This publication contains the written answers to questions tabled by Members. The content of the responses is as received at the time from the relevant Minister or representative of the Assembly Commission and has not been subject to the official reporting process or changed in any way.

Friday 14 December 2007

Written Answers to Questions

Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Agriculture and Rural Development
Culture, Arts and Leisure
Education
Employment and Learning
Enterprise , Trade and Investment
Environment
Finance and Personnel
Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Regional Development
Social Development
Assembly Commission

Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Response to Correspondence

Mrs I Robinson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the longest period of time it has taken to provide a full response to a letter received from (i) a Member of Parliament; (ii) a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly; (iii) a Councillor; and (iv) a member of the public, since March 2007.

(AQW 1605/08)

The First Minister and deputy First Minister (Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness): In the period since March 2007, during preparations for devolution and following the restoration of institutions, the longest period of time it has taken for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to provide a full response to a letter received is set out below;

a Member of Parliament, 43 working days;
a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, 60 working days;
a Councillor, 61 working days; and
a member of the public, 66 working days.

The period of days is calculated from the date the letter was received by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the date when a final response was issued.

Freedom of Information Requests

Mr G Robinson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the cost to the department of dealing with Freedom of Information requests, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1666/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The right to request information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 came into effect on 1 January 2005. The information requested is not currently held.

EU Directives

Mr M Storey asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, pursuant to the answers to AQW 624/08, AQW 626/08 and AQW 631/08, for its assessment of whether or not the degree of flexibility available to (i) member states; and (ii) devolved assemblies, allows for any changes to be made to proposals included in public consultations on European Union directives.

(AQW 1826/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The basic principle for implementing EC Directives is that effect must be given to what they require. Sometimes the Directive will expressly, or by implication, leave a margin of discretion to Member States for legislation matters within their competence. In other cases it will be apparent that a uniform result is intended and there is very little scope for discretion.

A public consultation alerts interested parties to proposals for implementing EU Directives. It also provides interested parties with an opportunity to express an opinion on the implementation of a Directive and consultation responses can be taken into account when policy decisions are being finalised, within the margins permissible in the Directive.

UN Climate Change Conference

Mr B Wilson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in the light of the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, in which experts have declared climate change as unequivocal and stated that it may bring abrupt and irreversible impacts on the world community, to advise whether or not the First and deputy First Minister will attend the UN global climate talks in Bali in December 2007.

(AQW 1846/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: We do not intend to travel to the UN Climate Change Conference.

Community Relations Council

Mr S Moutray asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the amount of (i) core; and (ii) project, funding awarded by the Community Relations Council in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2244/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The Community Relations Council awards core and project funding from monies provided by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and by the European Union’s Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace II). The detail of the funding awarded from these sources is shown below.

(i) In each of the last five years the Community Relations Council has awarded the followingcore funding:

(A) Community Relations Core Funding

Community Relations Core Funding
2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
£1,315,835	£1,250,289	£1,318,109	£1,330,446	£1,391,000

(B) Victims/Survivors Core Funding

Core Funding for Victims and Survivors
2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
£334,313	£1,059,653	£1,813,195	£1,933,673	£2,057,733

(ii) In each of the last five years the Community Relations Council has awarded the followingproject funding:

(A) Project Funding for Community Relations

Project Funding for Community Relations
2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
£638,246	£785,314	£781,246	£745,702	£810,571

(B) Project Funding for Victims/Survivors

Project Funding for Victims/Survivors
2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
£43,275	£340,645	£614,372	£653,807	£866,554

Project Funding under Peace II
2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
£7,896,409	£8,747,089	£9,017,407	£9,239,876	£6,551,399

The information provided above excludes funding awarded by the Community Relations Council under the International Fund for Ireland’s Community Bridges Programme.

Freedom of Information Act

Mr M Durkan asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, in relation to the review of the Freedom of Information Act, announced by the First Minister in the Assembly on 8 October 2007, to detail (i) what work has been carried out to date on this review; (ii) a timescale within which it will be concluded; and (iii) whether or not this report will be published.

(AQW 2376/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The First Minister did not announce a review into FoI

The Executive has not, to date, held any discussions on reviewing the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, OFMDFM officials monitor each government department’s compliance with the legislation on an on-going basis, and report regularly to Ministers. They also liaise regularly with officials from the Ministry of Justice on common issues concerning FOI policy and procedures. In addition, quarterly meetings are held with representatives from the Office of the Information Commissioner to discuss general issues arising from FOI complaints.

Freedom of Information Act

Mr M Durkan asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the number of occasions that the Executive has discussed the review of the Freedom of Information Act, since the announcement of this review by the First Minister in the Assembly on 8 October 2007.

