| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
15 Dec 2004 : Column WA83
Written Answers
Wednesday, 15 December 2004.
Incitement to Racial Hatred: Prosecutions
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prosecutions for incitement to racial hatred there have been in each of the last five years. [HL384]
The Attorney-General (Lord Goldsmith): The offences of incitement to racial hatred are set out in Part III of the Public Order Act 1986, Sections 18 to 23. In relation to offences of incitement to racial hatred, five prosecutions were commenced in 2000, three prosecutions were commenced in 2001, one prosecution was commenced in 2002, no prosecutions were commenced in 2003 and one prosecution has been commenced to date in 2004.
Northern Ireland: Catholic and Protestant Unemployment Rates
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 18 November (WA 186) on unemployment ratios, which public bodies in Northern Ireland have researched the unemployment ratio for Roman Catholics and Protestants; what views, if any, were reached; by which body; and whether they will publish the results of any such research. [HL95]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): There has been a significant number of studies on this subject over the years and it would not be practicable to list every piece of research or every commissioning body. However, there have been two recent, comprehensive and authoritative analyses of these issues which have been published by public bodies in Northern Ireland.
The report, Community Differentials and New TSN was funded by the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister and published in 2003. This study considered differentials between Protestants and Roman Catholics over a range of social policy areas including health, education, housing and the labour market. The author concluded that socio-economic differentials between the two main religious communities in Northern Ireland have decreased; however, labour market gaps still remain, with unemployment among Catholics higher than that for Protestants. The author's conclusion is that the ratio of unemployment rates will continue on a downward trend, albeit at a slow pace.
15 Dec 2004 : Column WA84
The book Fair Employment in Northern Ireland: a generation on was funded by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and published in 2004. In concluding, the editors argue that the future use of the unemployment differential as a labour market indicator can be challenged in two ways. Firstly, the absolute falls in unemployment to the current low position have directed attention to other indicators. Secondly, that increasing questions about the meaning of headline unemployment data cast doubt on the present and future use of the unemployment differential.
Copies of both reports are available in the Library.
There is ongoing research in this area commissioned by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister which is due to report in early 2005 with publication to follow.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 18 November (WA 184) on unemployment ratios, what are the other measures which are included in the range of labour market indicators; and how significant is the unemployment ratio in the range of labour market indicators. [HL96]
Baroness Amos: Within the labour market, there are three crucial measurement areas relating to: employment, unemployment, and economic inactivity.
Each of these three labour market measures can be expressed in terms of rates for individual groups and comparisons made across groups. Taking the labour market as a whole, it is not possible to say that one measure is more significant than another as they reflect separate yet interrelated components of the labour market.
Northern Ireland: Teachers
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was their reason for obtaining an exemption from the European Equal Treatment Directive 2000/78/EC in relation to the employment of teachers in Northern Ireland. [HL216]
Baroness Amos: As stated in my Answer of 7 July (WA 81) an exemption from the Employment Directive: Council Directive 2000/78/EC was obtained only in relation to the recruitment of teachers in schools in Northern Ireland.
European Equal Treatment Directive 2000/78/EC as initially proposed would have meant that the exemption in the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 would have had to be removed without having regard to the issues and sensitivities of the local community in relation to the education of their children and the complexion of their schools.
Following negotiations with the European Commission it was agreed that in order to maintain a balance of opportunity in employment for teachers in Northern Ireland while furthering the reconciliation of
15 Dec 2004 : Column WA85
historical differences between the major religious communities, the provisions on religion or belief in the directive should not apply to the recruitment of teachers in schools in Northern Ireland in so far as is expressly authorised by national legislation.
This change was introduced by the Fair Employment and Treatment Order (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 which came into operation on 10 December 2003.
Ulster-Scots Agency
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 7 September (WA 100) concerning cross-border bodies, whether the Ulster-Scots Agency ceased to provide grants for several months to the Ulster-Scots newspaper; and if so, whether that newspaper was not published due to lack of funding. [HL260]
Baroness Amos: I understand that the Ulster-Scots Agency withheld publication of one edition of the Ulster-Scot newspaper, earlier this year.
This was an interim and precautionary step taken by the agency's board at a time when it was reviewing its budget as part of the normal in-year expenditure profiling process.
North/South Implementation Bodies
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much funding each cross-border implementation body has been allocated for 2005, treating the two parts of the Language Body as two separate bodies; and what the percentage increase is since 2004. [HL261]
Baroness Amos: Funding allocations for the North/South implementation bodies for 2005 have not yet been finalised.
Northern Ireland: Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the proposed allocation of funding to the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure for each of the next three years. [HL303]
Baroness Amos: I refer the noble Lord to the publication Draft priorities and Budget 2005–08 for the information requested.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Against what criteria the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland considers the results of consultation about funding. [HL308]
Baroness Amos: The overarching principles that influence consultations on funding are contained within the DCAL corporate strategy and its public service agreement. It is a fundamental requirement for bodies seeking funding from DCAL to demonstrate how their organisations, and their integral business plans, will contribute to the strategic aims of the department.
Northern Ireland: Olympic Games 2012
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are encouraging the Northern Ireland departments to support London's bid for the Olympic Games of 2012; and, if so, in view of the cutbacks of funding proposed for the Sports Council, how the departments are able to provide such support. [HL307]
Baroness Amos: The Government have asked all Northern Ireland departments to support the bid and subsequently the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has set up a regional inter-departmental co-ordinating steering group. In relation to the question of funding no decision has been made. The proposals set out in the draft priorities and budget 2005–08 were the subject of consultation and the final budget position is under consideration.
| Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |