Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly
Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly
Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly
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Friday 20 July 2012 <strong>Written</strong> <strong>Answers</strong><br />
Cost of Defending Proceedings Taken by Security Staff in Relation <strong>to</strong> Guaranteed<br />
Overtime<br />
Mr Allister asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel (i) for an estimate of the legal costs <strong>to</strong> his<br />
Department of defending proceedings taken by security staff in relation <strong>to</strong> guaranteed overtime; and (ii)<br />
why his Department defended the proceedings given that its own documentation established that such<br />
overtime was built in<strong>to</strong> the contract.<br />
(AQW 13532/11-15)<br />
Mr Wilson: No information is yet available in relation <strong>to</strong> the <strong>to</strong>tal legal costs for this case.<br />
The Department <strong>to</strong>ok the decision <strong>to</strong> defend the claims on the basis of legal advice and the fact that,<br />
following the withdrawal of the first case at hearing, the second case had, previously, been dismissed<br />
by the County Court.<br />
Legal Proceedings Taken by Security Staff in Relation <strong>to</strong> Guaranteed Overtime<br />
Mr Allister asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel for an estimate of (i) the number of security<br />
staff who will benefit from the recent successful legal proceedings taken by security staff in relation <strong>to</strong><br />
guaranteed overtime; (ii) the cost of compensation and back payments.<br />
(AQW 13533/11-15)<br />
Mr Wilson: A judgement has been issued in respect of an individual Plaintiff and the Department is<br />
considering the wider impact, if any, for other staff. Until such issues have been finally determined<br />
information on the numbers of staff affected or the cost of compensation and back payments is not<br />
available.<br />
Empty Premises Relief Scheme<br />
Mr Rogers asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel how many applications for Empty Premises<br />
Relief have been received for the (i) Newry and Mourne; (ii) Down; and (iii) Banbridge Council areas <strong>to</strong><br />
date; how many of these applications have been approved.<br />
(AQW 13560/11-15)<br />
Mr Wilson: At 9th July 2012, applications for Empty Premises Relief have been received by Land &<br />
Property Services for the requested areas are as follows: Newry & Mourne 7; Down 2; and Banbridge 1.<br />
Two applications from the Newry & Mourne council area met the criteria, however, the applications from<br />
both Down and Banbridge were not successful.<br />
Unoccupied Non-Domestic Properties<br />
Mr Weir asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel <strong>to</strong> detail the number of unoccupied non-domestic<br />
properties in each of the last three years, broken down by council area.<br />
(AQW 13581/11-15)<br />
Mr Wilson: The number of vacant non-domestic properties in each Council area as at 31st March<br />
2010, 31st March 2011 and 31st March 2012 is given in the table overleaf.<br />
District Council<br />
Vacant Non-Domestic<br />
Properties as at 31<br />
March 2010<br />
WA 547<br />
Vacant Non-Domestic<br />
Properties as at 31<br />
March 2011<br />
Vacant Non-Domestic<br />
Properties as at 31<br />
March 2012<br />
Antrim 375 386 395<br />
Ards 542 561 582<br />
Armagh 541 532 533<br />
Ballymena 441 456 485