Tag: Nigel Dodds

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the cost of public enquiries relating to Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

The costs for public inquires relating to Northern Ireland published by my Department since 1997 are as follows:

The Bloody Sunday inquiry £191.5 million

The Rosemary Nelson inquiry £46.5 million

The Billy Wright inquiry £30.5 million

In addition, the Robert Hamill Inquiry has been completed but the Report has not been published due to ongoing legal proceedings. The costs as of February 2011 stood at £33 million.

No public inquiries have been established by the current government. In 2011 we set up a review into the murder of Patrick Finucane, which reported in 2012 at a cost of £1.1 million.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment she has made of the contribution of sports-related tourism to the economy of Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Northern Ireland has organised a number of world class sporting events which bring huge benefits, for tourism and the economy (sometimes providing a return against investment of 5:1) as well as also encouraging people to participate in sport.

The return of the Irish Open to Royal Portrush in 2012 for the first time since 1953 attracted some 130,000 spectators and was beamed into 350m households. Golf tourism is particularly valuable as it contributes more to the economy with the average spend per trip being £300-£450 compared to the other visitors to Northern Ireland who spend some £188 per trip. I look forward to Northern Ireland hosting the Irish Open again in 2015 at Royal County Down and 2017 at the Lough Erne Resort which was also the location for the 2013 G8 summit.

The World Police and Fire Games in 2013 (the third biggest sporting event in the world) brought a direct economic boost of £7.34 million to the Northern Ireland economy. It has been reported that this figure could rise to £25m once longer-term benefits to the tourist industry resulting from return visits, the positive media coverage received for Northern Ireland internationally and future international events that will come as a result of the games, are included.

I am advised for example, that one corporate sponsor of the WPFG decided to locate its international conference in Northern Ireland instead of another location in Europe directly as a result of the success of the Games.

It is estimated that the Grande Partenza of the Giro d’Italia cycle race that commences in Belfast on 9 May (and featuring 200 riders from over 30 different countries and their technical teams and sponsors) will be seen by 775m people in 174 countries. The Giro d’Italia is expected to attract 140,000 visitors to Northern Ireland and generate £2.5m of economic activity and £10m worth of worldwide media publicity as it showcases the stunning scenery of Northern Ireland to the world.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will review the effect of the operation of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on services available to assist victims in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Responsibility for victims in Northern Ireland was devolved in 2007. All public bodies in Northern Ireland have a duty to promote equality of opportunity, having regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is responsible for the enforcement of this duty.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent estimate she has made of foreign direct investment in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Northern Ireland remains one of the most successful regions in the UK for attracting foreign direct investment, attracting some 6% of inward FDI with around 3% of the UK population.

The Northern Ireland Investment Conference, which the Prime Minister and I attended, held last year is continuing to bear fruit and I welcome the recent announcement that Convergys – with whose senior management the Prime Minister took time at the Conference to discuss the benefits of Northern Ireland as a cost-effective investment location – is setting up a customer service centre in Londonderry in collaboration with its client EE.

This investment will bring 333 jobs to the city over the coming year and generate over £5million to the local economy annually.

The recent announcements from Concentrix of its intention to reinvest in Northern Ireland and add a further 1,043 jobs to its existing work force of 800, and from EY (which also attended the Investment Conference) of a further investment leading to 486 more jobs, are welcome votes of confidence that Northern Ireland is an excellent place to invest and to grow a business.

These two investments will inject some £38m in salaries into the Northern Ireland economy.

It is particularly heartening that so many companies choose to reinvest after they have established a presence in Northern Ireland and seen for themselves the benefits it can offer as a cost competitive business environment together with its high quality and well educated workforce.

The G8 Summit, which the PM brought to Co. Fermanagh in June 2013, also highlighted to the world the benefits of Northern Ireland as a place to visit and invest.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of policing of demonstrations and parades in London.

Damian Green

The policing of demonstrations and parades in London are an operational matter
for the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officers have been seconded to the Police Service of Northern Ireland from police forces in England and Wales in each year since 2010.

Damian Green

The Home Office does not hold this information centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in England and Wales have been arrested following the issue of a warrant by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in each year since 2010.

Damian Green

Arrest warrants issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland are a devolved
matter and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential for growth in tourism as a result of the opening stages of the Giro d’Italia taking place in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Helen Grant

I have not held any discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential for growth in tourism as a result of the opening stages of the Giro d’Italia taking place in Northern Ireland. However, I would like to congratulate them on having won the right to stage the Big Start of this major cycling race on 9-11 May, which will further support Northern Ireland’s wonderful tourism offer and boost the economy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what consultation there has been with charities in Northern Ireland on the Electoral Commission’s guidance on the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.

Mr Gary Streeter

The Electoral Commission informs me that since Royal Assent to the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 it has held four roundtable discussions across the UK, and has used an online survey to listen carefully to the needs of campaigners and explain its plans for guidance. One round table event was held in Northern Ireland and was hosted by the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA). 24 organisations were invited to attend; 11 organisations – including umbrella bodies – were represented.

The Electoral Commission is also providing a series of campaigner updates, giving information on what the Act will mean for charities and other campaigners. These updates are available on the Commission’s website and have also been promoted by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

The Commission will publish its full guidance on the new rules, which will include joint guidance with the charity regulators, in the summer. This will ensure that campaigners have guidance available to them in advance of the regulated period which begins on 19 September 2014. Meanwhile, the Commission will continue to offer charities and others bespoke advice as usual, both before and after the guidance is published and the regulated period begins.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department’s policies to combat the glorification of terrorism in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 makes the encouragement, including glorification of terrorism, a criminal offence. Any investigations into allegations of encouraging, including the glorification of terrorism, are of course entirely matters for the police, while decisions on prosecution of such offences are the responsibility of the Public Prosecution Service.