Fact-finding Visits (Hansard, 2 November 1992)

§ Mr. Mates

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the following agencies under their respective chief executives.

Training and Employment Agency—Mr. J. Crozier
Rate Collection Agency—Mr. D. Gallagher
Social Security Agency— Mr. A. Wylie
Ordnance Survey Agency— Mr. M. Brand
Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency— Mr. J. Watson
Compensation Agency— Mr. J. Robinson

I have asked them to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from J. S. Crozier to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992: You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to list the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the chief executive of each executive agency for which he is responsible; and what were the findings resulting from each visit.

Date of visit	Location	Purpose
29 October 1991	Paid Order Unit, Lisahally, Londonderry	To attend official Opening of POU and meet management and staff
14 November 1991	Carrickfergus SSO	To meet management and staff
22 November 1991	Strabane SSO	To meet management and staff
28 November 1991	Pensions Branch, Castle Buildings	To meet management and staff
5 December 1991	Lisburn SSO	To meet management and staff
15 January 1992	Bangor SSO	To meet management and staff
21 January 1992	Portadown SSO	To meet management and staff
29 January 1992	Newtownards SSO	To meet management and staff
4 February 1992	Holywood Road SSO	To meet management and staff
6 February 1992	ROSIT, York House	To meet management and staff
13 March 1992	Newtownabbey SSO	To meet management and staff

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As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency (Northern Ireland) (T&EA), I made two fact finding visits in the last twelve months, one to Brussels and one to Germany.

The Brussels visit was to meet senior officials of DG XVI, DG V and the Task Force, Human Resources. The visit provided an update on the Commission's strategic thinking on training and employment which will assist the T&EA to match best practice elsewhere in the European Community (EC) and to take maximum advantage of EC programmes. Potential for the secondment of T&EA staff to the Commission was also identified.

The aim of the German visit was to examine employment prospects and training opportunities for Northern Ireland people in Germany. Links were established with the Bundesanstalt fur Arbeit (Federal Labour Office) and contacts were made with German firms offering the prospect of advanced apprenticeship training.

Letter from D. W. Gallagher to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992: As I am responsible for the Northern Ireland Rate Collection Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to some Parliamentary Questions recently put down by you. These related to papers published by the Agency during the last 12 months and any fact-finding visits undertaken by myself during the same period. As you may know, the Rate Collection Agency was established on 1 April 1992. During the last 12 months I have issued the Agency's 1992/93 Business Plan. Our 1991/92 Annual Report will be published shortly. I would also advise that I have not undertaken any fact finding visits over the same period. I hope this information answers your questions but please let me know if I can be of any further help.

Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992: Your recent Parliamentary Question asking for a list of fact finding visits made in the past 12 months by the Chief Executive of each Executive Agency and the findings resulting from each visit has been passed to me as Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency for reply. In summary, I have undertaken 19 fact finding visits during the past 12 months, all of which were to Agency locations. I have enclosed a table setting out the date, location and purpose of my visits. The visits to Social Security Offices and Benefit Branches gave me the opportunity to meet local management and staff and obtain their views on a wide range of issues such as resourcing, accommodation and communication. These visits have been extremely useful when developing high level plans for the Agency. I hope that this is helpful.

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Date of visit	Location	Purpose
20 March 1992	Larne SSO	To meet management and staff
16 April 1992	Lisnagelvin SSO	To meet management and staff
16 April 1992	Foyle SSO	To meet management and staff
2 June 1992	Armagh SSO	To meet management and staff
16 June 1992	CBB, Castle Court	To meet management and staff
18 June 1992	Knockbreda SSO	To meet management and staff
14 September 1992	Belfast Benefits Centre	To meet management and staff
8 October 1992	Antrim SSO	To meet management and staff

Letter from J. F. Codd to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992: You have asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the Chief Executive of each Executive Agency for which he is responsible; and what were the findings resulting from each visit. Mr. M. J. D. Brand was appointed Chief Executive and Director of Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland on 1 April 1992. Since that date he has not undertaken any fact finding visits.

Letter from J. B. Watson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992 I am responding to your recent Parliamentary Question about fact finding visits made by Agency Chief Executives over the past 12 months. The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency was established on 1 April 1992. Since then I have been on two fact finding visits to the Vehicle Inspectorate Agency, Bristol and the Driving Standards Agency, Nottingham. Both of these Agencies are involved in similar work to my own Agency and the visits allowed me to obtain information on a range of operational, financial and personnel issues. The visits were valuable as they established useful contacts, informed debate and have assisted with subsequent policy formulation.

Letter from J. Robinson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992 I refer to your recent Parliamentary Question about fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by Chief Executives of Northern Ireland executive agencies. The Secretary of State has asked me to provide the information in respect of the Compensation Agency. I have not made any fact finding visits since this Agency was established on 1 April 1992.