(AQW 2377/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The First Minister did not announce a review into FoI

Freedom of Information Act

Mr M Durkan asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what discussion the review team has had with the Office of the Information Commissioner, in carrying out the review of the Freedom of Information Act, announced by the First Minister in the Assembly on 8 October 2007.

(AQW 2379/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The First Minister did not announce a review into FoI

Freedom of Information Requests

Mr M Durkan asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the number of Freedom of Information requests refused by each government department, since 1 January 2005, on the grounds of (i) vexatiousness or repetition; (ii) excessive cost; and (iii) statutory exemption.

(AQW 2380/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The table below sets out the number of Freedom of Information requests refused by each government department, on the grounds of (i) vexatiousness or repetition; (ii) excessive cost; and (iii) statutory exemption. Figures provided are for requests received between 1 January 2005 and 30 September 2007 and include requests made under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

For cases where statutory exemptions applied, these requests have been divided into those which were refused in full and those where some information was disclosed. The total number of requests received by each department has also been included. Only 7 per cent of requests received by departments have been refused in full.

Freedom of Information Act

Mr M Durkan asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what discussions they have had with the Ministry of Justice, as part of the review of the Freedom of Information Act, announced by the First Minister in the Assembly on 8 October 2007.

(AQW 2382/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The First Minister did not announce a review into FoI

Ministerial Statement on 'Outlining a Vision for our Education system'

Mr B McCrea asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail when, and how, it was first notified of the Ministerial Statement, 'Outlining a Vision for our Education system'; and to confirm whether or not either the First Minister or deputy First Minister had discussions with the Minister of Education on the subject matter of the statement before it was issued.

(AQW 2419/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The intention of the Minister of Education to make a statement to the Assembly on the education system was notified to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister at official level on the afternoon of Monday 3 December. This information was subsequently conveyed to us at the time of visiting the United States.

While the deputy First Minister and the Education Minister had discussed the statement on the education system in a party political context, we can confirm that neither of us had ministerial discussions with the Minister of Education about this statement before it was issued.

Junior Ministers

Ms S Ramsey asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the work of the junior Ministers in the last 3 months with specific reference to meeting groups which advocate for children and young people.

(AQO 1251/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The Junior Ministers have been given special responsibility for the co-ordination of policy and the promotion of the rights and needs of children and young people.

They have had a series of engagements with a number of individual voluntary sector organisations that advocate for children and young people. In addition, the Junior Ministers met with a large group of non-governmental organisations at the office of the Commissioner for Children and Young People to listen to what they considered to be priority issues for children and young people.

The Junior Ministers are driving forward children’s issues and will be bringing children-related PSA targets to the Executive early in the New Year. They are also taking the lead in reviewing and revising as necessary the 10-year strategy for children and young people. All Departments will be involved in setting special targets over the next three years which will be published in a revised children and young people’s action plan which will be approved by the Junior Ministers.

Severe Child Poverty

Mr J Shannon asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to provide a precise definition of the term 'severe child poverty' in relation to the target contained in the PSA document.

(AQO 1191/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The PSA target which the Member refers to in relation to child poverty is one of a number of targets which an anti-poverty strategy, once agreed by the Executive, will aim to achieve.

A range of poverty measures will be considered by the Executive in this context in order to monitor change in child poverty including:

relative income poverty;
a mixed measure, combining material deprivation and low income which provides a wider measure of people’s living standards; and
absolute poverty reflecting whether the very poorest families are seeing their incomes rise in real terms.

However, in agreeing its strategy to tackle poverty and social exclusion, as required under Section 16 of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006, the Executive will decide which indicators, using one or all of these statistics, best measures the number of children in greatest objective need.

This is currently being considered within the Department. We would hope to bring proposals to the Executive on an anti-poverty strategy, including details on how we propose to measure its effectiveness, in the near future.

We in OFMDFM together with the Executive are committed to tackling poverty and social exclusion in Northern Ireland. This is outlined in both our draft Programme for Government and budget documents which include a commitment to reduce child poverty by 50% by 2010.

Draft Programme for Government

Mr D Ford asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to state the date on which the Executive (i) first considered the draft Programme for Government; and (ii) approved the draft Programme for Government.

(AQO 1196/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Since devolution was restored on 8 May, the Executive has taken forward work to develop and agree a Programme for Government which sets out our priorities and plans for 2008-11. In taking that work forward, we have sought to ensure that our Programme for Government is clearly focused on addressing the key economic, social and environmental challenges we face if we are to build a better future for all our people.

