Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

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Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers Mrs Foster: Northern Ireland’s investment proposition is based on a number of factors, such as its talented and loyal workforce, advanced telecoms and transport infrastructure, high skilled business clusters, the pro-business environment, competitive operating costs and proximity to major markets. Any perceived weaknesses highlighted by potential investors are captured primarily by the Investment Managers and overseas business development executives. Invest NI has a range of mechanisms in place to raise and address significant issues that may impact on attracting potential investment. Most specifically, Invest NI’s Chief Executive is a member of the NI Economic Advisory Group which consists of a focused group of experts from economics, business and skills who provide advice to the DETI Minister on the key issues impacting the economy and the measures required to address these issues. In addition, Invest NI is represented on a wide range of cross Departmental bodies and working groups. For example, there are regular formal meetings between DETI, DEL and Invest NI to discuss skills issues and the development of policies and practices to address skills shortages in specific areas. Invest NI continues to liaise with a number of other Departments. For example: The Department of Regional Development over key issues of access and, in particular, air route access to Northern Ireland; The Department of Social Development over the implementation of those elements of Invest NI’s Jobs Fund which are focused on Neighbourhood Renewal Areas; The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure over the development and implementation of support for the NI Creative Industries sector; and The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development over the development and implementation of agri-food strategies All-Island Single Electricity Market Mr Allister asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what action needs to be taken to achieve better integration between the wholesale British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements and the Single Electricity Market on the island of Ireland, as referred to in the communiqué following the last British-Irish Council meeting. (AQW 13497/11-15) Mrs Foster: My Department is working with the Utility Regulator and counterparts in Great Britain, France and the Republic of Ireland to manage transition of the Single Electricity Market and the British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements and interconnection with the French market under the move to an integrated European-wide Internal Market for electricity. This work is set against development of a target model for the Internal Market and changes to the BETTA market from the UK Government’s Electricity Market Reform programme. Jobs at FG Wilson Mr Allister asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment whether any of the jobs that will be transferred out of Northern Ireland by FG Wilson were supported by InvestNI; and whether there are any issues relating to the recovery of grant aid. (AQW 13510/11-15) Mrs Foster: Job creation commitments made by companies with support from Invest NI are done so over an agreed period of time (usually in excess of 5 years). Accordingly the assessment of projects supported is carried out over that agreed period. It is not unusual for the employment numbers to fluctuate as companies work towards and maintain their targets. Whilst the recent announcement of WA 494
Friday 20 July 2012 Written Answers 260 potential job losses by FG Wilson is regrettable and disappointing it is too early to determine what the overall impact on the grant aid will be. Number of Overseas Visitors Mr Flanagan asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the number of overseas visitors in each month to date in 2012; and how this compares with the monthly figures for 2011. (AQW 13511/11-15) Mrs Foster: The total number of overseas visitors to Northern Ireland is not available by month. The overseas visitor numbers are compiled by combining data from the Northern Ireland Passenger Survey conducted by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the Survey of Overseas Travellers conducted on behalf of Fáilte Ireland. Data from the Survey of Overseas Travellers is provided to the Department in the form of quarterly totals. Overseas visitors to NI January – March 2011 & 2012, can be viewed at: http://www.detini.gov.uk/january-march_2012.pdf Businesses in North Down: Financial Support from InvestNI Mr Weir asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment how many businesses in North Down have received financial support from InvestNI, in each of the last three years. (AQW 13523/11-15) Mrs Foster: The table below shows the number of businesses that received an offer of support from Invest NI in the North Down Parliamentary Constituency Area (PCA) in each of the last three financial years. NUMBER OF BUSINESSES OFFERED SUPPORT IN NORTH DOWN PCA (2009-10 TO 2011-12) year Number of Businesses 2009-10 50 2010-11 44 2011-12 77 Note: A business may have received an offer of support in more than one financial year. As figures relate to the number of businesses within each individual year, they should not be totalled over the three year period. This could result in a business being counted twice. Relationship Between the Utility Regulator and Mutual Energy Mr Copeland asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the relationship between the Utility Regulator and Mutual Energy. (AQW 13555/11-15) Mrs Foster: Mutual Energy is a mutualised energy company which, like other regulated utility companies, is subject to the regulatory oversight of the Utility Regulator. This oversight is principally exercised with reference to the company’s operating licence and the Utility Regulator ensures that the company complies with its licence conditions. Moyle Interconnector Mr Copeland asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment on how many days during the last twelve months the Moyle interconnector was inoperable. (AQW 13556/11-15) WA 495
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RWA 4
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Written Answers to Questions - Northern Ireland Assembly

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