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Written Answers to Questions Office
of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister State Award for NI Fire Service Mr Dalton asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, pursuant to AQO 595/01, to outline if the process to propose a State award for the Northern Ireland Fire Service has commenced. (AQW 2793/01) Reply: Officials from our Department have received written submissions from interested parties and they have also met with those parties. There have also been a number of requests for further meetings. We are in the process of considering the outcome of these discussions and will bring the issue of a State award for the Northern Ireland Fire Service to the Executive for consideration in the near future. Civic Forum Mr Weir asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to detail the level of attendance by each member of the Civic Forum in each of the last 2 years. (AQW 4182/01) Reply: The Civic Forum met for the first time in October 2000. Members of the Civic Forum attend plenary meetings, which are held every 2 months and participate in the work of the Forum through its sub-committees and project groups. Three sub-committees –General Purposes (GPC), Key Issues (KIC), and Communications (Comms) undertake much of the Forums work. The Civic Forum has also established 4 project teams - Lifelong Learning (LLL), Towards a Plural Society (TaPS), Anti Poverty (A-Pov) and Creating a Sustainable Northern Ireland (CSNI). The attached table provides details of each member’s attendance at plenary, sub-committee and project group meetings from October 2000 to June 2002. The information is provided on a financial year basis.
Civic Forum Mr Weir asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to detail the total attendance of members at each meeting of the Civic Forum since its inception. (AQW 4183/01) Reply: The Civic Forum met for the first time in October 2000. Members of the Civic Forum attend plenary meetings, which are held every 2 months and participate in the work of the Forum through its sub-committees and project groups. Three sub-committees –General Purposes (GPC), Key Issues (KIC), and Communications (Comms) undertake much of the Forums work. The Civic Forum has also established 4 project teams - Lifelong Learning (LLL), Towards a Plural Society (TaPS), Anti Poverty (A-Pov) and Creating a Sustainable Northern Ireland (CSNI). The attached table provides details of the total attendance of members at plenary, sub-committee and project group meetings from October 2000 until 12th June 2002.
Civic Forum: Members’ Expenses Mr Weir asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to outline the expenses claimed for each member of the Civic Forum since its inception. (AQW 4184/01) Reply: Expenses claimed by Civic Forum members are detailed in the attached table.
Civic Forum: Members’ Expenses Mr Weir asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to outline the total expenses claimed by the members of the Civic Forum in each of the last 2 years. (AQW 4185/01) Reply: The total expenses claimed by the members of the Civic Forum in each financial year since the Forum’s inception are as follows:
Commissioner for Children and Mr Armstrong asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, in preparation for the Commissioner for Children and Young People Bill and the Children’s Strategy, what contact it had with (a) children and youth departments of any churches; and (b) children and youth para-church organisations. (AQW 4421/01) Reply: An extensive consultation process was carried out, between August and November 2001, on proposals to establish a Commissioner for Children and Young People. The main churches and other faith-based groups, including para-church organisations, were included in the distribution lists for the consultation and a number responded. A list of all those who responded can be viewed at www.allchildrenni.gov.uk. Ministers also met with representatives of Christian Action Research and Education for Northern Ireland (CARE) and the Maranatha Community, and participated in an interdenominational conference for faith-based groups. Work on the Children’s Strategy, is at an early stage, but two para-church organisations, namely CARE for NI and Youth Link, have been included in the planning group for the Children and Young People’s Unit’s Advisory Forum and two places will be offered to faith-based groups on the Non-Governmental Organisations’ Forum. Cross-Departmental Gender Equality Strategy: Analysis Dr Birnie asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister what analysis has been conducted as part of the development of the cross departmental gender equality strategy in relation to (a) the extent of earning differences between women and men; and (b) the importance of explanations of any such differences. (AQW 4435/01) Reply: In developing the Gender Equality Strategy, analysis of existing data and pre-consultation discussions with stakeholders have helped our officials to identify that employment and associated matters, such as the earnings differences between women and men, should indeed be highlighted as a key strategic area within the draft strategy. We intend, subject to Ministerial and Executive approval to issue the draft document for full public consultation later this year. The Strategy will provide a framework under which Departments’ policies and practices may be channelled towards achieving the strategic goal of promoting gender equality, and will build on the work already being done under section 75. It will therefore be for the Department with lead policy responsibility for equal pay to move this work forward in the future You may be interested to know that our officials have been involved in publicising the Castle Awards which are the new mark of excellence rewarding work being done by employers, trade unions and individual employees across the UK in tackling equal pay issues within their organisation. |
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