This draft Programme for Government is a highly strategic document which is more accessible to the public, and easier to read, than the previous Programme for Government documents. However, do not think that because this document is short and strategic, that a considerable amount of work has not gone into its preparation and agreement. Nothing could be further from the truth in that respect.

The Executive first considered its approach to a draft Programme for Government on 24 May. This allowed officials to progress the draft proposals during the summer and further consideration was given to the priorities to be included in the draft Programme for Government at the Executive Strategy Day on the 6 September.

A draft of the Programme for Government was considered by the Executive at its meeting on the 27 September and following a series of Ministerial bilaterals, a revised draft was agreed on the 23 October. The draft Programme for Government was launched on 25 October in conjunction with the draft Budget and draft Investment Strategy.

You should also note that the priorities in the draft Programme for Government are supported by the draft Public Service Agreement framework. This sets out in detail the policies and programmes that this administration will be taken forward over the next three years and beyond, to achieve its aim to build a peaceful, fair and prosperous society in Northern Ireland, with respect for the rule of law.

Efficiency Measures

Mr D O'Loan asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the reasons why the proposed efficiency measures contained within its proposed budget have not yet been ratified.

(AQO 1255/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Given the new strategic direction of the Executive and the new departmental priorities initiative we have initiated a review of the proposed efficiency measures, which may result in alternative proposals coming forward.

Shared Future Policy

Mrs N Long asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether or not the Shared Future Policy remains an adopted policy of the current Executive.

(AQO 1197/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: We are fully committed to promoting the interests of the whole community towards the goal of a shared future and a prosperous, peaceful and settled society.

Having considered progress made, we are currently drawing up detailed proposals for a programme of cohesion and integration to set out our strategy for a shared and better future. Key objectives, actions and targets will be developed in the context of these proposals.

Maze Site

Mr P Ramsey asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the date on which a decision be made in relation to the regeneration of the Maze site.

(AQO 1259/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The multi-party consultation panel recommended unanimously that the development of the site should be centred upon a multi-sport stadium and an International Centre for Conflict Transformation based on the listed prison buildings and scheduled World War II aircraft hangars together with supporting transport infrastructure. Proposals for the regeneration of the former prison and army base are currently being considered.

10 Year Strategy for Children and Young People

Mrs M Bradley asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what plans are in place to implement the 10 year strategy for children and young people; and to detail the funding that is available to facilitate this implementation.

(AQO 1187/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Work to ensure the implementation of the 10-Year Strategy for Children and Young People is ongoing by all departments.

The Children and Young People's Action Plan details specific time-bound actions by Executive departments, the NIO and Court Service designed to deliver on the aims of the Strategy.

The Junior Ministers will be bringing forward, in the New Year, a revised three-year plan which will work towards the overall achievement of the strategy.

Integrated Development Fund

Mr G Adams asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to confirm its support for the safeguarding of resource funding pledged to projects from West Belfast and Greater Shankill, through the pilot integrated development fund.

(AQO 1219/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Under the current arrangements, all outline pilot projects supported by the Integrated Development Fund (IDF), will have an entitlement to funding of the amount previously agreed by Ministers, subject to the provision and approval of the required economic appraisals for the respective projects.

Any further funding applications for individual projects, above the agreed amount or beyond the specified timescales, will be a matter for relevant lead Departments. Departments will consider such applications on the basis of their competing priorities and available resources.

Devolved Powers

Mr D McNarry asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail any discussions it has had with its counterparts in (i) Scotland; (ii) Wales; and (iii) Westminster, on the extension of the powers devolved to each of the devolved legislatures.

(AQO 1166/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Ministers have had no discussions with either the First Minister of Scotland, the First Minister of Wales or the Government at Westminster about the extension of powers devolved to these legislatures.

Junior Ministers

Mr K Robinson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to make a statement on the recent visit of the junior Ministers to Brussels.

(AQO 1156/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Junior Ministers Gerry Kelly and Ian Paisley Junior led a delegation to Brussels on 22 November to strengthen Northern Ireland’s links with Europe.

The delegation consisted of officials from a number of Departments who held meetings with their Commission counterparts to discuss priorities and develop ideas for increased participation in European opportunities. These meetings prepared the ground for the forthcoming inward visit by the European Commission Taskforce for Northern Ireland planned for early December and also for the planned visit to Brussels by us in January. Officials also held meetings with Northern Ireland’s MEPs and with the UK and Irish Permanent Representatives. A total of 31 meetings took place, including the Ministerial engagements. Gerry Kelly also hosted an evening reception in the Executive’s Brussels Office for Commission Taskforce members and other influential figures in Brussels based institutions.

