Friday 16 March 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail his proposals for the construction of a public sector comparator for Northern Ireland and what assessment has he made, in value for money terms, following the introduction of private finance initiatives in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 2052/00)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Mr Durkan): As part of the preparatory work leading up to the decision to put each individual project out to tender under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), the awarding authority develops an outline business case to establish if the PFI procurement route is the right solution. An outline business case would include a fully costed reference project or "Public Sector Comparator (PSC)" to test whether an affordable option exists. The Public Sector Comparator will usually be refined to take account of the issues which emerge as a result of the PFI process and after such refinement provide a benchmark for measuring the value for money of tenderers’ proposals.

PFI projects can proceed only where their value for money can be demonstrated using Government accounting and economic appraisal guidelines. Twenty projects with a capital value of some £107 million have been awarded in Northern Ireland since the introduction of the Private Finance Initiative. These include schools, further education colleges, renal units, IT systems, energy and sewerage schemes, all of which have been subjected to value for money assessments.

Mr Douglas asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail (a) whom he has employed as special adviser(s) (b) the qualifying criteria used for the appointment and (c) the remit of the special adviser(s).

(AQW 2080/00)

(a) The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Mark Durkan has appointed Mr Damian McAteer as a special adviser.

(b) My Special Adviser, Mr Damian McAteer was appointed on the basis of his ability to carry out the functions of the post.

(c) The remit is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the standard contract of employment for such advisers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail how the additional resources identified in the spring supplementary budget will be allocated as gap funding in the North West.

(AQW 2093/00)

Mr Durkan: In my Statement to the Assembly on 12 February 2001, I announced that the Executive have agreed that Departments should be authorised to make advance payments to projects where they judge that there is a very strong likelihood that the project will be eligible for funding and successful in an application under the new PEACE II Programme. The £2 million which was set aside under the Executive Programme Fund for social inclusion and community regeneration will act as a safety net against the risk that there might be some cases where Departments in good faith assist a project in the short-term, but which does not in the end succeed in an application for funding under the new PEACE II Programme. The allocation of gap funding will therefore not depend upon geographic area but upon the number and value of applications which come forward from existing projects and which are judged very likely to succeed in an application for funding under the new Programme.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail those victims groups to which the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust allocated European Union and/or Government funding in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2108/00)

Mr Durkan: The victims groups allocated funding by the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust under the European Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation and the Northern Ireland Single Programme (Physical and Social Environment Programme) in each of the last five years are listed below.

NIVT are also responsible for administering the Core Funding for the Victims/Survivors Groups Grants Scheme which is overseen by the Victims Liaison Unit (VLU) of the NIO. Information in respect of the VLU is however a reserved matter and questions relating to this Unit should be addressed in writing to the Minister for Victims, the Rt. Hon. Adam Ingram JP MP.

Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust (NIMTT)

The Shankill Stress & Trauma Group

WAVE

C.A.L.M.S. (Community Action for Locally Managed Stress)

CRUSE Bereavement Care (NI)

F.E.A.R. (Fear Encouraged Abandoning Roots)

Survivors of Trauma

Stepping Stone Craigavon

The Cost of the Troubles Study Ltd

Victim Support Northern Ireland

The Shankill Stress & Trauma Group

Treetops - A Children’s Bereavement Group

CRUSE Bereavement Care (Foyle)

Institute for Counselling and Personal Development

Barnardos - Victims of Violence

Bogside and Brandywell Initiative

Disabled Police Officers Association

Northern Ireland Intermediate Treatment Association

Columba Victim Support Service (formerly Columba Victim Services)

Lifeline

St James’ Community Forum

Barnardos - Victims of Violence

Disabled Police Officers Association

The Shankill Stress & Trauma Group

WAVE

CRUSE Bereavement Care (NI)

Coleraine/Ballymoney Branch of the Regimental Assoc. UDR

Stepping Stone Craigavon

Survivors of Trauma

Victim Support Northern Ireland

The Cost of the Troubles Study Ltd

Ballymurphy Womens Support Group

Institute for Counselling and Personal Development

Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre

Relatives for Justice

Stepping Stone Craigavon

Survivors of Trauma

The Bloody Sunday Trust

CRUSE Bereavement Care (Foyle)

FAIR (Families Acting for Innocent Relatives)

Victims and Survivors Trust

WAVE

Ballymoney District Partnership

CUNAMH

H.U.R.T. (Homes United by Ruthless Terror)

VOICE (Victims of Injustice Campaigning for Equality)

Wider Circle

Drumcree Community Trust

Columba Victim Support Service (formerly Columba Victim Services)

Counselling Network (N. Ireland)

Omagh Support & Self Help Group

Survivors of Trauma

The Cost of the Troubles Study Ltd

WAVE

CUNAMH

C.A.L.M.S. (Community Action for Locally Managed Stress)

CRUSE Bereavement Care (Belfast)

Coleraine/Ballymoney Branch of the Regimental Assoc. UDR

Corpus Christi Services

Disabled Police Officers Association

FAIR (Families Acting for Innocent Relatives)

Families Against Crime by Terrorism - F.A.C.T.

