Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister
Agriculture and Rural Development
Culture, Arts and Leisure
Education
Employment and Learning
Enterprise, Trade and Investment
Environment
Finance and Personnel
Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Regional Development
Social Development

Mr Roy Beggs asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to detail the amount of funding for Victims Groups emanating from (a) EU sources and (b) all other sources in the past two years by (i) local district council area and (ii) constituency area.

(AQW 755/01)

(a) Approximately £4.2 m was allocated to victims groups by the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust from the European Peace I Programme. Some groups also received Peace I funding from other Measures and Local District Partnerships. Details of this are not held centrally.

EU funding of approximately £370,000 from the Victims Measure of Peace II has been awarded to victims groups by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister under the Interim Funding Arrangements and some groups have received Interim Funding from Measures managed by other departments. Information on the breakdown of EU funding by District Council and Constituency areas is not available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

(b) In the 2001/02 financial year the Victims Unit had funding of £420,000 to assist victims which was allocated as follows:

Northern Ireland Memorial Fund £340,710

Derry City Council £13,000

Ulster Community & Hospitals Trust £20,000

WAVE Trauma Conference £3,000

EHSSB Trauma Advisory Panel £20,000

WHSSB Trauma Advisory Panel £17,290

SHSSB Trauma Advisory Panel £6,000

The Community Relations Council administered a Victims Support Grant Scheme funded by the Northern Ireland Office with a total budget of £225,000 to cover the period July 2000 to July 2001. In the 2000/01 financial year it gave other grants to victims groups in the following local district council areas:

Belfast City Council £46,577

Craigavon Borough Council £1,500

Derry City Council £4,462

Dungannon District Council £1,351

Multiple areas £5,700

In the current financial year it has also awarded grants in the following local district council areas:

Belfast City Council £3,400

Craigavon Borough Council £8,856

Newry & Mourne District Council £4,166

Multiple areas £2,500

Information on the breakdown of funding by Constituency areas is not available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

The Northern Ireland Office has to date had responsibility for providing core funding for victims groups under the Core Funding Grant Scheme which is administered by Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust. Specific questions on funding should be referred to that department.

The Victims Unit of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister has been allocated £650,000 in the current financial year to assist victims. Decisions on the allocation of this funding have not yet been made.

Mr Duncan Shipley Dalton asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister if it was consulted regarding the government's intention to initiate a review of the Parades Commission.

(AQW 824/01)

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan: We have not jointly been consulted about the intention to initiate a review of the Parades Commission.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to make a statement on its plans for co-ordinating a civil response in respect of a major terrorist attack.

(AQW 846/01)

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan: The initial response to any serious incident is led by the Department whose responsibilities are affected. Where there is a widespread or major emergency, arrangements for a co-ordinated response on behalf of the Executive, and the public service more widely would be initiated. This co-ordinated response would involve an inter-Departmental Crisis Management Group whose role would be to take a strategic view of events and the response to them, and to agree priorities, actions, roles and responsibilities, mutual aid arrangements and a long-term recovery strategy.

Departments have established plans, covering a range of threats, for responding to major incidents and ensure that these plans are up to date and tested for all functions within their areas of responsibility. The Central Emergency Planning Unit of our department facilitates the co-ordination of the emergency planning activities of departments and the emergency services. All departments have renewed and updated their plans since 11 September.

Rev Robert Coulter asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to make a statement on the recent meeting of the British/Irish Council.

(AQO 532/01)

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan: Earlier today I made a report to the Assembly on behalf of all the Ministers who attended the second summit meeting of the British Irish Council meeting that was held on 30 November. A copy of the communique issued following the meeting has been placed in the Assembly Library.

Mr Alban Maginness asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister what further progress will be made following their welcome initiative in North Belfast and what steps are envisaged in the weeks and months ahead.

(AQO 529/01)

Our key objective remains the promotion of dialogue between the local communities, and the Senior Liaison Officer is continuing to facilitate and support efforts to establish a Joint Community Forum.

We are also determined to move forward as quickly as possible on the measures that we announced on 23 November. The necessary statutory procedures to bring forward a traffic calming scheme on the Ardoyne Road are underway. We have commissioned the preparation of a detailed design for the regeneration and improvement of the Alliance Avenue intersection and related community safety measures which fall to this administration, including possible road realignment at the intersection. This work will be progressed urgently in full consultation with local communities and other interests. The target date for completion of the design is mid-January.

