§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will seek to amend the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill to redefine the role and responsibilities of the Police Association for Northern Ireland to ensure that it complies with current best practice in the conduct of elections. [20909]
§ Mr. IngramI have no immediate plans to revise the terms of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill to redefine the role and responsibilities of the Police Association for Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when and for what reasons a senior official of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland was suspended in 1996; how many other officials were290W suspended or put under investigation; when the investigation was concluded; and what its outcome was. [20794]
§ Mr. IngramA senior official of the Police Authority was suspended on 7 October 1996 in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Code, to enable an investigation to take place. Two other officials were suspended and investigations were conducted into the actions of these three and one other official.
The investigations into suspected irregularities in procedures have been completed. One official has been dismissed and criminal proceedings against him remain under consideration by the police. A senior official has had his appeal against disciplinary action upheld and no disciplinary action was directed against two other officials.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will(a) publish the rules which will apply to the forthcoming elections for office in the Police Association for Northern Ireland, (b) encourage the Chief Constable to appoint independent scrutineers and (c) appoint a committee to review the conduct of such elections. [20905]
§ Mr. IngramMembers of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland will be taking part in elections in the New Year held in accordance with rules made under the terms of Regulation 23 of the Police Association for Northern Ireland Regulations 1991. I shall arrange for a copy of those Rules to be placed in the Library. I have no plans to amend those Rules in relation to the appointment of scrutineers or to appoint a committee to review the conduct of such elections.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of recent public statements by the Chairman of the Police Association for Northern Ireland; what representations she has made to the Chief Constable about them; and if the statements constitute breaches of the statutory role of the Association or of RUC discipline. [20904]
§ Mr. IngramI have not given express consideration to any recent public statements made by the Chairman of the Police Association for Northern Ireland neither have I made representations to the Chief Constable about them constituting breaches of the statutory role of the Association or of RUC discipline.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number and purpose of official journeys outside Northern Ireland undertaken by the Secretary and Chief Executive of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996 and (iii) 1997 to date. [20751]
§ Mr. IngramThe official journeys outside Northern Ireland undertaken by the Secretary and Chief Executive of the Police authority in each of the past three years are as follows:
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Journeys 1995 8 1996 14 1997 (to date) 9 All these journeys were undertaken for the purpose of, either, the official business of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland or the National Training Awards Scheme.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to review the definitions of the words welfare and efficiency in the context of the legislation governing the role and activities of the Police Association for Northern Ireland. [20903]
§ Mr. IngramI have no immediate plans to review the definition of the words welfare and efficiency where they are used in the legislation relating to the representation of members of the RUC by the Police Association for Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what monies or benefits in kind are provided from public funds to the Police Association for Northern Ireland. [20789]
§ Mr. IngramThe Police Association for Northern Ireland comprises three sections. Grants made to each section by the Police Authority are set out below:
- Police Federation for Northern Ireland
- 95 per cent. of salary costs of full time officials;
- the cost of travel of full time officials; and
- 80 per cent. of the Police Federation's expenditure on the running costs of the Federation's Headquarters office accommodation.
The total grants in the current year will be in the order of £200,000.
- Superintendents' Association for Northern Ireland
- In the current year a grant of £6,500 has been made in respect of travel.
- Association of Chief Police Officers
- This year's payment to the association's National Secretariat has not yet been negotiated. Last year's was £23,000.
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(a) Regular monthly authority meetings (b) Special authority meetings (c) Committee meetings1 (d) Visits2 Mr. P. J. Armstrong 5 4 4 — Lt. Col. R. H. Bicker 4 4 8 — Mr. H. B. Casey 5 3 14 — Mr. R. Coulter 4 4 12 4 Mr. R. L. Cree 4 2 7 4 Mr. R. Empey 2 2 6 1 Mrs. K Hargan 4 1 6 — Mr. A. R. A. Huston 4 4 9 4 Mr. J. McDonald 5 4 14 — Mr. N. O'Loan 5 3 15 — Mrs. R. Peters-Gallagher 4 3 11 — Mrs. E. Rea 3 4 9 — Mrs. F. Reid 5 4 13 5 Mrs. G. A. Rice 4 3 12 3 Mr. F. Rocks 5 3 13 — Nr. R. Spence 2 2 9 1 Prof. H. Wallace 3 4 4 1 Mr. T. Wilson 4 2 11 4 Member3 5 4 9 3 1 Committee meetings are meetings of the Authority's Policy Co-ordinating Committee, General Purposes Committee, Support Services Committee, Community Relations Committee, Finance and Personnel Committee and Audit Committee. 2 These visits were undertaken by the Authority's Support Services Committee. 3 Authority Member whose name is not in the public domain.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations the Police Authority for Northern Ireland has made to her about ensuring a neutral working environment in all RUC and Police Authority establishments in line with established fair employment legislation. [20906]
