Northern Ireland Electoral Office (Hansard, 15 March 2004)

§ Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the annual budget of the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01. [HL1691]
Baroness Amos: The annual EONI budget for the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 was as follows:

£ million

1995–96 1.2

1996–97 3.4

1997–98 1.2

1998–99 4.9

1999–2000 1.2

2000–01 1.4

Expenditure in 1996–97 includes £2.1 million spent in respect of the Northern Ireland elections held in May 1996. Expenditure in 1998–99 includes £3.6 million spent in respect of the Northern Ireland referendum on the Good Friday agreement held in May 1998 and the Northern Ireland Assembly elections held in June 1998. Figures for the 1997 Westminster election and 1999 European elections are not included as they are funded by HM Treasury.
2WA

§ Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many full-time members of staff were employed within the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01. [HL1692]

§ Baroness Amos
The number of full-time EONI staff for the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 was as follows:

Number

1995–96 25

1996–97 23

1997–98 21

1998–99 21

1999–00 21

2000–01 25

§ Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much investment they have made in new equipment and other capital expenditure to improve the efficiency of the electoral process in Northern Ireland in each of the years 1995–96 to 2000–01. [HL1693]

§ Baroness Amos
Investment in new equipment for the EONI and other capital investment in the years 1995–96 to 2000–01 was as follows:

£'000

1995–96 15.7

1996–97 118.0

1997–98 21.8

1998–99 21.0

1999–00 18.9

2000–01 83.4

§ Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the annual budget of the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 2001–02 to 2003–04. [HL1694]

§ Baroness Amos
The annual EONI budget for the years 2001–02 to 2003–04 was as follows:

£ million

2001–02 2.5

2002–03 5.5

2003–04 7.6

Expenditure in 2002–03 and 2003–04 includes that spent on the development, production and distribution of the new electoral identity card. Expenditure in 2003–04 includes a projected spend of £3 million in respect of the Northern Ireland Assembly election in November 2003 and adjustments arising from new resource accounting procedures.
3WA

§ Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many full-time members of staff were employed within the Northern Ireland Electoral Office for each of the years 2001–02 to 2003–04. [HL1695]

§ Baroness Amos
The number of full-time EONI staff for the year 2001–02 to 2003–04 was as follows:

Number

2001–02 29

2002–03 38

2003–04 45

This increase in posts reflects partly an equivalent reduction in the use of part-time casual staff, plus additional staff to implement the Representation of the People Act 2000 and the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002.

§ Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much investment they have made in new equipment or other capital expenditure to improve the efficiency of the electoral process in Northern Ireland in each of the years 2001–02 to 2003–04. [HL1696]

§ Baroness Amos
Investment in new equipment for the EONI and other capital investment in the years 2001–02 to 2003–04 was as follows:

Year

2001–02 £70,000

2002–03 £1.52 million

2003–04 £154,000

The large capital expenditure in 2002–03 was due to the purchase of a new computer system to implement the Representation of the People Act 2000 and the Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002.

§ Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many new posts have been created in the Northern Ireland Electoral Office since April 2001; at what level and grade; and what specific functions do they fulfil. [HL1759]

§ Baroness Amos
The new posts created in the EONI since April 2001 are as follows:
One assistant chief electoral officer at grade 7 equivalent.¹

One operations manager at deputy principal equivalent.¹

One head of office services at staff officer equivalent.¹

One human resources officer at executive officer grade equivalent.¹
WA 4
One IT support officer at executive officer grade equivalent.¹

One information assistant at administrative officer equivalent.²

One IT assistant at administrative officer equivalent.²

Three administrative officers for general clerical duties across the nine area electoral offices.²

One administrative assistant for general clerical duties in headquarters.²

Twelve registration assistants across the nine area electoral offices.³
The increase in posts reflects a broadly equivalent reduction in the use of part-time casual staff, plus the recruitment of three specialists in the IT and HR disciplines.
¹ Offset against the surrender of three deputy electoral officer posts at deputy principal equivalent.
² Temporary posts for 18 months to two years.
³ Nine of the 12 are temporary posts for 18 months.

	£ million
1995–96	1.2
1996–97	3.4
1997–98	1.2
1998–99	4.9
1999–2000	1.2
2000–01	1.4

	Number
1995–96	25
1996–97	23
1997–98	21
1998–99	21
1999–00	21
2000–01	25

	£'000
1995–96	15.7
1996–97	118.0
1997–98	21.8
1998–99	21.0
1999–00	18.9
2000–01	83.4

Year
2001–02	£70,000
2002–03	£1.52 million
2003–04	£154,000