To 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]
| 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 |
The 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.