Mrs Nelis asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to (a) detail the latest unemployment statistics for the Foyle constituency and (b) compare this with the Northern Ireland average.

(AQW 1672/00)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): Unemployment statistics at Parliamentary Constituency level are only available from the claimant count.

Details of claimant count unemployment in Foyle Parliamentary Constituency and Northern Ireland at January 2001 can be found in the table overleaf.

Number and rate of claimant count unemployed in Foyle Parliamentary Constituency and Northern Ireland at January 2001.

Source: Claimant Count, DETI

(AQW 1692/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The European Aeronautics 20/20 Vision Strategy sets out a welcome framework for industry and stakeholders to work more closely together to achieve improvements in quality, cost, safety and the environment. This focused approach will enhance the international competitiveness of the industry and at the same time ensure it is responsive to the needs of society and the environment. A central theme of the vision is a co-ordinated approach to research and development which is a major priority for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment as it seeks to promote innovation and the knowledge based economy.

(AQW 1708/00)

Sir Reg Empey: The offers of IDB Selective Financial Assistance made in the last three financial years are as follows:

(AQW 1781/00)

Sir Reg Empey: I would refer the Member to the answer I gave on 16 February 2001. I continue to follow events closely in relation to this conditional contract between Harland and Wolff and AWSR Shipping Ltd for construction of two RoRo ferries at the shipyard. I recently met senior management at Harland and Wolff to discuss a number of aspects with regard to the company’s continuing negotiations with AWSR. I have also made representations on the company’s behalf to Ministers at the Ministry of Defence and Department of Trade and Industry as well as keeping the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in touch with developments. My Department has made an outline offer of shipbuilding intervention aid grant to the company and is also assisting with costs of a benchmarking and performance review study at the shipyard in preparation for work on the building project

(AQW 1925/00)

(a) IDB has been working closely with senior management at Adria in an effort to secure the future of the company’s operation in Newry. The decision to close the plant was purely commercial and based on the market demand for its products.

(b) The grants paid to the company in respect of Newry are as follows:-

(c) Financial assistance to the Newry factory and recoveries of grant will be the subject of discussions with Adria in the context of its overall commitment to manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1958/00)

Sir Reg Empey: Cooneen Textiles has been unable to identify alternative customers to provide a sustainable future for its factory at Enniskillen. In these circumstances the decision to place the workforce on protective notice is commercial. Every effort will be made to identify new employment opportunities for the workforce.

(AQW 1967/00)

Sir Reg Empey: Assistance to Cooneen Textiles could only be provided if there was an expectation of future viability of the factory at Enniskillen. In this instance the company has been unable to identify alternative customers and has taken a commercial decision on that basis. Every effort will be made to identify new employment opportunities for the workforce.

The Kurt Salmon Associates review has set out an action plan for the textiles and clothing sectors in Northern Ireland to address the serious issues facing the industry. The implementation of the action plan will make the industry more competitive and will provide opportunity for the development of higher value employment and products. Additionally, DETI Agencies, T&EA, FE Colleges, local businesses and the Council are working together to identify priorities for local economic development.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to undertake active management of raptors similar to that in Great Britain.

(AQW 1200/00)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Foster): The active management of raptors in Great Britain is comprised of reintroduction programmes for the Sea Eagle, Osprey and Red Kite. There is also a programme of supplementary feeding of Hen Harriers to reduce their predation of Red Grouse.

I have no plans to introduce any comparable management schemes in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1462/00)

Mr Foster: Details of replacement dwellings in urban areas are not available. In rural areas, i.e., areas outside the development limits of towns, villages and hamlets as defined in statutory Development Plans, the available information is as follows: -

(AQW 1811/00)

Mr Foster: Responsibility for implementing these recommendations lay with the previous administration.

The position regarding those recommendations which affect my Department is as follows: -

1. Legislation providing for additional enforcement powers and giving development plans prime importance in the determination of planning applications.