Fermanagh District Partnership

Greater Ballymurphy Women’s Community Support Group

H.U.R.T. (Homes United by Ruthless Terror)

Lifeways Psychotherapy & Counselling Centre

Loughgall Truth and Justice Campaign

Nexus Institute N.I.

North East Antrim Cluster of District Partnership

Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust (NIMTT)

Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust

Relatives for Justice

Stepping Stone Craigavon

Strabane Befriending and Counselling Association

South Down Action for Healing Wounds (S.D.A.H.W.)

Survivors of Trauma

The Bloody Sunday Trust

The Mount Help Centre

The Shankill Stress Group

The Shankill Stress & Trauma Group

VOICE (Victims of Injustice Campaigning for Equality)

Victims and Survivors Trust

West Tyrone Voice

NIL

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline what provision has been made to bridge the gap between Peace I and Peace II funding.

(AQW 2124/00)

Mr Durkan: I would refer the member to the statement which I made to the Assembly on Monday 12 February which addresses the funding gap problem. In brief, I have proposed dealing with this issue by allowing Departments to consider requests from project sponsors for gap funding in the context of the new Structural Funds Regulations and the funding criteria specified in the PEACE II Operational Programme. Departments have been authorised to make advance payments to projects where they judge there is a very strong likelihood that the project will be eligible for funding and successful in an application under the new round. These will, in effect be advance payments against PEACE II allocations. I would, however, emphasise that PEACE II is a separate and different Programme from PEACE I. Departments will therefore be called upon to make considered judgements about applications for project funding against the selection criteria for PEACE II agreed with the European Commission and it is possible that a range of existing projects may not qualify for assistance under the new Programme.

To ensure that the issue is dealt with fully, the £2 million which was set aside under the Executive Programme Fund for social inclusion and community regeneration will act as a safety net against the risk that there might be some cases where Departments in good faith assist a project in the short-term, but which does not in the end succeed in an application for funding under the new PEACE II Programme.

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of job applications received by the Northern Ireland Civil Service Recruitment Service during 2000 and how many of these were in (a) the English Language and (b) the Irish Language.

(AQW 2138/00)

Mr Durkan: 24,649 applications were received, all in English.

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail (a) how many job advertisements were placed in newspapers by the Northern Ireland Civil Service Recruitment Service during 2000 (b) how many of these were in the English language and how many in the Irish language (c) the total cost of advertisements placed in the English language and (d) the total cost of advertisements placed in the Irish language.

(AQW 2139/00)

Mr Durkan: (a)  428

(b) All in English

(c) £355,579

(d)  Nil

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to list the newspapers and other publications in which job advertisements were placed by the Northern Ireland Civil Service Recruitment Service during 2000.

(AQW 2140/00)

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel what progress has been made in identifying a site for the new Social Security Office in Newry.

(AQW 2169/00)

Mr Durkan: The replacement of the office will be by way of a design and build contract. We have recently sought expressions of interest from developers based on three options (a) site and building, (b) construction on the Bridge Street site and (c) refurbishment of an existing building in Newry.

The question of identifying a site therefore does not arise as this will be determined by the proposal which most successfully meets our requirements.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of occasions, in each of the last five years, when an enforcement action has been initiated on a client by the Rates Collection Agency while a Housing Benefit application from the client was still being processed.

(AQW 2177/00)

Mr Durkan: The Rate Collection Agency has identified seven cases in the last five years where the case has been lodged with the Enforcement of Judgements Office when the client had already submitted a claim for Housing Benefit.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail when Peace II programme funding will be made available.

(AQW 2187/00)

Mr Durkan: From 1 April 2001 the Executive has authorised Departments to make advance payments to existing projects from PEACE II allocations where they judge that there is a very strong likelihood that the project will be eligible for funding and successful in an application under the new round. Funding for new projects will be available this summer after the Programme Complement containing detailed selection criteria has been agreed by the Monitoring Committee and administrative arrangements for handling applications are put in place by the implementing bodies.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the percentage increase in the budget for each Department for (a) Departmental running costs and (b) public expenditure in the 2001/02 financial year.