The Junior Ministers also met with Catherine Day, Secretary-General of the Commission, and Dirk Ahner, Director-General of DG Regional Policy. Both gave assurance of the continuing high level support in the Commission for a successful outcome to the work of Commission President Barroso’s Northern Ireland Taskforce. A Taskforce report is expected by the end of January.

Fair Employment Monitoring Regulations

Mr S Neeson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what plans it has to undertake a review of Fair Employment Monitoring Regulations.

(AQO 1206/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Reviewing the Fair Employment Monitoring Regulations is an ongoing commitment and will be considered as part of the review of equality legislation.

Older Persons' Commissioner

Mr J Spratt asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline what progress has been made in relation to an Older Persons' Commissioner.

(AQO 1174/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Ministers have received an interim report from the independent organisation appointed to assist with the review into the case for establishing an Older People’s Commissioner.

It is hoped that following consideration of the interim report Ministers will be in a position to issue a statement later this week.

Junior Ministers

Mr R Beggs asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the steps taken by junior Ministers to increase participation in, and understanding of public affairs by children.

(AQO 1178/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The Junior Ministers recently launched the Participation Network which is a new initiative funded by our Department and aims to support statutory agencies, local government and all departments to effectively engage with children and young people in public decision making. The mechanisms it will put in place will help us to reach out and talk to our young people so that they can have a say in our joint futures.

On the 20^th November the Junior Ministers along with other MLAs met with 108 young people on the steps of Parliament Buildings to hear what their issues were. By listening to children and young people we hope to improve the quality of their lives as well as ensuring we deliver services that meet their needs.

Agriculture and Rural Development

Sea Bass Stocks

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the estimated size of sea bass stocks in the waters around the island of Ireland.

(AQW 2093/08)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms M Gildernew): Since bass is no longer targeted commercially in Ireland data collection on the stock is difficult and the size of the stock is unknown. However the Marine Institute in Galway reports on bass stocks based on recreational angler records. These indicate that the bass stock is greatly depleted compared to the 1970s. Sea bass are mainly distributed in the warmer waters at the southern part of the island.

Fishing Vessels

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of (i) under 10-metre vessels; and (ii) over 10-metre vessels, that belong to Northern Ireland fishermen.

(AQW 2178/08)

Ms M Gildernew: There are 191 under 10 metre and 143 over 10 metre fishing vessels owned by the North’s fishermen, both here and elsewhere.

Bio Diesel

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the research being carried out in relation to converting tallow into bio diesel.

(AQW 2180/08)

Ms M Gildernew: My Department is not supporting any research into converting tallow to biodiesel, at present.

DARD published a Renewable Energy Action Plan in January 2007. The focus of this plan has been to shape a coherent support framework that will enable the land based and rural sectors to realise the potential that renewable energy production presents.

Based on the Renewable Energy Action Plan, DARD sponsored research is currently focussed on the use of waste and biomass as a potential renewable energy feedstock.

Farm Grants

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of farms in the North Down constituency that have received grants from her department in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2292/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I am unable to provide this information as the Department does not hold grant and subsidy details classified by constituency. The data is currently held by county/postcode and, when programming resources permit, the Department will develop its systems to be able to collate information by constituency.

Single Farm Payments

Mr G McHugh asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what is being done to expedite the processing of single farm payments.

(AQO 1226/08)

Ms M Gildernew: This year, we have taken a number of steps to ensure that as many farm businesses receive their Single Farm Payment as early as possible within the payment window. These include:-

Reducing the number of on farm inspection visits by approximately 800 when compared to the 2006 visits.
Increasing the de miminus level for recovery purposes from £10 to £65. This means that these types of cases can be paid more quickly.
Encouraging farmers to tell us of changes to maps and accepting these without penalty.

I am pleased to report that the 2007 inspections are progressing well and the inspection programme will be completed by end of December. This year, as far as payments are concerned, these started to hit bank accounts from 6 December. We are ahead of where we were last year and 900 more farmers will receive their full payment in time for Christmas.

Testing Cattle for Tuberculosis

Mr G Savage asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail her plans to introduce a new system for testing cattle for tuberculosis.

(AQO 1182/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The bovine Tuberculosis (TB) testing programme of cattle in the North is based on the use of the tuberculin skin test, in accordance with the provisions of EC Directive 64/432. All cattle herds in the North are routinely tested every year. The gamma interferon blood test is also used as a supplementary diagnostic test for TB in cattle in certain circumstances here. No new tests are being considered for TB at present, and I have no plans to introduce new tests at this time.