Last week we visited North Belfast to launch, with the Minister for Social Development, the North Belfast Community Action Project. This Project aims to put in place a plan of short, medium, and long-term actions to address social and community issues in North Belfast. It will focus in particular on building community capacity in those areas in which this is weak, and maintaining community activity where there is working well. An outreach advisory service will be provided to help ensure that all areas can take full advantage of existing programmes including Peace II.

Its aim is to help the people of North Belfst to address their own needs by engaging more effectively with the devolved administration and the statutory agencies. It is also about enabling them to work with other communities in a positive and co-operative manner.

The Project will be led by the Very Rev Dr John Dunlop and each of the six North Belfast MLAs will be invited to nominate community representatives to work with the Project team.

While we hope the Project will bring forward early action, we recognise that there is no "quick fix" to the problems of North Belfast. We are fully committed to the medium and long-term work which will be needed to heal the divisions in this area.

Mr David McClarty asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister if any correspondence has been received from the Secretary of State regarding his proposals to deal with sectarianism.

(AQO 536/01)

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan: The previous Secretary of State wrote to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in September 2000 about proposals to strengthen the law on hate crime, including crimes motivated by sectarianism. Subsequently, Ministers Haughey and Nesbitt received correspondence from the then Northern Ireland Office Minister, Adam Ingram in May 2001, and his successor Des Browne in September 2001. Ministers Haughey and Nesbitt have also met Adam Ingram and Des Browne to discuss the matter.

Mr Roy Beggs asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister if Community Relations specialists within the Office were consulted in deciding the funding allocations under Peace II for the Local Strategy Partnerships.

(AQO 530/01)

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan: This matter is the responsibility of the Department of Finance and Personnel and the Special European Union Programmes Body, which is the managing authority for the Peace II Programme. The Minister for Finance intends to put proposals from the SEUPB to the Executive in the near future. We will give careful consideration to these proposals in relation to all of the policy areas for which we are responsible, including community relations.

Ms Eileen Bell asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister what progress has been made towards the reform of local government; and to make a statement.

(AQO 503/01)

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan: The good governance of Northern Ireland requires systems of regional and local government which complement each other.

The organisation of local government services will be considered in the context of the review of public administration, which will cover all aspects of the public sector.

The Executive gave a commitment in the draft Programme for Government for 2002-03 to launch the review of public administration by spring of 2002. We have made good progress towards finalising the details of the review and are on target to launch it in the spring of next year.

Mr Tommy Gallagher asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to make a statement on future priorities for promoting social inclusion.

(AQO 528/01)

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan: In line with a commitment we made in the Programme for Government published last year, we have consulted widely on future cross-departmental issues to be tackled under the Promoting Social Inclusion element of New TSN.

As a result of the consultation, our new Programme for Government announces 2 new priority areas: disability and older people.

Some other issues arising from the consultation are still under consideration and we look forward to announcing further priorities in the near future.

Work on these new priorities will begin during 2002.

Mr Barry McElduff asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to detail those projects that have received financial assistance from the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) in the past two years; and to make a statement.

Mr David McClarty asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail (a) the proposed intake of students to PGCE courses for the forthcoming academic year 2002-03 at (i) Queen's University, Belfast and (ii) University of Ulster and (b) the comparative figures for the last five years.

(AQW 855/01)

Dr Farren: (a) Information on the proposed intake of students in the 2002/03 academic year is not the responsibility of this Department. PGCE student numbers are determined by the Department of Education.

(b) Information on the actual intake of students in the 2001/02 academic year is not yet available. The following table sets out the actual number of full time new entrants to PGCE courses in each given academic year from in the 1997/98 - 2000/01 academic years.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the steps he is taking to make education more attractive to young people of the Unionist tradition in the north of the city of Belfast and areas of multiple deprivation across Northern Ireland.

(AQW 896/01)

Dr Farren: My Department assists young people of all traditions in these areas to perceive the value and attractions of education and training through the work of the Careers Service in Schools and through our sympathetic investments in further, higher education and training. The development of the education village at Springvale will assist young people, particularly in North and West Belfast.

Mr Roy Beggs asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to list the location of current Learning Direct Centres by (a) local district council area and (b) constituency area.

(AQW 920/01)

Dr Farren: learndirect is the brand name of the University for Industry (UfI). Its strategy is that there will be at least one learndirect Learning Centre serving each District Council area. I have arranged for details of current centres to be placed in the Assembly library for your information. I understand Ufi is in the process of evaluating proposals for centres to serve remaining areas and the outcome will be known early in the New Year.

Mr Roy Beggs asked the Minister for Employment and Learning what is his current and future strategy in combating drug abuse in tertiary education and is there potential to increase co-operation with student organisations in promoting drug education programmes.

