(AQW 4140/01)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Ms Hanna): I specifically asked Prof Fulton, who chaired the Review of Careers Education and Guidance, to consider what structures might be most appropriate for the delivery of careers guidance in Northern Ireland, bearing in mind developments on this issue in Great Britain. I am prepared to look positively at proposals which strengthen the careers guidance service locally.

(AQW 4146/01)

Ms Hanna: Information is not held in precisely the form requested. The numbers of civil servants in the Department of Employment and Learning who are known to live in (a) the constituency of West Tyrone and (b) the constituencies of Foyle and East Londonderry who work in one of the 4 Belfast constituencies as at January 2002 are 18 and 31 respectively.

(AQW 4213/01)

Ms Hanna: Universities in the UK are autonomous institutions responsible for their own policies, practices and admission procedures and I have no locus in these matters, nor does my Department hold the statistical breakdown of applications which you have requested.

(AQO 1690/01)

Ms Hanna: I am entirely satisfied that the requirements of Section 75 of the Act are being fulfilled. Young people from the North West are treated no less favourably than those from other parts of Northern Ireland when making an application to join the Electrical Installation Modern Apprenticeship programme. All those who satisfy the eligibility criteria laid down by the Department and the industry are offered a place on the programme.

(AQO 1681/01)

Ms Hanna: The information that is available comes from the Regulatory Impact Assessments that my Department has carried out on each piece of proposed employment legislation since devolution. These assessments are forecasts, made prior to implementation, of the risks, costs and benefits likely to arise as a result of the legislation. For the five pieces of employment legislation that have come into operation since devolution an estimated total cost to all employers ranging from £889,250 to £4,150,000 for the first year of their operation was forecast. It is not possible to separate out the estimated impact on small business.

It is worth mentioning that these impact assessments are published along with the relevant consultation documents.

(AQO 1668/01)

Ms Hanna: The closing date for written responses to the Essential Skills for Living Strategy was 21 June 2002. During the consultation period all of the strands detailed in the Strategy have been closely examined by the key stakeholders working in this area. It is not possible to indicate the specific issues that have been raised until all the responses have been analysed.

(AQO 1676/01)

Ms Hanna: The existing systems for monitoring starts against achievement rates will continue to be applied to all Jobskills training organisations during the temporary extension period.

(AQO 1670/01)

Ms Hanna: Research and development by the universities make a significant contribution to the economy of Northern Ireland. My Department has a number of initiatives designed to enhance the responsiveness of higher education to the needs of business, including the Higher Education Reach Out to Business and the Community fund and the Universities centres of excellence established with funding under the Support Programme for University Research.

(AQO 1680/01)

Ms Hanna: In 2000 the Government identified widening participation as its main priority in higher education and set as a target for the Higher Education Funding Council for England that 50% of those between the ages of 18 and 30 should have the opportunity to benefit from higher education by the end of the decade. Higher Education is a transferred matter and my Department has decided not to adopt the participation target for 18-30 year olds. My key strategic goal is to widen access to, and increase participation in, higher education by students from groups who are under represented in HE and I am addressing this issue through a number of broad policy directions and a range of specific target actions.

(AQO 1671/01)

Ms Hanna: The task force on Employability and Long-Term Unemployment is considering these issues on a Northern Ireland-wide basis. There is considerable commonality on both the analysis of the problems and of possible areas for action between the 3 Taskforces. A number of the targeted initiatives coming out of the Employability Taskforce report will be relevant to the issues raised in the West Belfast and Greater Shankill Taskforces.

(AQO 1669/01)

Ms Hanna: The impact of the GB Student Support review on Northern Ireland will depend on its outcomes, which are due to be announced in July. I will give serious consideration to any new initiatives that may be proposed and will consider the implications for Northern Ireland.

(AQW 4100/01)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): My Department, through its agency Invest NI, is committed to attracting inward investment to Northern Ireland.

Invest NI can offer potential investors a range of incentives to locate in Northern Ireland. Investors have largely chosen locations in or close to the Belfast and Londonderry conurbations. Invest NI recognizes that the skills and opportunities available in local areas to potential investors will be critical to attracting investment to these areas.

Invest NI’s Corporate Plan 2002-2005 includes an objective "to attract high-quality, knowledge based investment from outside Northern Ireland". To help achieve this aim, Invest NI plans to strengthen the services that are delivered through it’s local office network, including energising the effort to attract inward investment to specific localities of Northern Ireland. Much work has already been done to develop a local sales message. Workshops have taken place recently at five locations throughout Northern Ireland where local stakeholders were brought together to establish how this local sales message can be taken even further.