2. Quality Audit of the development control process.

3. Devise and deliver a Development Plan programme.

4. Service Level Agreement between the Planning Service and the Environment and Heritage Service.

5. Benchmarking the workload and staffing of the Planning Service with other planning authorities.

6. Maintaining a high standard of professionalism within the Planning Service.

7. Replacing the Rural Planning Strategy with Planning Policies.

8. Giving persons, groups and bodies who have an interest in planning documents an opportunity to comment.

9. Ensuring consistency of policy interpretation when dealing with planning applications.

10. Re-advertising and re-notifying neighbours where development proposals change.

11. Resolving the concerns of the NI Centre of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health about the use of planning conditions.

12. Training on planning agreements and developers’ contributions to be provided to staff when required.

13. A full review of the effectiveness of enforcement procedures will be carried out and revised arrangements introduced where necessary.

14. The commitment that the framework of parliamentary accountability would not change has been overtaken by devolution.

15. Opportunities for community groups to participate in the planning process.

16. Seek ways to give locally elected representatives an enhanced input to the decision making process/ prepare a consultation paper setting out options for the role and composition of a planning advisory body.

(AQW 1813/00)

Mr Foster: The statutory responsibility for the provision of adequate facilities for recreation in Northern Ireland rests with District Councils. They advise the Department on the future open space needs of their local areas, based on their assessment, as part of the consultation process on development plans.

The primary role of my Department is to facilitate the open space requirements of District Councils by zoning appropriate sites in development plans to meet identified needs. In its presentation of supporting technical information, the Department, for comparative purposes, does undertake a statistical assessment of open space provision generally based on reference to the National Playing Fields Association standard.

The role of the Planning Appeals Commission in Development Plans Inquiries is to hear objections and make recommendations to the Department as to how they should be dealt with. As far as open space is concerned, the Department assesses their recommendations in terms of their impact on the proposals and policies of the Plan, where necessary, in consultation with the District Council.

My Department has published for consultation, a draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS 8), entitled "Open Space and Recreation". As well as setting out my Department’s planning policies for Open Space and Recreation, it will also advise on the assessment of recreation/open space provision in Development Plans. The responses are being considered at present and it is anticipated that the PPS will be published in final form later this year.

(AQW 1817/00)

Mr Foster: My Department is currently drawing up an E-Government strategy which will identify the key departmental services which can be delivered electronically.

This is in line with the commitment given in my Department’s 2000/2003 Corporate Plan to exploit information technology to make Government Services easier to access and to increase customer choice.

(AQW 1882/00)

Mr Foster: Prior to PFI procurement being initiated, an Outline Business Case (OBC) is prepared to establish whether or not a case for pursuing a PFI solution exists. PFI bids are invited through publication of a notice in the Official Journal of the European Community (OJEC). The OBC also includes a public sector comparator (PSC) which is used in the final assessment of bids to confirm that a PFI solution provides value for money (VFM) over conventional procurement.

The competitive tendering process within PFI further improves the potential for VFM. The Further and Higher Education sector has signed two PFI contracts, the North West and Belfast Institutes.

(AQW 1949/00)

Mr Foster: Article 90 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 requires users of motor vehicles to be insured against third-party risks. Driver and Vehicle Licensing NI (DVLNI) in my Department requires proof of insurance prior to the grant or renewal of a vehicle licence (Vehicle Excise Duty).

Enforcement against uninsured drivers is principally the responsibility of the RUC. Policing is, of course, a reserved matter.

It can also be the case that users of unlicensed vehicles are also uninsured. Again the principal enforcement agency on Vehicle Excise Duty evasion is the RUC. However, DVLNI has undertaken with some success direct measures, such as wheel clamping and TV advertising, to help reduce levels of VED evasion and continues to work closely with the police to increase detection of offenders.

The efforts of the Department and the RUC to reduce the level of VED evasion should also help reduce the number of uninsured drivers.

In response to the recent report of the Public Accounts Committee on road safety, my Department will be examining whether the compulsory display of MOT discs and insurance discs might offer a further means of facilitating enforcement of legal requirements.