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National Firearms Licensing Management System
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date they intend to reschedule the live (Beta) pilot of the National Firearms Licensing Management System required under Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997; and [HL1714]
Who is the supplier of the National Firearms Licensing Management System required under Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997; and what is the total value of the contract to this supplier. [HL1715]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The National Firearms Certificate Holders Register as required under Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) (No.2) Act 1997 has been supplied by PITO and resides on the Police National Computer (PNC). The means to populate this register is being handled by means of the National Firearms Licensing Management System. The contract to provide this system was awarded to Anite Public Sector. The total value of all work carried out to date including the cost of the contracted work amounts to £5.6m. The live (Beta) pilot of the National Firearms Licensing Management System has now been rescheduled to commence on Monday 14 November 2005 for the Metropolitan Police Service and on Monday 21 November 2005 for the Lancashire Constabulary. The first of these pilots will be observed by Essex Police and the second by Greater Manchester Police.
North/South Language Body
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 10 October (WA 56) concerning Ulster-Scots culture, whether they are committed to affording equal respect and recognition to Ulster-Scots and the Irish language. [HL1602]
Northern Ireland Assembly: Staff Annual Bonus
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the amount of the annual bonus paid to Northern Ireland Assembly staff to reward their performance during the introduction of devolved government; whether it continues to be paid in the absence of sittings; whether the bonus is pensionable; and how many people are currently in receipt of the bonus. [HL1742]
Lord Rooker: An Assembly premium of £1,000 per annum was awarded to all Assembly Secretariat staff with effect from 30 May 2000. This premium continues to be paid to 256 Secretariat staff and is pensionable.
Northern Ireland Civil Service: Sick Leave
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures have been successful in the campaign to reduce sick leave in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. [HL1617]
Lord Rooker: Managing attendance is a key priority within Northern Ireland departments and there is a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place, aimed at helping and supporting staff throughout their illness. These include access to professional help and support while absent from work, and assistance with rehabilitation and any reasonable adjustments to ease a return to work. Considerable importance is also placed on trying to prevent staff going off ill by offering a range of health promotion activities and advice, and encouraging a work life balance.
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many staff are employed, and at what grade, by the Northern Ireland Commission for Children and Young People; what is its projected annual budget between 2005 and 2008; and what is the religious and gender balance of staff at each grade. [HL1663]
Lord Rooker: At present there are 19 permanent staff employed in the Office of the Commissioner for Children and Young People for Northern Ireland. Due to the relatively small number employed in the organisation, information on religion and gender has been grouped to protect the anonymity of individuals. The grades within the organisation are equivalent to Northern Ireland Civil Service grades.
| Total number of staff | 5 |
| Religious affiliation | |
| Roman Catholic | 2 |
| Protestant | 3 |
| Neither | 0 |
| Gender | |
| Male | 2 |
| Female | 3 |
| Disability | 2 |
At this stage, the commissioner's projected annual budget is £1,897,000 for each of the following financial years —2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08.
2 Nov 2005 : Column WA26
Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure: Funding of Festivals
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 10 October (WA 61) concerning the funding of festivals, who applied to the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure for funding of activities associated with the annual 12th July Celebrations; how much was requested; and for what and how the £28,165 funding was allocated. [HL1620]
Lord Rooker: Two applications for funding were received by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure for activities associated with the annual 12th July in 2005. In both cases, the amount of funding requested by the applicant was approved. Funding of £22,650 was allocated to the Belfast County Grand Lodge to engage the services of a consultant to co-ordinate the Better Twelfth initiative, and a further £5,515 was also allocated to the Belfast County Grand Lodge to co-ordinate a 12th July art competition for schools
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure received (a) applications; and (b) business cases for the funding of festivals in West Belfast, New Lodge and Ardoyne in 2005; when these applications were agreed and letters of offer sent; and whether they will place copies of these documents in the Library of the House. [HL1725]
Lord Rooker: The information is as follows.
| Festival | Application and Business Case received | Letter of Offer Issued |
| West Belfast | 20 June 2005 | None to date |
| Gtr New Lodge | 29 June 2005 | 26 July 2005 |
| Ardoyne | 20 June 2005 | 29 July 2005 |
Copies of these documents will be placed in the Library.
Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure: Organisation of Festivals
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has spent in each of the past five years on consultants and away days, in connection with the development of policy for the organisation of festivals. [HL1730]
Lord Rooker: The information is as follows.
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Consultants | NIL | NIL | £51,780.53 | NIL | NIL |
| One Day Consultations | NIL | NIL | £1,640 | NIL | NIL |
Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure: West Belfast Festival
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date the letter offering funding from the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure was issued to the West Belfast Festival this year; and how much funding it offered. [HL1603]
Lord Rooker: No such letter has been issued.
Northern Ireland Equality Commission
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many staff are employed, and at what grade, by the Northern Ireland Equality Commission; what was its annual budget between 1999 and 2005; and what is the religious and gender balance of staff at each grade. [HL1661]
Lord Rooker: A total of 137 are employed by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. Thirty-two per cent of the staff are male and 68 per cent. female. The following table provides the gender breakdown in relation to each grade.
Regulation 16 of the Fair Employment (Monitoring) Regulations NI 1999 prevents disclosure of the religion of the commission's workforce to the level of detail requested by the noble Lord. The overall breakdown however is that 36 per cent of the workforce are Protestant and 58 per cent are Roman Catholic. Six per cent have been classified as "non-determined".
The commission's annual budget between 1999 and 2005 is as follows.
| Year | Budget (£s) |
| 1999–2000 | 2,823,426 |
| 2000–01 | 6,116,000 |
| 2001–02 | 7,359,000 |
| 2002–03 | 7,512,000 |
| 2003–04 | 7,024,000 |
| 2004–05 | 6,779,490 |
| 2005–06 | 7,137,000 |
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