§ Mr. IngramThe issue of a neutral working environment has been the subject of separate and composite representations from the Police Authority on several occasions in recent years. These have included presentation in March 1996 of a Consultation report "Everyone's Police—A Partnership for Change", correspondence and discussions with the last Secretary of State and Minister of State during 1996 and coverage within the Annual Report of the Police Authority which was presented to the Secretary of State in June 1997.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland concerning the importance of retaining public confidence in the RUC in its dealings with the entire community in Northern Ireland. [20792]
§ Mr. IngramMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the Chairman and Secretary of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland on Wednesday 10 December, to discuss a number of matters connected with policing arrangements in Northern Ireland. My hon. Friend also attended the Federation Conference in June.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the attendance record of each member of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland from July 1997 to date at(a) regular monthly authority meetings, (b) special authority meetings, (c) meetings of each sub-committee and (d) visits to authority and RUC establishments. [20762]
§ Mr. IngramThe attendance record for the period July-November 1997 is as follows:
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§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times the Police Authority for Northern Ireland's working group on public accountability and communication with the public has met since its appointment in April 1996, when its work will be complete; and if its findings will be published. [20756]
§ Mr. IngramThe Authority's Working Group on Openness and Accountability me on six occasions between 24 April 1996 and its final meeting on 28 November 1996. The Working Group's recommendations were considered by the Authority during its meeting in December 1996 and, on 8 April 1997, two codes of practice were published and a press conference was held.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what matters have been investigated in the operations of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland following the suspension of a senior official in 1996, and what steps have been taken(a) in respect of that official and (b) in other respects arising from the investigation. [20765]
§ Mr. IngramProcedures relating to the letting of contracts, the proper maintenance of appropriate documentation and adherence to proper procedures were investigated. The senior official concerned was suspended on full pay pending investigation and the matter dealt with through the Disciplinary Code. A subsequent appeal, by the senior official, against disciplinary action was upheld. Purchasing and approval procedures have been thoroughly revised and are now being applied.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the interests declared and registered by members of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland. [20755]
§ Mr. IngramThe information requested is set out below:
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Police authority for Northern Ireland Register of Interests Name Interest registered Mr. P. J. Armstrong (Chairman) Catholic Family Care Society Childcare (NI) Management Committee Member Executive Committee Member British Association of Social Workers Member Northern Association of Justices of the Peace Member Professor H. Wallace (Vice-Chairman) None Lt. Col. R. H. Bicker Litton Group Ltd. Director Down District Council Local Councillor (Ulster Unionist Party) Mr. H. B. Casey None Mr. R. J. Coulter Ballymena Borough Council Alderman (Ulster Unionist Party) Northern Ireland Forum Chief Whip (Ulster Unionist Party) Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe Member CLRAE Working Group on Crime and Insecurity in the Urban Situation Member 295W
Police authority for Northern Ireland Register of Interests Name Interest registered Citizens' Advice Bureau, Ballymena Trustee Galgorm and Gracehill Preservation Trust Member Orange and Royal Black Institutions Nominal Member Mr. R. L. Cree North Down Borough Council Local Councillor (Ulster Unionist Party) Member of the Orange, Black and Masonic Institutions Mr. R. Empey Belfast City Council Local Councillor (Ulster Unionist Party) Orange Order Member Royal Black Institution Member Walkway Community Association Member Mr. K. F. Hargan Lumen Christi College, Derry Member of Board of Governors Mr. A. R. A. Huston Federation of Small Businesses (NI) Region Vice-Chairman Lord Chancellor's Legal and Advisory Committee Member HM Young Offenders' Centre, Hydebank Wood Member of Visiting Committee Mr. J. O. McDonald Justice of the Peace Independent Assessor of Military Complaints RUC Museum Trustee RUC Historical Society Member An Garda Siochana Historical Society Member Knights of St. Columbanus Member Association of Papal Knights in Ireland Secretary Mrs. N. P. O'Loan NI Consumer Committee for Electricity Chairperson ACCORD Chairperson Ballymena Swimming Club Chairperson Victim Support Person Women Together for Peace Member Mrs. R. I. Peters-Gallagher Witt Thornton, Chartered Accountants Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland Partner Lerwill House Ltd. Member of Management Committee Mrs. E. Rea Elsbeth Rea Associates Principal North Down and Ards Home Start Non Executive Director and Company Secretary Mrs. F. Reid None Mrs. G. A. Rice Castlereagh Borough Council Council Member (Alliance Party) Mr. F. P. Rocks Ancient Order of Hibernians Cookstown and Magherafelt Lions Club Drugs Awareness Officer of the Lions Club Member Trade Union—Unison Member
Police authority for Northern Ireland Register of Interests Name Interest registered Mr. R. A. J. Spence Honorary Lecturer, Department of Surgery. Queen's University, Belfast Institute of Directors Member Board of Trustees and Governor, Wallace High School Crimestoppers (Northern Ireland) Board Member Cancer Services, Belfast City Hospital Chairman Mr. T. J. Wilson Cookstown District District Councillor Council (Ulster Unionist Party) Orange Order Member Royal Black Institution Member Apprentice Boys of Derry Member Royal Arch Purple Institution Member Masonic Lodge Member GMB Trade Union Member One Member of the Authority, whose name is not in the public domain, has been given an exemption under Paragraph 14 of the Authority's Code of Conduct from listing his/her interests.