21 Apr 1999 : Column: 535
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 21 April 1999
NORTHERN IRELAND
Police Reform
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will assess the benefits of using the concept of institutional (a) sectarianism and (b) anti- nationalism within the context of reforming policing in Northern Ireland. [80723]
Mr. Ingram: The Government consider equality of treatment and respect for different cultures as fundamental aspects of the ethos of any police service.
The terms of reference of the Independent Commission on policing, as established by the Good Friday Agreement, require the Commission to make proposals designed to ensure that policing arrangements, including composition, recruitment, training, culture, ethos and symbols, are such that the police service in Northern Ireland can enjoy widespread support from, and be seen as an integral part of, the community as a whole.
The Commission is consulting widely, and will report this Summer. The Government look forward to receiving the Commission's report.
Mr. MacKay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the cost of the Northern Ireland Assembly is drawn from the Northern Ireland grant; and what the costs of the Assembly (a) were in the 1998-99 financial year and (b) are projected to be in the 1999-2000 financial year. [81037]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Yes. 1998-99 expenditure was £10.6m. It will be for the Assembly to determine its operating costs in 1999-2000. In February, the Assembly Commission estimated this at £36m.
Mr. MacKay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the cost of policing civil unrest continues to be a charge against the Northern Ireland grant; and what the cost of this policing has been in the 1998-99 financial year. [80914]
Mr. Ingram:
Provision for the requirements of the Law and Order programmes is included within the overall Northern Ireland Departmental Expenditure Limit and will remain the responsibility of the Secretary of State after devolution.
The additional costs of the Royal Ulster Constabulary operations at Drumcree and elsewhere during July 1998 amounted to £11 million. Since July the additional costs incurred, in respect of the continuing presence needed to police the ongoing protest, are approximately £0.4 million per month.
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The costs of policing other public disorder during 1998-99 are not readily available and would incur disproportionate cost to provide.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 10 April the number of violent incidents involving paramilitary groups which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. [80912]
Mr. Ingram:
The number of security incidents during the period 4 April to 10 April 1999 are as shown:
For the number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks see the answer to uin 80913.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 10 April the number of (a) punishment beatings and (b) punishment shootings which took place in Northern Ireland indicating how many in each category were committed by (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. [80913]
Mr. Ingram:
The number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks during the period 4 April to 10 April are as follows:
Shooting incidents: 1
Bombing incidents: 1
Notes:
1. Figures may be subject to minor amendment
2. The bombing incident cannot as yet be firmly attributed to a grouping.
| By Loyalist | By Republican | |
|---|---|---|
| Assaults | Nil | 1 |
| Shootings | 1 | Nil |
Note:
Figures may be subject to minor amendment
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 3 April the number of violent incidents involving paramilitary groups which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. [80910]
Mr. Ingram: The number of security incidents during the period 28 March to 3 April 1999 are as shown:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Shooting incidents | 1 |
| Bombing incidents | 4 |
Notes:
1. Figures may be subject to a minor amendment
2. The bombing incidents cannot as yet to be firmly attributed to a grouping
For the number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks see the answer to uin 80911.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 3 April the number of (a) punishment beatings and (b) punishment shootings which took place in
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Northern Ireland indicating how many in each category were committed by (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. [80911]
Mr. Ingram:
The number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks during the period 28 March to 3 April are as follows:
| By Loyalist | By Republican | |
|---|---|---|
| Assaults | nil | 1 |
| Shootings | 1 | nil |
Note:
Figures may be subject to minor amendment
CS Sprays
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 4 March 1999, Official Report, column 825, on CS sprays, for what reasons the Royal Ulster Constabulary has not been issued with CS sprays. [80870]
Mr. Ingram: The use of CS spray is relatively recent innovation in British policing. The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary keeps under review the personal protective equipment available to and approved for use by police officers throughout the United Kingdom. The risks and threats to police officers in Northern Ireland have demanded protective measure different from their colleagues in the rest of the United Kingdom. All options are however kept under review.
CR Gas
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 4 March 1999, Official Report, columns 825-26, if CR gas has been issued to the Royal Ulster Constabulary since 1969. [80869]
Mr. Ingram: CR tear gas is not issued to the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
Professional Statisticians
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many staff by grade are employed as professional statisticians in her Department; how many of these staff have been accepted as fast stream by the Civil Service Selection Board; and how many have been granted chartered statistician status by the Royal Statistical Society; [81197]
- (2) how many staff who have worked as professional statisticians in the Northern Ireland Civil Service have left on early retirement in each of the past 10 years. [81173]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Statistics Research Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. E. F. Jardine. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. F. Jardine to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 20 April 1999:
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I am replying to your questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about the employment of professional statisticians as this matter falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
The Agency employs 127 staff with the generic title 'Statistician'. These staff perform a broad range of analytical functions including statistical work, social surveys and social research. The staff are graded as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Senior Civil Service | 1 |
| Senior Principal Statistician | 2 |
| Grade 7 Statistician | 17 |
| Deputy Principal Statistician | 41 |
| Assistant Statistician | 66 |
1. A further 11 staff, originally recruited to the discipline, are now working in administrative grades.
2. These figures exclude staff who are not in post, ie. who are on secondment or on career breaks.
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