asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which consultants received the £16,187 allocated for consultants’ fees in section 3 of the annual report of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission; how much they each received, how they were selected; and what services they provided. [HL3924]
The expenditure on consultants’ fees was in relation to Biznet Solutions, which was paid approximately £7,800 for website design, development and maintenance; and Parity Training Ltd, which was paid approximately £8,350 for consultancy in relation to the recruitment of the secretary to the Parades Commission.
The selection process by which Biznet Solutions was engaged was handled by the NIO Procurement Unit and was subject to the unit’s procurement process. The selection process by which Parity Solutions was engaged was handled by the Parades Commission in accordance with the NIO Procurement Unit recruitment process.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Who is the accounting officer for the Northern Ireland Parades Commission; and when the accounting officer was first aware that income tax and national insurance contributions for the commissioners may not have been paid for five years. [HL4242]
The secretary to the Parades Commission serves as the accounting officer. He was formally notified on 10 January 2005 by the department that the Inland Revenue had decided that the commissioners should be treated as office holders for tax purposes.
asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 June (WA 192–3), whether the amount owed by the Northern Ireland parades commissioners was paid twice; and, if so, whether the money has been returned to either party. [HL4436]
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will not disclose information to a third party concerning an individual’s tax position; therefore, the NIO is not in a position to comment on the parades commissioners.
However, as a result of an audit, HM Revenue and Customs determined that the NIO was liable to make a payment in respect of tax and national insurance, irrespective of moneys paid by individuals. This payment has been made and no part of it has been, or will be, returned to the department.