HC Deb 02 April 1990 vol 170 cc454-6W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the number of staff and salary scales and the total salaries projected for the full complement of scientific staff for the research vessel Lough Foyle in each of the present and the next two financial years.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 23 March 1990]: The information is as follows:

Grade Average salary costs(1990–91 prices)£k Staff in post 1989–90 Predicted staff in post 1990–91 Predicted staff in post 1991–92
SPSO 35,446 1 1 1
SSO 20,699 0 2 2
HSO 16,568 0 3 3
SO 13,283 1 5 5
ASO 10,261 1 2 2
AO 9,145 0 1 1
Total Numbers 3 14 14
Total salary costs 1£9,570 £223,000 £237,000
1 Variable part-year in post.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East of 7 March,Official Report, column 661, he will publish a table showing (a) the period of each charter of the vessel Lough Foyle since it came into Government ownership, (b) the lessee for each of those charters, (c) the average costs for each day and each charter, (d) the sum paid per day for each Of those charters, and (e) the sum paid for each charter.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: No.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East of 6 March,Official Report, column 571, he will publish a table to show (a) the projected total cost of the current year, (b) the projected total cost for each of the next three years or financial years and (c) the projected cost of (i) crew salaries, (ii) scientific staff salaries, (iii) shore-based staff, (iv) depreciation and replacement costs of the vessel, and (v) other costs associated with the vessel.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: The information is as follows:

£
(a) Estimated running costs of the DANI research vessel for 1989–90 504,600
£
(b) Projected running costs for the DANI research vessel: 1990–91 617,900
1991–92 662,500
1992–93 680,100
(c) Projected salary costs for next three financial years:
£
(i) Crew salaries 1990–91 277,000
1991–92 299,000
1992–93 323,000
(ii) Scientific staff salaries (shore-based and sea-going staff) 1990–91 652,000
1991–92 691,000
1992–93 733,000
(iii) See (ii) above
(iv) Depreciation is estimated at 6 per cent. per annum. Replacement of the vessel has not yet been considered.
(v) None.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been undertaken of the total job loss to the Coleraine area, including spouses employment, staff employed in spouses' business full-time and part-time, as a consequence of moving the fisheries research laboratory to Belfast; and whether any assessment of the cost to state benefits has been taken into account as part of a cost benefit analysis.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: None.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what computer links exist between(a) the Coleraine fisheries laboratory and its Belfast headquarters and (b) the headquarters and the freshwater biological unit at Antrim.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: The answer is:

  1. (a) A PDP 11/73 computer at Coleraine is linked to a VAX 6320 computer at Belfast via a 1200 baud dedicated British Telecom line.
  2. (b) A computer terminal at Antrim is linked to a VAX 6320 computer at Belfast via a 1200 baud dedicated British Telecom line.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the cost of the new building work required in Belfast to provide accommodation for(a) the scientific staff for the research vessel Lough Foyle, (b) the transferred fisheries research laboratory staff and (c) the transferred freshwater biological unit staff; and what is the size of the building required to house them.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: Staff from the research vessel Lough Foyle, the fisheries research laboratory and the freshwater biological investigation unit will be accommodated in the new building of 17,175 sq ft at the Department's agriculture and food science centre, Newforge lane, Belfast, at an estimated cost of £1.4 million excluding VAT but including 6 per cent. contingencies.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the market value of(a) the fisheries laboratory building at Coleraine and (b) the building occupied by the freshwater biological unit at Antrim.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: The estimated market values of the fisheries research laboratory at Coleraine and the freshwater biological investigation unit at Antrim are £100,000 and £225,000 respectively. The latter accommodation will be fully utilised by Greenmount agricultural college when the accommodation becomes available.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the size of the building at Antrim presently occupied by the freshwater biological unit; and whether it is occupied to capacity.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: The freshwater biological investigation unit building at Antrim is some 5,128 sq ft and is fully utilised by DANI staff at the freshwater biological investigation unit.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the size of the fisheries research laboratory at Coleraine; and whether it is occupied to capacity.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: The fisheries research laboratory at Coleraine is approximately 9,400 sq ft and is fully utilised.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research into salmon in the Foyle system has been carried out by the fisheries research laboratory at Coleraine in each of the last five years; and how much time and money was expended on such research in each of those years.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

[holding answer 26 March 1990]: None.