HC Deb 13 May 2003 vol 405 cc195-6W
Mr. Dodds

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed in servicing(a) the Civic Forum, (b) the North-South Ministerial Council, (c) North-South Implementation Bodies and (d) British Irish Council. [98196]

Mr. Browne

The information is as follows.

Non-bank nurses1 who have been recruited to work in trusts in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997
(headcount figures given only)
Trust 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
South and East Belfast HSS Trust 26 44 41 18 48 59
Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust 5 11 10 10 14 25
Southern Board HQ 0 0 1 1 0 1
Homefirst Community HSS Trust 144 114 195 225 141 312
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust 30 165 81 115 144 191
Sperrin/Lakeland HSS Trust 47 75 54 58 34 77
Blood Transfusion Service 1 0 0 0 1 1
Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust 96 86 72 80 81 63
Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust 22 23 35 28 34 22
Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust 20 37 98 82 46 110
Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust 81 71 150 189 248 333
Down Lisburn HSS Trust 39 62 59 57 105 102
Regional Medical Physics Agency 0 0 0 0 0 1

(a) Civic Forum

Funding for the Civic Forum ceased during suspension. As a result staff in the Civic Forum Secretariat have been redeployed on other duties.

(b) North-South Ministerial Council

The North-South Ministerial Council cannot meet during suspension. The 25.5 whole time equivalent staff employed in the Joint Secretariat are currently engaged in providing administrative support associated with the care and maintenance of the North/South Implementation Bodies and a range of other duties.

(c) North-South Implementation Bodies

At the latest date for which staffing figures are available, there are 486.6 whole-time equivalent staff employed in the North-South Implementation Bodies.

(d) British-Irish Council

The British and Irish Governments provide the Secretariat for the British-Irish Council in co-ordination with officials from each of the other members. In addition to servicing the work of the Council, the officials are involved in carrying out a range of other duties. It is therefore not possible to identify detailed staff numbers in respect of those functions which relate to the Secretariat.

Mr. Donaldson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the status is of the North-South Implementation Bodies following the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly. [85883]

Mr. Paul Murphy

The Implementation Bodies were established under the Implementation Bodies Agreement of 9 March 1999 made between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland. That Agreement also conferred functions on the Bodies. The Agreement was incorporated into the domestic law of Northern Ireland by the North/South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) (NI) Order 1999. Following suspension it is the intention of the British and Irish Governments that the Bodies should be able to continue to perform their essential functions.