dip products lifted. That allows the products to return to the UK market in the short term with the addition of a vented tap to their existing containers. The two companies aim to have relaunched the products by late October.

The terms of this latest authorisation will expire on 31 August 2001 unless further specific improvements are made before then to introduce entirely enclosed systems for transferring the dip concentrate into the dip bath.

Mr ONeill asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail what progress has been made in the implementation of a viable flood alleviation scheme for Newcastle, County Down; and to make a statement.

(AQO 221/00)

Ms Rodgers: I am very conscious of local concerns about a long-standing flooding problem at the Burren River, Newcastle, affecting existing property and preventing further development on the Burren flood plain. Investigations have been ongoing. A proposal for a previous scheme exhibited for public comment did not command the necessary public support to proceed. I am pleased to say that technical advances in flood estimation have allowed the Rivers Agency to take a fresh look at the problem. It has commissioned a new study, which has identified a different and viable solution using flood banks. This scheme would reduce the risk of flooding to existing property to currently accepted standards and at the same time take account of development pressures and the fishery interest in the Burren River.

The outcome of the current study will be the subject of wide public consultation commencing with Down District Council. Subject to the necessary approvals and statutory consultations, I am hopeful that a flood alleviation scheme will commence in 2002-03.

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will outline her plans for business and environmental training for farmers; and to make a statement.

(AQO 252/00)

Ms Rodgers: Over the next three years I will be allocating £1·4 million each year to a training programme specifically developed for hill farmers. This will focus on developing business skills to enable producers to manage their farms more efficiently and to encourage farming practices compatible with the need to safeguard the environment and maintain the countryside. The target for this programme is to provide an additional 12,000 business development training places and 12,000 environmental training places by March 2004.

This is part of my Department’s wider competence development programme aimed at enabling the industry to adjust to and meet the demands of current and future business and environmental challenges.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development when she will publish the report of the vision group.

(AQO 243/00)

Ms Rodgers: I have asked the vision exercise steering group to provide me with its final report by the end of February 2001. I will publish the report and my response to it as soon as possible thereafter.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will confirm that the Programme for Government has been rural-proofed.

(AQO 220/00)

Ms Rodgers: Rural issues were accorded due prominence in the draft Programme for Government laid before the Assembly on 24 October, and I am satisfied that the document meets the spirit of rural proofing.

It is my intention — and this is a commitment in the Programme for Government — to establish a group to ensure that all major Government policies and programmes are rural proofed. By this I mean that policies and programmes will be reviewed in a structured way to ensure that any rural dimension has been fully taken into account at the formulation stage.

Mr McHugh asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if there is provision in her budget proposals to assist farming businesses by way of grants for maintenance, repairs and animal welfare.

(AQO 228/00)

Ms Rodgers: There is no provision in the budget proposals laid before the Assembly on 17 October for any new capital grant schemes for farmers. Provision remains for the continuation of existing schemes relating to environmentally sensitive areas, countryside management and organic farming, and processing and marketing in relation to food processing businesses.

Mr McMenamin asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what plans she has to address the flooding in West Tyrone, particularly in the Cloughcor and Lisdiven areas of Strabane.

(AQO 230/00)

Ms Rodgers: Having first-hand knowledge of the flooding problems experienced in West Tyrone, I understand the urgency of seeking solutions. I am pleased to say that a comprehensive study of the flooding problems in the Lisdivin and Cloughcor areas of Strabane is at an advanced stage and is now expected to be completed in December.

Meanwhile, following the serious flooding incidents since winter 1999-2000 in the Burndennet catchment, essential repairs have been carried out to vulnerable stretches of the earthen flood banks, including that at Cloughcor. Regular inspections of these flood banks are ongoing in order to ensure that potential problems are identified in good time and that repairs are carried out as a matter of priority.

The major flood alleviation scheme for Castlederg was completed at the end of October, and localised improvements on urban drains at Castlederg have been carried out. Newtownstewart has also benefited from interim remedial works pending a wider study expected to be completed by the end of December 2000.

Mr A Doherty asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development when the LEADER+ programme will be approved; and if she will make a statement.

(AQO 219/00)

Ms Rodgers: The programme will be considered by the Executive Committee on 9 November and by the North/South Ministerial Council on 15 November. The approved final version of the programme will be submitted to the European Commission on 16 November.

The Commission has five months from the date of submission to approve the programme.

Mr Dallat asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will introduce a policy of rural proofing in Northern Ireland; and to make a statement.

(AQO 257/00)

Ms Rodgers: It is my intention to introduce rural proofing of all major Government policies and programmes, and a commitment to that is contained in the draft Programme for Government presented to the Assembly last week. The draft Programme for Government identifies the need for a Minister-led group to carry out that function. I am confident that the commitment to rural proofing will be retained when the Assembly debates and finalises the Programme for Government, and I expect to be the Minister leading the group. I am determined that rural issues should remain high on the agenda of the Executive Committee and the Assembly, and I believe that rural proofing will play a very important part in achieving that goal.

Mr Savage asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will confirm that her Department purchased serum for use in tuberculosis- testing injections which was subsequently scientifically proven to be defective; and if she will also confirm that use of the said defective serum has resulted in inaccurate readings; and to make a statement.

(AQO 233/00)

Ms Rodgers: There is no question of my Department using defective tuberculin, nor is there any evidence from our monitoring procedures that any tuberculin used has given rise to inaccurate readings.

The product that is presumably being referred to is a batch of tuberculin that earlier this year passed its potency test but gave anomalous readings to a sensitivity test.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate, which is responsible for authorising the use of tuberculin in the United Kingdom, reviewed the data and deemed the batch to be acceptable for use. The batch was therefore released and, as required in such situations, the EU Commission was informed.

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