Friday 10 November 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Shorts Missile Systems

Dr O’Hagan asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail the 56 armed forces around the world that have been supplied by Shorts Missile Systems, as referred to in a Northern Ireland Information Service press release of 7 October 1999.

(AQW 437/00)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): It is a matter for the directors of Shorts Missile Systems (SMS) to determine whether it is in the interests of the company to disclose the identity of its customers.

Arms Manufacturers:
Special Financial Assistance

Dr O’Hagan asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail the companies with links to the arms industry that have received special financial assistance since 1995 by (a) year and (b) amount.

(AQW 438/00)

Sir Reg Empey: Shorts Missile Systems (SMS) is specifically engaged in the manufacture of products destined for use within the arms industry. The company received selective financial assistance (SFA) totalling £247,178 during 1999-2000. No other payments of SFA have been made to the company since 1995.

Industrial Research and Technology Unit (IRTU) support to SMS provided assistance under both the EU-funded technology development programme and the Start programme (pre-competitive research) as outlined in the attached table. SMS also received approximately £62,000 in assistance towards the development of its people by way of DETI’s company development programme.

While a number of other Northern Ireland companies undertake defence industry-related contracts as part of their overall activities, such work generally forms a minor part of their business. As there is no requirement to notify the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, or any of its agencies, that this work is undertaken, such detailed information is not compiled. It would, however, be for the directors of companies engaged in such work to determine whether it is in the interests of their companies to disclose any such information.

ASSISTANCE TO SMS UNDER THE EU FUNDED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

ASSISTANCE TO SMS UNDER THE START PROGRAMME (PRE-COMPETITIVE RESEARCH)

Department: Special Advisers

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will provide a list of those appointed as special advisers within his 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 464/00)

Sir Reg Empey: I have recently appointed Mr Ray Hayden as my special adviser. Set out below is my response to the various parts of your question. The hon Member will wish to note that special advisers have the status of temporary civil servants during their period of service.

(a) The above-named was formally offered the appointment on 26 October 2000.

(b) The effective date of employment is 2 October 2000.

(c) The gender of the appointee is 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 open competition when 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.

Tourism: Cross-Border Initiatives

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will give an assurance that Northern Ireland will receive parity of representation in any future cross-border tourism initiatives; and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 481/00)

Sir Reg Empey: On 27 October 2000 the North/ South Ministerial Council agreed that a publicly owned limited company would be established by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Bord Fáilte Éireann to carry out functions aimed at promoting increased tourism to the island of Ireland. I intend to make a statement on the Council meeting to the Assembly on 13 November. This will include the issue of North/South representation on the board of the company.

Textile Industry

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what steps he intends to take to address the decline in the textile industry west of the Bann, given that such a high percentage of the population are dependent on it.

(AQW 502/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The textiles and clothing sector has been enduring difficult market conditions since the mid-1990s. Regrettably, competitive pressures will continue, and we have to accept that many of the sector’s processes are vulnerable. The situation is not unique to Northern Ireland – other regions have experienced even more severe pressures. Notwithstanding that, I appreciate the importance of the sector for employment west of the Bann.

There are opportunities to exploit through product differentiation and niche marketing, adding value through innovation, branding and design, developing sourcing skills and utilising new performance materials. My Department’s agencies, together with the industry bodies, are working to promote these opportunities, and I hope to announce within the next month the outcome of a strategic review of the sector that will produce an action plan that will map out how this important industry can continue to play a significant role in the knowledge-based economy.

The Industrial Development Board (IDB) focuses on attracting new first-time inward investment to Northern Ireland that will lead to further economic growth as well as additional opportunities for sustainable employment and enhanced job quality.

IDB’s research suggests that the majority of areas affected by the decline in the textiles and clothing sector are those that have been designated as having greatest social need, including west of the Bann. IDB is committed to achieving a target of 75% of first-time visits by potential investors to these disadvantaged areas and at least 75% of new inward investment locating in or adjacent to disadvantaged areas.

IDB is committed to work with local councils and community representatives, including those in areas that have been particularly affected by the problems facing the textiles and clothing sector, to understand local issues and to co-operate how best to market and promote their areas as investment locations.

