§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the bodies which he intends to designate as public authorities under section 75(3)(a) and (3)(d) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998; which Departments, corporations or bodies listed in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 will not be so designated; and when he intends to make the final list public. [113560]
128W
Ward/school/centre Number of funded reception places 1 Number of funded voluntary/private pre-school places Number of statutory nursery places Total number of funded pre-school places Number of P1 children Abbey Park St. Patrick's Primary School 7 — — 7 66 College Farm Nursery — — 52 52 — Downs Christian Brothers' Primary School 13 — — 13 44 St. Malachy's Primary School — — — — 30 Naiscoil Ard Macha — 8 — 8 — Dara Playgroup — 18 — 18 — Scotwell House — 9 — 9 — Callanbridge Mount St. Catherine's Primary School 11 — — 11 30 O'Fiaich Playgroup — 8 — 8 — Early Bird Monnesson Playgroup — 8 — 8 — The Mall Drelimcourt Infants' Primary School 4 — — 4 11 Grove Nursery School — — 51 51 —
§ Mr. George HowarthThe Northern Ireland Act 1998 defines over one hundred public bodies to which the section 75 obligations already apply. However, the Secretary of State may designate additional bodies under section 75(3)(a) and (d) of the Act, including those listed in the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967, to which the obligation should apply. The Parliamentary Commissioner Act lists a large number of public authorities, many of which have little or no influence in Northern Ireland.
I have met the Equality Commission to discuss the contents of the proposed designation order. At our meeting, the Equality Commission suggested a considerable number of other bodies for inclusion in the order. We plan to consult those bodies suggested to us by the Equality Commission which carry out functions relating to Northern Ireland as part of our consideration of whether they should be designated.
We intend to lay an order before Parliament as soon as possible which will list a number of bodies in respect of which our consultation is complete. In due course we hope a more comprehensive designation order will be drafted, for making later this year.