(AQW 921/01)

Dr Farren: As part of the implementation process of the Drug and Alcohol Strategy for Northern Ireland, an inter-departmental Education and Prevention Working Group has been established, and includes DEL representation. It is tasked to develop, by April 2002, action plans to deliver the outcomes and targets of the strategy. These will apply to all sectors, including the further and higher education sector.

The Department has also issued guidance to further education colleges for the design and implementation of policies on drugs and substance abuse, to be in place by September 2002. In developing their policies, colleges are encouraged to liaise with all relevant external agencies.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail any investment he has made at both Stranmillis University and St Mary's University College in areas of (a) Art and Design; (b) Technology and Design; and (c) Physical Education; and to make a statement.

(AQW 931/01)

Dr Farren: Since assuming responsibility for the funding of the two University Colleges on foot of Devolution in December 1999, my Department has provided the Colleges with recurrent and capital funding which they have deployed according to their strategic priorities. The outturn figures for the 2000/01 Academic Year were:

The allocations for the 2001/02 Academic Year are:

Each College has been allocated £130,000 for disability works in the government financial year 2002/2003 which overlaps with the academic year 2001/2002. The capital figures given above for the latter may therefore be adjusted depending on the phasing of expenditure.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to outline his plans for capital and revenue expenditure at (a) Stranmillis University; and (b) St Mary's University College for the next 5 years; and to make a statement.

(AQW 932/01)

Dr Farren: Under Spending Review 2000, allocations were made to Departments to cover the three financial years 2001/02 to 2003/04. I have already confirmed the allocations for the 2001/02 Academic Year in answer to Question 931. Allocations, for the 2002/2004 government financial years, which may be subject to change are:

These allocations cover both Colleges and relate to government financial years rather than academic years. The 2002/2003 capital figure includes £260,000, in respect of disability works, which has been apportioned equally between the two Colleges: otherwise no apportionment of monies has taken place.

Mr Mervyn Carrick asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to outline (a) how he is supporting the employment rights of students in the casual labour market; and (b) the impact that increased levels of student part-time work is having on the quality of tertiary education provision.

(AQW 937/01)

Dr Farren: (a) Casual workers enjoy protection from unlawful discrimination on the grounds of sex, race and fair employment legislation, and are covered by the provisions of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 and the Working Time Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998.

(b) Recent research suggests that having a part-time job, per se, does not have an adverse effect upon the ability of students to perform well. However it is suggested that working long hours – more than 15 per week – will be detrimental. The revised £65 million Student Support package which I recently announced provides significant support which will help to tackle the issue of debt aversion, which in turn can impel some people to work longer part-time hours.

Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the number of people who have gained employment through New Deal since May 1997.

(AQW 938/01)

Dr Farren: Between May 1997 and August 2001 a total of 21,103 people have gained employment through New Deal for 18-24 and New deal for 25+ in NI. Some of these people will have participated in New Deal more than once; this figure will therefore not correlate with published statistics which relate to participants. In order to ensure that there is clarity about the definitions used for New Deal statistics I have attached a glossary of terms for future reference.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED FOR NEW DEAL STATISTICAL PURPOSES

A participant is defined for statistical purposes as an individual on a single episode on New Deal. This the preferred way of counting individuals on New Deal. This is because one person may have more than one episode and so to count outcomes it is necessary to count each episode separately. For example, if an individual has been on two episodes of New Deal and gained employment as a result of only one, it is a more accurate reflection of the programme to record this as two participants of whom one has found work.

The start of a New Deal episode is defined as when an individual has either joined New Deal for the first time or re-joined after a gap of at least thirteen weeks since the end of their last New Deal activity.

The end of an episode of New Deal is counted as when an individual has left a New Deal activity and not entered another New Deal activity within 13 weeks. Where an individual re-joins New Deal after a gap of less than thirteen weeks they are considered to have re-joined the previous episode.

Moves into employment from New Deal are defined as either when a participant finishes an episode of New Deal and finds work within 13 weeks of leaving the programme or is currently on, or has been on, subsidised employment. Only one case of employment is counted for any New Deal episode.

Post New Deal employment is defined as where an individual finds employment within thirteen weeks of leaving an episode of New Deal.

Work is considered to have been sustained where a participant finds post New Deal employment within 13 weeks and sustains it for a minimum of 13 weeks.

Where an individual has had more than one spell of employment following a new deal episode only the latest one up to the thirteen week point will be counted. (i.e. no participant can have more than one ‘found work’ attached to a New Deal episode).

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning what action will be taken to reduce skills deficiencies.