Invest NI will continue to market all of Northern Ireland as an investment location. Indeed Invest NI’s Corporate Plan, includes a specific target of attracting 75% of all first-time inward investment projects to New TSN areas. We will encourage potential investors to visit all areas of Northern Ireland including Armagh City and District Council, which will benefit the Keady and Markethill areas.

(AQW 4166/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The role of the Industrial Development Board was to encourage the development of competitive companies, leading to increased employment. The table below provides information on jobs created in IDB client companies in South Down during each of the last 4 years.

(AQW 4167/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Estimates of the number of employee jobs at electoral ward level are only available from the Census of Employment and the most up to date figures relate to September 1999.

Employee jobs estimates by electoral ward for the South Down Parliamentary Constituency Area can be found in Table 1 overleaf.

Source: NI Census of Employment, September 1999

(AQW 4168/01)

Sir Reg Empey: On 22 May 2002 the Permanent Secretary issued an instruction to staff in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and NDPBs outlining guidance, in terms of control systems, for the use of credit cards. The guidance was also copied to the Chairs of the Audit Committees in the Department’s sponsored bodies. The Internal Audit Service within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has been instructed to ensure that control systems, over the use of credit cards, are reviewed as a priority item. This circular supports guidance previously issued on 16 November 2001 to Accounting Officers by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

In addition, the departmental Fraud Policy governs all types of fraud, including credit card fraud.

(AQW 4169/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I can confirm that no disciplinary action was taken against the Chief Executive of IDB in relation to the information which was given to the Westminster Public Accounts Committee in 1999 on the Hualon Project.

(AQW 4170/01)

Sir Reg Empey: My Department and Invest Northern Ireland are not aware of any political representations having been made on behalf of grant aid applications by Lintrend Textiles.

(AQW 4173/01)

Sir Reg Empey: During the period 1997-2001 public funding has been provided as follows:

The funding involved 4 projects, 2 involving photovoltaic panels at the Southern Education and Library Board’s Headquarters (Armagh) and at the ECOS Millennium Centre (Ballymena). The other 2 projects involved solar panels for heating water, 1 at Fermanagh District Council’s Offices (Townhall, Enniskillen) and 1 at the ECOS Centre (Ballymena)

(AQW 4174/01)

Sir Reg Empey: No public funding has been paid to land based wind turbine farms in any of the last 5 years. Such developments are entirely a matter for the private sector. However funding has been provided over the last 5 years for 13 small scale wind turbines projects designed to displace electricity from the grid for onsite use.

(AQW 4177/01)

1. Invest NI has recently completed a review of the operations of its Local Office Network to ensure that it is best positioned to meet the needs of its client companies. The review also took into account the expanded role of local offices resulting from their integration into Invest NI with a greater range of involvement in economic development issues. The local offices are now involved in supporting the Inward Investment work of Invest NI’s Business International Division and in Property Services issues. Working in partnership with local Councils and other agencies in local economic development will be a high priority for the Local Office Network.

2. The review took into account the expanded role of the network and also its geographical coverage of Northern Ireland. A recruitment process is underway and additional staff should be in place by late summer. The geographical coverage of the network is being expanded with the proposed opening of extension offices in Craigavon, Enniskillen and Coleraine as an outreach of existing Local Office Network.

3. The Local Office network is therefore in the process of being fully complemented to meet and fulfil its role within Invest NI. The agency will keep both the complement level and the geographic distribution of offices under review.

(AQW 4381/01)

Sir Reg Empey: A range of measures are in place to encourage anyone with a business idea to consider setting up his own business. These include the current TV media campaign, a series of Personal Enterprise Roadshows and the support available under the Invest NI Business Start Programme and Invest NI Growth Start Programme.

All of the above are available to people over 60.

(AQW 4382/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I am very aware of the significance of this issue. In this context my Department is fully committed to supporting the work of the NI Ageing Population Panel who have identified the opportunity for new market opportunities arising from the increase in the number of people living beyond 60 as a key economic issue for the future. With my Department’s support the Panel has organised a number of seminars related to this and other age-related issues, and more are planned for the future.

(AQW 4089/01)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Nesbitt): The Department is currently considering 5 planning applications for development at Millmount, Dundonald.

The principle of development on these lands was established in the Belfast Urban Area Plan 2001 which identified lands suitable for development at the edge of the Belfast Urban Area (BUA) to meet an anticipated requirement for expansion of the urban area beyond 1993. These lands are referred to as ‘Whitelands’.

In addition the RDS indicates that housing in the Belfast Metropolitan Area should include the ‘whitelands’ as one element in meeting anticipated growth requirements.

Seventeen planning applications for housing development on the Belfast Urban Area "whitelands" including 3 of the Millmount applications were submitted during the latter half of 1996. These applications were submitted to meet housing needs up to the time of adoption of a new Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan.