Tourism: Investment

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail the amount of investment in tourism in each constituency in each of the last five years.

(AQW 509/00)

Sir Reg Empey: Over the last five years (1 January 1995 to date) £56·1 million of financial assistance has been provided by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board through a number of EU, IFI and central Government schemes for the development of tourism infrastructure. The details are contained in the attached Table A.

In addition, over the same period, some £4·9 million of assistance has been invested in marketing.

A breakdown of this figure, which is recorded by district council area, is contained in Table B.

Table A - Selective Financial Assistance by Parliamentary Constituency:-

Table B - Marketing Support Scheme by District Council Area:-

Game and Coarse Angling: Tourists

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail the number of tourists who visited Northern Ireland to take part in game and coarse fishing in each of the last five years and the average spending per capita by these visitors.

(AQW 513/00)

Sir Reg Empey: Four thousand, two hundred visitors came to Northern Ireland specifically to participate in game angling. Six thousand came to participate in coarse angling. Some 18,400 visitors, however, included game angling as part of their holiday, with 12,700 including coarse angling. The relevant figures are detailed in Tables A&B attached.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board does not monitor the average spend per capita of visitors to Northern Ireland who take part in game and coarse angling.

TABLE A – GAME/COARSE FISHING ACTUAL REASON FOR VISITING N.I.

TABLE B – PARTICiPATION IN GAME/COARSE FISHING WHILE VISITING N.I.

Source: Northern Ireland Passenger SurveyExcludes ROI residents and visitors entering Northern Ireland via ROI.

1999 figures not yet available.

IDB-Sponsored Visits

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail how many IDB-backed visits have been made to each parliamentary constituency in each of the past five years.

(AQW 518/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The IDB records details of visits by district council area but does not maintain a separate record of visits by parliamentary constituency, and the information could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail the number of jobs created in each parliamentary constituency as a direct result of IDB-backed visits in each of the past five years.

(AQW 519/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The IDB seeks to promote inward investment from both new and existing investors. That is done through promoting visits and developing contacts overseas and locally.

Companies may visit more than once and look at different locations before deciding to invest. In addition, many companies choose to invest in Northern Ireland before selecting a final location. It is not therefore possible to link specific projects — and related jobs promoted — to a particular visit.

The attached table provides details of new jobs promoted in greenfield new inward investment projects by IDB in each parliamentary constituency between April 1994 and March 1999. All the jobs were promoted as a direct result of IDB-backed visits. These do not include jobs promoted through expansions and competitiveness projects.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail the number of jobs created in each local government area as a direct result of IDB-backed visits in each of the past five years.

(AQW 520/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The IDB seeks to promote inward investment from both new and existing investors. That is done through promoting visits and developing contacts overseas and locally.

Companies may visit more than once and look at different locations before deciding to invest. In addition many companies choose to invest in Northern Ireland before selecting a final location. It is not therefore possible to link specific projects — and related jobs promoted — to a particular visit.

The attached table provides details of new jobs promoted in greenfield new inward investment projects by IDB in each district council area between April 1994 and March 1999. All the jobs were promoted as a direct result of IDB-backed visits. These do not include jobs promoted through expansions and competitiveness projects.

Details for 1999-2000 will be made available with the publication of the IDB annual report, which is expected in mid-November.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail how many IDB-backed visits have been made to each local government area in each of the past five years.

(AQW 521/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The attached table provides details of visits by potential inward investors to Northern Ireland district council areas arranged by the Industrial Development Board between April 1994 and March 1999.

Details for 1999-2000 will be made available with the publication of the IDB annual report, which is expected in mid-November.

Notes: Visits to Northern Ireland which do not include interest in specific Council areas are excluded from this table.

Total District Council visits may exceed total visits to Northern Ireland as companies may visit more than one District Council area.

Fishing: Promotion by
Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment if he will detail which areas of Northern Ireland are currently promoted for coarse and game fishing by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

(AQW 522/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s current angling guides highlight the main game and coarse fisheries. The guides cover the complete Erne system, Lough Neagh catchment, the Foyle system, the Lower and Upper Bann and the Bush. Both coarse and game angling opportunities Northern Ireland-wide are promoted on a generic basis.

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