(AQW 1845/01)

Reply [holding answer 22 February 2002]: The costs associated with our joint seven day visit to the USA in early February amount to £69,263.

(AQW 2127/01)

Reply: The information is not readily available in the format requested. Information for the Offices of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister has been provided only in relation to Ministerial visits outside the United Kingdom, with the exception of visits to the USA on 16 March 2000 and 17 April 2000, and for visits made by the Junior Ministers only after May 2000.

The information available is listed below;

(AQW 2400/01)

Reply: We have not as yet jointly made representations through the British- Irish Council to create a register of sex offenders. However, we believe that this is an issue which should be raised now for consideration by the British-Irish Council.

At a North South Ministerial Council Education sectoral meeting on 28 November 2001in Dublin, the North South Ministerial Council noted a report from the Child Protection Joint Working Group. It was agreed that there was a need to develop a confidential mechanism for the registration of teachers and other workers in the education field who are deemed unsafe to work with children and young people.

The meeting recognised that this was a complex issue and agreed that it was essential for all jurisdictions to continue to collaborate to achieve an effective solution and that appropriate legislation would be required. We understand that a further report from the Child Protection Joint Working Group will be made to the next Education sectoral meeting.

(AQW 3625/01)

Reply: In developing our proposal for a community relations framework, we wish to include measures to tackle the underlying causes of sectarianism, distrust and intolerance and to support efforts by local communities to resolve their differences, through engagement and dialogue, targeted on those areas where tension is greatest. In doing so, we will give careful consideration to the forthcoming report of the North Belfast Community Action Project. We will consider whether the approach taken by that Project provides lessons that can be applied in other areas, bearing in mind that different measures may be required for different areas, depending on local circumstances and needs.

We intend to consult on our proposals shortly.

(AQW 3689/01)

Reply: Information concerning flights made by Ministers and Officials in other departments is not held by our Department.

The attached table details the number of flights, invoiced to this office, made between Northern Ireland and Great Britain by Ministers and officials from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister for the financial years 2000/2001 and 2001/2002.

It has not been possible to identify individual journeys for 1999/2000.

(AQW 4259/01)

Reply: Responsibility for the 70 Interchange of Data between Administrations (IDA) Projects lies with the European Commission. The projects, along with the funding, have already been allocated to the appropriate Directorates within the Commission. Such projects are not located or partially located in Northern Ireland or any of the Member States but appropriate Government Departments participate in the projects.

By way of example, The Common Agricultural Policy Electronic Dictionary project has been allocated to The European Commission’s Agriculture Directorate-General. On completion, the Dictionary will be available to all parties involved such as the Member States and the European Commission.

(AQW 4308/01)

Reply: Details of attendance were given in our statement on 2 July. Each of the NI Departments will bear the travel and subsistence costs for their respective Minister(s) and officials who attended the meeting. The total travel and subsistence costs for this meeting which will be borne by the NI Administration are estimated to be £11,600.

(AQW 4332/01)

(a) The amount of money spent on community relations programmes in each of the last three financial years was as follows:

The totals include funding provided under the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation 1995-99 (Peace I), the EU Physical, Social and Environment Sectoral Programme 1994-99 and the interim funding arrangements pending the coming into operation of the Peace II Programme.

(b) It is the Department’s practice to commission regular independent evaluations of its funding of community relations programmes. Within the last two years, two reports have been completed evaluating the funding provided to the Community Relations Council and the District Council Community Relations Programme which together amount to some £4.3m of the mainstream Community Relations Programme provision of just over £5m annually. These evaluations will feed into the current review of community relations policy which includes an assessment of the impacts and achievements of current policy.

(AQW 4372/01)

Reply: The review has considered the responsibilities of the Equality Commission in relation to the statutory duties of public authorities to have regard of the need to promote equality of opportunity under Section 75 (1) and to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations under Section 75 (2).

This is one of a number of matters on which comments will be sought in a forthcoming consultation paper on a new community relations strategy. Our aim is to publish the consultation paper this month.

(AQW 4436/01)

Reply: We are not yet in a position to indicate when the Malone Road Barracks will be transferred as no firm date has been set. We will, however, be publicly announcing the transfer when the date is clear.

As yet there are no plans for its use. The transfer of all the significant security and military assets offers us many possibilities for economic and social regeneration. We will want to consider all the options carefully so that we achieve dynamic development, working in partnership with local communities.

(AQW 4369/01)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey) [supplementary answer]: The information in my letter was not correct in respect of Foras na Gaeilge (the Irish Language Agency). In July 2002 Foras na Gaeilge (the Irish Language Agency) employed 34 staff, rather than 45 as previously stated in my answer of 30 July 2002.

(AQW 4501/01)

Mr McGimpsey: [supplementary answer]: My response of 24 July 2002 did not take account of a meeting of the Language Body on 30 June 2002.

(AQW 2965/01)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): [supplementary answer]: Unfortunately, the information contained in my previous answer to you in relation to (a) the number of credit cards in use in (i) my Department; (ii) Executive Agencies of my Department; (iii) NDPBs of my Department; and (iv) any other bodies funded by my Department; and (b) how much has been spent on each card in the financial year ended 31 March 2002 was incomplete. The corrected position is detailed below.

I apologise for any inconvenience.

(AQW 4347/01)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr P Robinson): During the debate following my statement to the Assembly on the 10 June I advised members that my priority in this investigation was for thoroughness rather than speed. However, on the basis of his progress to date the inspector is on target to complete his enquiries and prepare his report by the autumn. I would hope to be in a position to make a further statement to the Assembly shortly after I receive the report.