These applications were subject to a public inquiry during 1997. In a press statement issued on 7 September 1998, the then Minister, Lord Dubs, announced that he was minded to grant planning permission to fourteen applications for a total of 3,700 houses in line with the recommendations of the PAC following the public inquiry.

This included approval of 1,080 houses in the Millmount area. The Department subsequently wrote to the applicants on 7 September 1998 stating that it was minded to approve, in line with the recommendations of the Planning Appeals Commission. Approval of the applications is subject to Article 40 Agreements involving my Department and each of the landowners. Article 40 Agreements are currently being finalised with solicitors acting for each of the parties.

The fourth application was submitted in 1999 relating to land adjacent to Ballyoran House, which was previously included in one of the original applications submitted in 1996.

The fifth application, for a small area of land which was subject to the public inquiry but which constitutes the remainder of the "whiteland" in the Millmount area, has been submitted and the Department has considered this additional land as part of the overall development.

The Millmount "whitelands" have already been considered suitable for housing following the public inquiry held in 1997 and the Planning Service has been working with the land owners and developers to ensure the delivery of good quality sustainable development.

(AQW 4114/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The number of applications which have been approved for planning permission in the South Belfast constituency area in the last two years is set out below.

Information on the number of these applications relating to building work which had already begun is not available from the Department’s computer records and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

(AQW 4194/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2) 

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4195/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2) 

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4196/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2) 

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4197/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2)

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4198/01)

(1) A second survey evaluation of the stables behind the site of 16 Ashley Avenue is underway.

Upon receipt of the second survey evaluation report, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will assess the findings, to determine if the stables merit listing. If so, there will be statutory consultation with the Historic Buildings Council and Belfast City Council.

(2) 

(3) Local communities can play a valuable role in the identification of buildings that have special architectural or historic interest. My Department liaises closely with such groups, including local building preservation trusts, conservation groups, historical societies and concerned individuals.

(4) My officials approached the developer seeking an opportunity to undertake a full second survey appraisal, with a view to re-considering the case for listing. The developer chose not to do so and demolition began on the eve of the survey. I must emphasise that, as the house was neither listed nor in a Conservation Area, no statutory approvals were needed for its demolition.

(5) Neither I nor my officials have spoken to Convis Ltd in relation to the late 19th-century urban stables immediately behind 16 Ashley Avenue.

(AQW 4226/01)

Mr Nesbitt: I do not have the information that would enable me to answer these questions.

I can confirm that my Department is committed to promoting Carrickfergus Castle as an outstanding part of our heritage. However, I accept that there is scope for improving visitor awareness of the attractions of Carrickfergus Castle. As I explained in response to AQW 3090/01, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) is in the process of recruiting a Marketing Officer who will be responsible for developing a marketing strategy to promote all of EHS’s sites and properties, including Carrickfergus Castle.

In developing this strategy, EHS will be considering the opportunities for using the Causeway Coast and Glens Regional Tourism Organisation, and similar organisations, to promote Carrickfergus Castle.

(AQW 4227/01)

Mr Nesbitt: I do not have the information that would enable me to answer these questions.

I can confirm that my Department is committed to promoting Carrickfergus Castle as an outstanding part of our heritage. However, I accept that there is scope for improving visitor awareness of the attractions of Carrickfergus Castle. As I explained in response to AQW 3090/01, my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) is in the process of recruiting a Marketing Officer who will be responsible for developing a marketing strategy to promote all of EHS’s sites and properties, including Carrickfergus Castle.

In developing this strategy, EHS will be considering the opportunities for using the Causeway Coast and Glens Regional Tourism Organisation, and similar organisations, to promote Carrickfergus Castle.

(AQW 4246/01)

Mr Nesbitt: Information on the number of planning applications that have received retrospective planning permission in the South Belfast area in each of the last three years, is not available from the Department’s computer records, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

(AQW 4277/01)

(a) The Waste Management Grant Scheme for 2002/03 has not yet been finalised. As a result of the failure of some Councils to make payments to suppliers under the 2001/02 Scheme before the end of the financial year, some £680,000 of the 2001/02 allocations fall to be accounted for as 2002/03 expenditure. This reduced the amount available for distribution to Councils in the current year. I am pleased to say, however, that I have been successful in bidding for the restoration of the sum in the June monitoring round. This will enable the 2002/03 Scheme to be finalised and allocations agreed in the near future.

(b) As was the case for the 2001/02 scheme, it is intended that the funds available to Councils will be distributed on the basis of weighted population percentage, adjusted to ensure that those Councils which were unable to take up their 2001/02 allocations are not disadvantaged in the long term. Accordingly, there are no applications or closing dates.

(c) All District Councils will benefit from the scheme this year.