§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many advance factories have been built in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years and in which constituencies; and if she will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the provision of advance factories in Northern Ireland. [82000]
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Number of staff in Departments by Ethnic Groups 1 at 1 April 1998 Department White Black Asian Other ethnic groups Total with known ethnic origin Advisory, Concilliation and Arbitration Service 506 23 15 2— 550 Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 6,980 183 173 42 7,378 Cabinet Office 1,271 56 33 9 1,369 Charity Commission 483 36 31 2— 550 Crown Prosecution Service 4,522 193 195 22 4,932 Culture, Media and Sport 301 18 13 2— 330 Customs and Excise 20,397 406 954 125 21,882 Defence 64,247 479 664 169 65,559 Education and Employment 18,558 949 1,181 124 20,812 Ofsted 161 7 7 2— 180 Environment, Transport and the Regions 11,316 281 404 172 12,173 Export Credit Guarantee Department 245 13 29 7 294 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 4,187 87 76 28 4,378 Friendly Societies, Registry of 98 16 17 2— 130 Government Actuary 21 2— 2— 0 20 Health 3,734 326 210 59 4,329 Health and Safety 3,414 75 78 25 3,592 HM Prison Service 32,778 577 390 128 33,873 Home Office 8,021 421 620 97 9,159 Information, Central Office of 245 16 7 2— 270 Inland Revenue 51,557 972 2,132 174 54,835 International Development 714 35 27 6 782
§ Mr. IngramThe Industrial Development Board (IDB) build one advance factory in 1998–99. This is a high-tech unit of 5,400 sq m and is located at Duncairn Gardens in the North Belfast Constituency. IDB built no advance factories in 1997–98, but did build one specialised call centre of 2,800 sq m on a speculative basis at Springvale Business Park in the West Belfast Constituency.
Government policy is to reduce to a minimum IDB's stock of advance factories. Recent project experience has shown that IDB-led construction programmes can meet the requirements of the most demanding inward investors' timetables. Furthermore, there is an increased demand for bespoke factories. Flexibility to provide advance units will, none the less, be retained where such action is considered essential in attracting investment to particular disadvantaged areas.