(AQW 2202/00)

Mr Durkan: The information in the format requested is available in the Executive Budget: Public Expenditure Plans: 2001/02 to 2003/04 (page numbers 10 and 49) which was agreed by the Assembly on Monday 18 December 2000.

Mr Close asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the action he is taking to reduce the level of rates arrears.

(AQO 1045/00)

Mr Durkan: The Rate Collection Agency pursues rate arrears through use of the Magistrates’ Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Office. Depending on the circumstances of the individual debtor the Agency may accept arrangements or continue with recovery action to collect the rates due. The Agency is currently reviewing its enforcement strategy.

Mr McElduff asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel what plans he has to facilitate parental requests for children’s birth certificates to be made available in bi-lingual form.

(AQO 1060/00)

Mr Durkan: Legislation governing registration of births in Northern Ireland provides for a forename(s) and surname to be recorded in English or Irish. There is no provision in legislation for a birth to be registered in bilingual form.

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel what assessments he plans to make of the relationship between public expenditure and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.

(AQO 1087/00)

Mr Durkan: The Budget was developed in the context of supporting the priorities and principles of the draft Programme for Government which was introduced to the Assembly on 24 October 2000 by the First and Deputy First Ministers.

The revised Programme for Government, presented to the Assembly last month, included Public Service Agreements for the Northern Ireland Departments. These set out each Department’s overall aim, objectives, key targets, and supporting actions, thus linking funding to the commitments given in the Programme for Government.

The Public Service Agreements are designed to increase accountability and provide a yardstick for assessing the Executive’s performance in meeting its commitments.

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the steps he is taking in preparation for possible negotiations on increasing resources allocated under the Barnett formula.

(AQO 1077/00)

Mr Durkan: It will only be possible to mount a successful challenge to the Barnett Formula in its existing format if we have a solid foundation in terms of clear information on our public expenditure needs and the effectiveness of our existing policies. My officials are currently working to this end in co-operation with officials from the Economic Policy Unit and other Departments.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail (a) the total capital raised by the rates system (b) the cost of running the Rates Collection Agency and (c) the cost of running the Valuation and Lands Agency.

(AQO 1049/00)

(a) The amount of rates collected by the Rate Collection Agency during 1999/2000 was just over £490 million. This excludes arrears totalling £16.1 million and discharges totalling just over £62 million. Discharges include discounts, rebates, vacancies and various relief cases.

(b) The total costs for the Rate Collection Agency’s operations during 1999/2000 were £8.3 million. The collection and recovery of rates accounted for £6.9 million and the administration of housing benefit £1.4 million.

(c) The total costs for the Valuation & Lands Agency’s operations during 1999/2000 were £10.509 million. The relevant expenditure in respect of the rating function was £6.468 million. The other business area - Client Services, (which includes Housing Benefit), had an expenditure of £4.041million.

Mr McGrady asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail what progress has been made in negotiations with the Chancellor of the Exchequer concerning the allocation of additional financial resources to Northern Ireland and to make a statement.

(AQO 1037/00)

Mr Durkan: In response to representations by myself and the First and Deputy First Ministers, HM Treasury has agreed to a number of adjustments in the operation of the Barnett formula. These changes are worth some £40m extra a year to Northern Ireland over the 2000 Spending Review period.

I will continue to seek changes in relation to the Barnett Formula and press for funding allocations which fully reflect the higher levels of need in Northern Ireland.

I also have reservations about the appropriateness of the Barnett Formula in its current format under the new Resource Accounting and Budgeting regime. My officials have already registered my concerns about this aspect of Barnett funding.

Mr Poots asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to consider reducing the rateable valuation of meeting halls of the Loyal Orders and Ancient Order of Hibernians given their role in providing a community service.

(AQO 1038/00)

Mr Durkan: The qualifying criteria for exemption from rates are set out in the principal rating legislation, the Rates (NI) Order 1977. Article 41 of the 1977 Order provides for exemption from rates for properties used for public, charitable or certain other purposes including "public religious worship". As the named institutions are not, without restriction, open to the general public an exemption from rates cannot be granted. However, occupiers of halls can receive a measure of relief where the premises are used by the wider community.

Dr Birnie asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline how the presentation of official statistics at Northern Ireland level is co-ordinated with that at national level within the context of the Framework Agreement.

(AQO 1072/00)

Mr Durkan: Official statistics produced by Northern Ireland Departments come within the Framework for National Statistics, published in June of last year, which was agreed by the UK Government and the devolved administrations. The arrangements governing the publication of National Statistics will be contained in a Code of Practice for National Statistics and an associated Release Practices Protocol which are currently in preparation.

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