(AQW 1324/01)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Ms Hanna): I attach tables illustrating the take-up rate of student loans by students at the relevant further and higher education colleges during the last three complete academic years. A further table illustrates the increase in take-up rates, by institution, over the same period.

(AQW 1598/01)

Ms Hanna: In the period since devolution my Department and associated agencies have not tendered to or awarded any work to W&G Baird.

(AQW 1602/01)

Ms Hanna: Since New Deal began in April 1998 a total of 23,813 participants had left the New Deal 18-24 programme up to August 2001. 43% of those whose destination is known found work. A total of 30,166 participants had left the New Deal 25+. 26% of those whose destination is known found work.

Detailed figures for the known destination of participants on the New Deal for 50+ are not currently available but I will provide you with a corresponding table of destinations as soon as possible.

I have arranged to have tables providing a breakdown of the known destinations of all those leaving New Deal broken down by programme and year to be placed in the Assembly library for your information.

(AQW 1609/01)

Ms Hanna: NI domiciled students who choose to study outside the UK and the ROI are not eligible for support under the Education (Student Support) (Northern Ireland) Regulations. Under EU legislation such students can apply to the host country for limited assistance towards the cost of fees. General information on studying in other EU countries is available to potential students and schools from my Department’s Careers Occupational Information Unit. This guidance will be included in the "Financial Support for Higher Education Students" booklet for the 2002/03 academic year.

(AQW 1625/01)

Ms Hanna: The current number of New Deal advisers is 159 and the percentage of vacancies is 7%. These vacancies have been accorded priority and are currently being addressed by internal transfers, promotions, importing from other departments and direct recruitment.

(AQW 1636/01)

Ms Hanna: Following appointment, all Department of Employment & Learning Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPB) Board Members receive relevant information to assist them in carrying out their roles, in line with recommendations made by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (previously the Nolan Committee, now the Neill Committee). This information includes Codes of Practice which are based on Cabinet Office guidelines with which they are required to comply.

(AQW 1651/01)

Ms Hanna: Prior to 1998, the information is not available in the form required. I enclose relevant information for the last 3 complete academic years.

(AQW 1727/01)

Ms Hanna: In announcing the suspension of the ILA programme to allow for its review, Sean Farren asked the Further Education Colleges, learndirect centres, and other community based learning providers to extend their provisions during the suspension, particularly to those who are socially or educationally disadvantaged. The learndirect free-phone helpline gives impartial advice on these and other learning opportunities, and on the financial and other support that may be available.

(AQW 1728/01)

Ms Hanna: It is impossible to say exactly how many Individual Learning Account holders had intended to use their Accounts following the closure of the scheme. Where such cases are known to the Department, my officials will write to the persons concerned explaining the position and the options open to them. To date, some 1,100 such letters have been sent.

(AQW 1527/01)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): The downturn in leading global economies, exacerbated by the events of September 11, has resulted in an unprecedented reduction in available mobile inward investment opportunities.

In addition the average size of projects in employment terms has also reduced significantly. Our competitors are also experiencing these factors. The technology communications and aerospace sectors have been particularly badly affected. Levels of business investment have fallen steeply as companies have either postponed or abandoned proposals.

The depth and duration of the global downturn is uncertain.

(AQW 1591/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The study in question does not include the Republic of Ireland as an export market, and therefore discounts the largest and fastest growing export market for those small businesses assisted by the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU).

Another recent study carried out by NIERC showed that over the period 1996-99, the growth rates of LEDU assisted manufacturing clients were almost three times higher than the Northern Ireland and UK average, as well as outperforming their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland.

LEDU has been proactive in terms of assisting small businesses to sell outside Northern Ireland. A range of programmes is in place to provide businesses with the support and encouragement they need to identify and exploit new market opportunities.

(AQW 1634/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Following appointment, all Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) Board members receive relevant and timely information to assist them in carrying out their role, in line with recommendations made by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (previously the Nolan Committee, now the Neill Committee).

This information includes a copy of the Code of Best Practice for Board Members which each NDPB has, and which takes account of the 'Guidance on Codes of Best Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies', incorporated in the White Paper 'The Governance of Public Bodies: A Progress Report' published in February 1997.

The 'Guidance on Codes of Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies' suggests a framework which covers such issues as the Role of the Chair and Chief Executive; the corporate and individual responsibilities of Board Members in ensuring high standards of propriety and governance; handling conflicts of interest, including the keeping of registers and the legal restrictions in taking part in decisions; board members’ political activities; personal liability, and issues of openness and responsiveness.

(AQW 1663/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board makes reference to the Ulster Way in its publication "Information Guide to Walking in Northern Ireland".

The Tourist Board is also taking part in the Working Group which is reviewing the future of the Ulster Way and which is to bring forward proposals in mid 2002.

Promotion of the route as a tourist attraction will be adjusted in light of the recommendations and actions that flow from the review.

(AQW 1761/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Levels of grant assistance are determined according to that required to secure projects for Northern Ireland and on the basis of assessments that the grant will leverage a net benefit to the economy, and that the amounts offered are within European limits. Enhanced rates of assistance may be offered to projects locating in New Targeting Social Need (TSN) areas, if required.