(AQW 945/01)

Dr Farren: The Northern Ireland Skills Task Force, a body established to advise Government on local skills shortages, published a summary report in October which contains a wide range of recommendations to tackle skills deficiencies at all levels. My Department will consider these recommendations when developing and implementing future policies and strategies. The Task Force has already completed a range of research work and based on that a number of initiatives have been taken including targeting increases in Higher and Further Education places on areas of skills needs, including skills conversions programmes, working with employers on the Bridge to Employment Programme, increasing Modern Apprenticeships and focusing mainstream provision such as Jobskills on specific skill areas.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail (a) those sectors that are experiencing a skills shortage; and (b) his plans to address this situation.

(AQW 969/01)

Dr Farren: It would not be possible to simultaneously carry out detailed research on skills needs for all sectors of the economy. My Department has therefore commissioned research into the priority skills areas identified by the NI Skills Taskforce as having potential for growth and for strengthening the economy. These are Electronics, ICT, Engineering, Tourism & Hospitality and Construction. Education and training resources are being targeted towards these areas, as well as addressing cross-sectoral areas of concern, such as literacy and numeracy skills.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning what research he has undertaken to ascertain if skills development and training in the Higher and Further Education sectors are adequate in addressing the basic needs provision of businesses.

(AQW 970/01)

Dr Farren: Research commissioned by the NI Skills Taskforce has allowed my Department to target additional funding and places for Further and Higher Education in the priority skills areas. Details of the Department’s research are contained in the most recent Labour Market Bulletin which I have made available to Assembly Members. My Department has also encouraged educational establishments to ensure their programmes match current business needs by involving employers in the design, recognition and review of qualifications and in the delivery of work-place learning elements of their courses.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to ensure that incoming foreign direct investment will be attracted to Northern Ireland by putting in place innovative education and training programmes that are above the likely demands of existing employers.

(AQW 975/01)

Dr Farren: The quality of the Northern Ireland labour pool has traditionally been one of the major factors in attracting inward investment. My Department will continue to ensure that the Northern Ireland economy has the skills required to sustain and grow local industry. The Department works closely with the Industrial Development Board and others to ensure relevant high quality education and training provision, and, where specific skill needs are identified, ensures that appropriate initiatives are put in place.

Mr Jim Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what plans he has to provide an Enterprise Park for Comber.

(AQW 872/01)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): The Department does not have plans to create a specific Enterprise Park in Comber although locally we work with our partners, such as Ards Business Centre to review the economic needs of the area.

Ards Business Centre forms part of a network of 31 Enterprise Agencies throughout Northern Ireland, providing workspace and ongoing support to start-up companies. This service covers the Comber area.

In addition, I understand that a recent private sector application seeking planning approval to develop a light industrial park in the town has been supported by IDB.

My Department recognises that the lack of adequate suitable premises can sometimes be an obstacle to both the start up of new business and the expansion of existing businesses and wish to help overcome this. A number of schemes are currently administered through LEDU to help provide physical workspace for businesses. For example the Property Developers Scheme provides financial encouragement to private developers to provide buildings and I understand LEDU is currently in discussion with a number of interested parties in the area.

In situations where the private sector does not meet needs Community Economic Development Organisations can receive assistance through the Ulster Community Investment Trust. UCIT has received substantial funding from LEDU, DETI, DSD and IFI to help groups provide buildings.

IDB is continuing to work with DOE Planning Service to ensure adequate industrial land provision for the Ards Borough in the forthcoming draft Ards/Down Area Plan 2015. Publication of the draft plan is expected early 2002. It is understood that a 6.2 acre site at Ballygowan Road, Comber zoned under the current area plan still remains undeveloped.

Mr Wilson Clyde asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the number of new businesses that have been encouraged to locate in the South Antrim constituency; and to make a statement.

(AQW 889/01)

Sir Reg Empey: In the past three years LEDU has assisted 151 business start-ups in the South Antrim Constituency.

Over the same period IDB client companies in the constituency have brought forward projects involving investments of £97.6 million (towards which IDB offered Selective Financial Assistance of £11.1 million), 552 new jobs and the safeguarding of a further 374 jobs. There have also been 132 new and repeat visits by potential investors to the South Antrim Constituency during this time. In addition, Field Boxmore relocated its Belfast operation to a state of the art facility at Mallusk where it currently employs almost 200 people.

IDB and LEDU maintain contact with Newtownabbey and Antrim Borough Councils to understand their priorities for economic development and to work with the CORE group of councils, of which they are part, to market the region to potential investors.

Mr David McClarty asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what progress has been made to attract new international investment to Coleraine and its hinterland in terms of the hospitality and tourism sectors .

