§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list those self-help groups, organisations and agencies offering assistance to victims of the conflict and their families funded by her Department; how much public funding each body has received in each of the past five years; and how much is earmarked to each for the current year and each of the next three years. [48469]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 7 July 1998]: The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments fund a number of self-help groups, organisations, and agencies which assist victims of the conflict and their families. Some of these organisations do not, however, exist solely to help victims, and there are other organisations which assist victims but do not receive public funding. I have set out the available information, for each of the years requested.
With the exception of the NIO's grant to Victim Support (NI) (those sums marked *), payments made by NIO represent 25 per cent. fully additional funding towards projects which have received 75 per cent. funding from the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (EUSSPPR), which began in 1995.
In the case of the EU Special Support Programme, it is not possible to indicate current and future funding specifically for groups assisting victims, as the Government's commitment is to the Programme as a whole, however the Government expect to pay some £157,405 to those bodies listed for the lifetime of already approved projects.
Funding made available by DOE has been provided through Making Belfast Work; and that by DFP through the Central Community Relations Unit.
I plan to initiate an analysis of the number of support groups, organisations and agencies which assist victims of the conflict and their families and the funding which they receive. Once this has been completed I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy in the House of Commons Library.
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1994–95 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of the Environment Cornerstone Community — 38,000.00 — Corrymeela — 148,100.00 — FAIT — 15,000.00 — Newtownabbey Victim Support — — 750.00 Victim Support (NI) 280,500.00* — — WAVE — — 2,740.00 Women Together — 25,000.00 —
1995–96 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of the Environment Ballynafeigh Community Development Initiative — 7,300.00 — CALMS — 9,000.00 — Cornerstone Community — 41,600.00 — Corrymeela — 165,000.00 — CRUSE 7,000.00 — — FAIT — 43,400.00 — Victim Support (NI) 370,000.00* — — WAVE — 24,000.00 280.00 Women Together — 25,800.00 —
1996–97 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of the Environment European Union Ballynafeigh Community Development Initiative — 21,000.00 — — CALMS 7,000.00 18,000.00 — 28,000.00 Community Development Centre North Belfast — 16,500.00 — — Cornerstone Community — 44,600.00 — — Corrymeela — 165,000.00 — — CRUSE 5,682.50 — — 22,730.00 Institute for Counselling 2,200.00 — — 8,800.00 FAIT — 30,200.00 — — NI Music Therapy 4,000.00 — — 16,000.00 Newtownabbey Victim Support — — 570.00 — Partnership for those affected by the Troubles 10,000.00 — — 40,000.00 Shankill Stress 750.00 — — 3,000.00 Survivors of Trauma 9,200.00 — — 36,800.00 Treetops 187.50 — — 750.00 Victim Support (NI) 3,000.00 — — 12,000.00 398,000.00* WAVE 9,000.00 33,000.00 — 36,000.00 Women Together — 37,100.00 — —
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1997–98 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of the Environment European Union-Peace and Reconciliation Ballynafeigh Community Development Initiative — 21,000.00 — — Barnardos 8,650.00 — — 34,600.00 Bogside and Brandywell Initiative 7,536.25 — — 30,145.00 CALMS 8,750.00 — — 35,000.00 Coleraine/Ballymoney Branch Reg UDR 750.00 — — 3,000.00 Columba Support Services 2,358.00 — — 9,432.00 Community Development Centre North Belfast — 44,000.00 — — Cornerstone Community — 44,600.00 — —
1997–98 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of the Environment European Union-Peace and Reconciliation Corrymeela — 165,000.00 — — Cost of the Troubles Study — — 10,125.00 — CRUSE 8,977.75 — — 35,911.00 DPOA 5,025.00 — — 20,100.00 Institute for Counselling 550.00 — — 2,200.00 FAIT — 31,600.00 — — FEAR 750.00 — — 3,000.00 Lifeline 800.00 — — 3,200.00 NI Intermediate Treatment Association 9,600.00 — — 38,400.00 NI Music Therapy 1,000.00 — — 4,000.00 Partnership for those affected by the Troubles 2,500.00 — — 10,000.00 St. James Community Forum 5,300.00 — — 21,200.00 Shankill Stress 17,075.00 — — 68,300.00 Survivors of Trauma 10,507.50 — 8,300.00 42,030.00 Victim Support (NI) 3,750.00 — — 15,000.00 480,000.00* WAVE 17,865.00 36,400.00 13,414.00 71,460.00 Women Together — 32,100.00 — —