DETI’s list of Council areas which have been designated as New TSN does not presently include Carrickfergus. However, the Department is currently reviewing its approach to New TSN areas as part of the 2002 update of its New TSN Action Plan.

(AQW 1762/01)

Sir Reg Empey: As Selection/C-Mac have now merged and trade under the Solectron name, IDB will work with Solectron to explore ways in which the local operation can start to grow again. This will include developing relationships with the parent company to position Northern Ireland as a preferred site for other mobile projects within the corporation.

In conjunction with Carrickfergus Enterprise Agency, Local Economic Development Unit (LEDU) will contact Solectron to seek management agreement to hold a counselling session on site. This will include representatives from Department of Employment and Learning (DEL), Department of Social Development (DSD) and Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) and was viewed as beneficial by employees involved in previous closures – AVX and Insilco.

All IDB client companies are encouraged to use the range of programmes available to improve their international competitiveness through business excellence and to increase international trade. A number of companies within the East Antrim constituency have made use of these initiatives including undertaking competitiveness assessments and participating on Market Access Visits to Europe, USA and Canada.

IDB will continue to market the East Antrim area to potential investors. In the period April 1998 to date, there have been 75 first time and 19 repeat visits by potential investors to the East Antrim area – 25 of which were to the Carrickfergus Borough Council area.

I also understand that the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) have established a Working Group to assess the economic impact of actual and potential redundancies in the local economy which will consider ways in which DEL can also respond to the resulting difficulties, identifying additional resources required as appropriate. Officials from my department through IDB, LEDU, Industrial Research and Technology Unit (IRTU) and the Company Development Programme are represented in this Group.

(AQW 1772/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I have met with Solectron and when the merger between Solectron and C-Mac was announced I personally wrote to top management to reinforce government support for the Northern Ireland operations. More recently I have maintained close contact through my officials who had a number of meetings with the company offering assistance to minimise the local impact of the global downturn in the electronics market. The company’s decision was made on commercial grounds and the job losses are very much regretted.

Solectron, with Headquarters in Silicon Valley, California is a $16 billion global operation and the world’s largest electronic manufacturing services company. Despite the job losses Solectron remains committed to Northern Ireland and is consolidating its operations into a new factory building at Carrickfergus. My Department will continue to work closely with the company to explore ways in which we can encourage the company to grow again here.

Solectron Corporation also owns Stream International, a successful call centre operation employing 650 people in Londonderry.

(AQW 1773/01)

(a) All IDB client companies are encouraged to use the range of programmes available to improve their international competitiveness through business excellence and to increase international trade. A number of companies within the East Antrim constituency have made use of these initiatives and companies such as FG Wilson, Getty Connections and LB Meat Products have participated on Market Access Visits to Europe, USA and Canada, whilst others have undertaken competitiveness assessments.

(b) IDB will continue to market the East Antrim area to potential investors. In the period April 1998 to date, there have been 75 first time and 19 repeat visits by potential investors to the East Antrim area. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) continues to promote investment by undertaking marketing activity and through the provision of financial assistance for marketing and development projects. The NITB will continue to work with the Councils and local tourism providers to promote tourism in the East Antrim area.

LEDU is also working closely with Carrickfergus and Larne Councils and Carrickfergus Enterprise Agency and LEDCOM in respect of a number of business development and start-up programmes. LEDCOM has recently developed a Fresh Start Enterprise Programme on behalf of LEDU which will target those affected by redundancy.

The NITB continues to promote investment by undertaking marketing activity and through the provision of financial assistance for marketing and development projects. The NITB will continue to work with the Councils and local tourism providers to promote tourism in the East Antrim area.

(AQW 1774/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Unemployment statistics at Parliamentary Constituency level are only available from the claimant count and the most up-to-date figures available relate to December 2001.

Details of claimant count unemployment in East Antrim Parliamentary Constituency Area and a comparison with Northern Ireland as a whole can be found in Table 1 overleaf.

Over the year to December 2001, claimant unemployment in East Antrim Parliamentary Constituency Area fell by 1.0% (18 claimants) compared to a fall of 8.5% (3,377 claimants) in Northern Ireland as a whole.

Of the 18 Parliamentary Constituencies, East Antrim had the sixth highest unemployment rate at December 2001.

While the percentage unemployed for East Antrim is higher than for Northern Ireland as a whole, my Department, through IDB and LEDU, and, when it is established, the new economic development agency Invest Northern Ireland, will continue to work with companies and with the local councils and enterprise agencies in the area to promote further economic activity and employment in the area.

(AQW 1776/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The wider telecommunications industry of which fibre optics forms a part has suffered the most dramatic downturn in its history over the past twelve months. The most recent forecasts indicate that an upturn is not anticipated until the end of this year at the very earliest with the intervening period expected to be a difficult time.

There have been significant job losses in this sector over recent months and our assessment is that locally most organisations have taken the action necessary to reach levels that are relatively sustainable. If however in the short term the market deteriorates further than expected then further job losses cannot be ruled out.

In the longer term there is universal agreement that demand for bandwidth will increase and growth will return to this sector.