(AQW 898/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Creating a positive profile for an area is the first stage in stimulating developers’ interest. When projects come forward, NITB will work with developers to provide advice, information and, if appropriate, financial support.

For assistance with capital product development, the NITB, under the 1992 Tourism (NI) Order, operates a Selective Financial Assistance Scheme, known as the Tourism Development Scheme (TDS). Annually, some £4.714m is available.

In relation to Coleraine Borough Council, the NITB provided advice and £20,000 to produce a 2001-2010 Development Strategy for tourism in the area. To deliver the Strategy, a small tourism task force has been established and the NITB is represented on it by Gareth Kirk, Director of Investment.

Since 1988, 86 projects located in the Coleraine Borough Council area have been offered £7.3m grant for capital development, including support to attract a hotel in Portrush with an international marketing brand (Comfort Hotel). At present, a further 16 applications for financial support of approximately £2.5m are under consideration.

Mr Duncan Shipley Dalton asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail, by electoral ward, the unemployment rate for the parliamentary constituency of South Antrim.

(AQW 927/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Up-to-date unemployment statistics at ward level are only available from the claimant count. However, whilst the number of unemployed claimants at ward level may be obtained, unemployment rates at ward level are not available.

Details of the number of claimant count unemployed for each ward in South Antrim Parliamentary Constituency Area can be found in Table 1 overleaf. Also provided (Table 2) is an unemployment rate for South Antrim Parliamentary Constituency Area as a whole compared to Northern Ireland.

District Council	Ward	Male	Female	Total
Antrim	Toome	27	9	36
Antrim	Drumanaway	17	5	22
Antrim	Cranfield	23	13	36
Antrim	Randalstown	26	12	38
Antrim	Tardree	9	7	16
Antrim	Templepatrick	14	7	21
Antrim	Rathenraw	22	4	26
Antrim	Springfarm	36	17	53
Antrim	Massereene	32	10	42
Antrim	Balloo	16	7	23
Antrim	Fountain Hill	40	11	51
Antrim	Steeple	26	10	36
Antrim	Stiles	25	11	36
Antrim	Greystone	39	18	57
Antrim	NewPark	16	7	23
Antrim	Ballycraigy	29	10	39
Antrim	Clady	21	17	38
Antrim	Aldergrove	18	6	24
Antrim	Crumlin	44	18	62
Newtownabbey	Mallusk	35	14	49
Newtownabbey	Doagh	31	12	43
Newtownabbey	Ballyclare North	71	15	86
Newtownabbey	Ballyclare South	35	10	45
Newtownabbey	Ballynure	35	9	44
Newtownabbey	Hawthorne	36	10	46
Newtownabbey	Ballyduff	31	11	42
Newtownabbey	Carnmoney	40	17	57
Newtownabbey	Mossley	46	8	54
Newtownabbey	Burnthill	14	4	18
Newtownabbey	Ballyhenry	17	11	28
Newtownabbey	Glengormley	30	13	43
Newtownabbey	Glebe	25	3	28
Newtownabbey	Hightown	27	13	40
Newtownabbey	Collinbridge	26	14	40
Total - South Antrim PCA		979	363	1,342

Tourism Ireland : Marketing Strategy

Mr David McClarty asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what progress has been made by Tourism Ireland to produce a marketing strategy for Northern Ireland for 2002.

(AQW 946/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board is currently working with Tourism Ireland to finalise those elements of TIL's international marketing programme which will deliver business for Northern Ireland in 2002. It will be Tourism Ireland's function from January 2002 to undertake the marketing of the island of Ireland in international markets while overall responsibility for the success of Northern Ireland tourism, and the role of securing business for NI and its product providers, will continue to reside with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

Tourism Ireland launched an outline marketing strategy and 2002 operations programme to tourism and travel industry representatives in Belfast, Dublin and London during the first two weeks of November. Consultation has also been ongoing between TIL and the new all-island Tourism Marketing Partnership which comprises representatives of the tourism industry from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on an equal basis.

Mr David McClarty asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what assessment he has made in relation to the contribution of tourism to Northern Ireland's GDP in (i) 2000/01; (ii) 2001/02; and to make a statement.

(AQW 947/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Estimates of tourism’s contribution to Northern Ireland’s GDP in 2000/01 and 2001/02 are unavailable, as the required data for such estimation is as yet incomplete. In 1999, visitor and domestic tourism in Northern Ireland was estimated to have contributed 1.9% of total Northern Ireland GDP, an initial assessment would suggest a similar figure for 2000/01.