1998–99 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of the Environment Ballynafeigh Community Development Initiative — 21,000.00 — Community Development Centre North Belfast — 44,000.00 — Cornerstone Community — 44,600.00 — Corrymeela — 165,000.00 — Cost of the Troubles Study — — 1,687.00 FAIT — 33,500.00 — Survivors of Trauma — — 800.00 Victim Support (NI) 667,000.00* — — WAVE — 35,000.00 12,264.00 Women Together — 32,100.00 —
1999–00 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of the Environment European Union Cornerstone Community — 44,600.00 — — Corrymeela — 165,000.00 — — Survivors of Trauma — — 191,000.00 1274,000.00 Victim Support (NI) 747,000.00* — — — WAVE — 35,000.00 — — Women Together — 32,100.00 — — 1 Over three years
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2000–01 £ Northern Ireland Office Department of Finance and Personnel Department of Environment Cornerstone Community — 44,600.00 — Corrymeela — 165,000.00 — Victim Support (NI) 747,000.00* — — WAVE — 35,000.00 —
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total budget for assisting victims and their families in(a) each of the last five years, (b) the current year and (c) each of the next five years. [48470]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 7 July 1998]: Assistance for victims and their families has been provided from resources within a number of Government Departments. It has never been a separate Government Programme and has, therefore, no specific budget.
In anticipation of the publication of the Report of the Northern Ireland Victims Commissioner, the Prime Minister announced, in May of this year, that £5 million would be made available to provide support for victims and their families in the current year.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research has been commissioned and what estimate her Department has made of the future expenditure that might be required to support the victims of the conflict and their families. [48471]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 7 July 1998]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland established on 24 October 1997, a Commission, headed by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield,
to examine the feasibility of providing greater recognition for those who have become victims in the last thirty years as a consequence of events in Northern Ireland".Sir Kenneth's subsequent Report, launched on 13 May 1998, entitled "We Will Remember Them", and the recently published report of the Social Services Inspectorate, "Living with the Trauma of the Troubles", which aimed to
examine and promote the further development of services to meet the social and psychological needs of individuals affected by the conflict",contain a series of recommendations relating to the needs of people who have become victims of the conflict and their families. Both reports are currently the subject of extensive consultation and, until the outcome of this is known, it will not be possible to estimate what future expenditure might be required.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultation preceded allocation of the additional £5 million victim support fund announced by the Prime Minister in May; when this money will be distributed, and to whom. [48472]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 7 July 1998]: The recommendations in Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's Report, "We Will Remember Them", were the result of a 6-month consultation exercise with victims, their families and their representatives. I announced on 30 June 1998 a number of initiatives representing an expenditure of almost £1 million. The remainder of the additional £5 million is yet to be allocated and the Victims Liaison Unit, which I have established to drive forward progress in implementing the recommendations in Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report, is currently carrying out a consultation exercise which will help to identify and prioritise a package of measures for victims, and inform the future allocation of funding, including the remainder of that £5 million.
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§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is her policy towards the provision of statutory and voluntary sector services for victim support; and what measures she is planning to promote this policy. [48473]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 7 July 1998]: I acknowledge the excellent work currently undertaken by both the statutory and voluntary sectors. Both deliver an important and diverse range of services, and I have already given a commitment that any measures put in place for the future assistance of victims will take full account of the need to sustain a balance of both sectors' interests.