§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the criteria laid down by the Youth Council of Northern Ireland for grant assistance to (i) uniformed youth organisations; and (ii) other youth organisations. [38846]
§ Mr. AncramYouth organisations are considered for funding if they
- (a) have a governing body responsible for all assets and liabilities;
- (b) are registered as a charity or corporated;
- (c) have a published memorandum/articles of association which reflect the objectives of the Northern Ireland Youth Service;
- (d) are voluntary, ie not operating for commercial gain; and
- (e) publish audited accounts.
There is no differentiation in criteria for assistance to uniformed and non-uniformed organisations.
The Youth Council is currently reviewing its criteria for funding with the aim of applying new arrangements from April 1997.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account is taken of the multiple membership of some uniformed youth organisations, by some individuals, when calculating the level of grant aid available from the Youth Council for Northern Ireland; and what impact this has had on organisations that do not include members of other uniformed organisations. [38839]
§ Mr. AncramMembership is not a criterion for deciding the levels of funding allocated to youth organisations. The Youth Council for Northern Ireland allocates core funding for HQ administrative costs rather than programme activities.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans has he to increase the funding available to youth organisations in Northern Ireland. [38838]
§ Mr. AncramAbout 5 million ecu will be made available to the youth sector under the European Union special initiative for peace and reconciliation. 21W The Government will provide additional funds to meet up to 25 per cent. of the total cost of projects funded under this initiative.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of funding provided to uniformed youth organisations by the Youth Council for Northern Ireland is awarded to organisations perceived to be (i) Catholic, (ii) Protestant, and (iii) non-denominational. [38837]
§ Mr. AncramAll uniformed organisations are open to membership by young people from all sections of the community. However, a number of organisations are based in particular churches. In these cases, the organisations may be perceived as being associated with a specific denomination.
Percentage Catholic 23.5 Protestant 37.5 Non-denominational 39.0