TB testing in the North is delivered by a combination of veterinary officers from my Department and private veterinary practitioners. My Department has had a review carried out of the existing arrangements for delivering TB testing here, and I intend to seek the view of stakeholders in the New Year on the conclusions of that review. No decisions will be taken on future arrangements for delivering TB testing until after the consultation process has been completed.

Aqua Culture

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the role of her department in the promotion of aqua culture in Northern Ireland.

(AQO 1152/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The role of my Department is to promote the sustainable development of aquaculture in a manner that is consistent with environmental standards, and to licence fish and shellfish farms under the provisions of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966. My Department has provided financial assistance under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). Assistance for the construction, expansion, equipping and modernisation of aquaculture installations should continue into the future under the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). The Department will be issuing a consultation paper early next year on an Operational Programme for the implementation of European Fisheries Fund (EFF) here, and all stakeholders will have the opportunity of contributing to the development of the various measures within the programme.

Rural Businesses

Mr S Neeson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to outline her department's priorities in relation to the £45 million put aside in the draft Budget to assist rural businesses.

(AQO 1208/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The Draft Programme for Government 2008-2011 states that we will invest £45million by 2013 to improve the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, which includes assistance to rural businesses. I can confirm that the £45million relates to the four Measures within Axis 1 of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. The specific aim of Axis 1 of this Programme is to improve the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector and therefore it will be a priority of my Department to implement the four Measures across Axis 1 as approved by the European Commission earlier this year. The Measures which account for the £45million will provide for investment in Vocational Training, Agricultural and Forestry Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme/Agricultural and Forestry Marketing Development Scheme, Modernisation of Agricultural Holdings and a Supply Chain Development Programme.

Food Labelling

Mr T Burns asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the progress she has made in relation to 'country of origin' labelling on food sold at retail outlets, and on restaurant menus.

(AQO 1150/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I can advise that my Department has responsibility for the labelling of beef, under EU Beef Labelling Regulations. DARD inspectors, along with local authority Environmental Health Officers, ensure that all beef on sale at retail level, but excluding the food service sector, is correctly labelled with origin and traceability information.

My Department is working with key stakeholders on the development of a voluntary pilot scheme involving origin labelling of beef in a number of local restaurants. This study will provide valuable information on consumer attitudes and preferences and will help inform future policy decisions.

The labelling of other food products is the responsibility of the Foods Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA is currently consulting with industry on its revised country of origin labelling guidance which is aimed at helping manufacturers, producers, retailers and caterers to comply with the law and to encourage them to give more voluntary origin information in a helpful and informative way.

Administration Reductions

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what action she is taking to ensure that her department meets the target of reducing the administration faced by farmers by 25%, as set out in the draft Programme for Government.

(AQO 1168/08)

Ms M Gildernew: On 12 November, Environment Minister, Arlene Foster and I issued a joint Press Release signalling the launch of the Better Regulation and Simplification Review. The Review is being conducted by an Independent Panel, which provides skills and experience in the areas of governance, agriculture, the environment and legal. The Review Panel met for the first time on 22 November and has delegated a number of tasks to the relevant regulatory areas within DARD and DOE to take forward.

The output from the Review will be a Simplification Plan with the aim of making it easier for everyone concerned with the agri-food industry to comply with the relevant regulations and I am confident that the target of a 25% reduction in administrative burden by 2013 can be achieved.

Good Relations Policy

Mr T Lunn asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail how her department is contributing to the Good Relations policy.

(AQO 1198/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The policy "A Shared Future – Policy and Strategic Frame work for Good Relations in Northern Ireland" was published in March 2005. The subsequent Shared Future Triennial Action Plan 2006 – 2009 detailed the practical actions that Government Departments have committed themselves to in order that the Strategy vision on good relations takes shape over the three year period and beyond.

The ethos of "The Shared Future/Triennial Action Plan and the Racial Equality Strategy Implementation Action Plan" underpins DARD’s Strategic Plan for 2006-11. A key Vision statement of the Strategy is "in the delivery of all our services and in implementing our policies, we want to promote all aspects of equality and good relations". The Strategy specifically promises that DARD will include "good relations building outcomes in rural communities within the capacity of the European Rural Development Regulations", and goes on to refer to community capacity building work in rural estates. The Strategy also undertakes to remain committed to the actions of the Racial Equality Strategy in its delivery.

My Department has two actions in the Shared Future Action Plan:-

(1) Develop projects for European Programmes which include actions on good relations within rural communities within Axis 3 of the Rural Development Programme 2007 – 2013 (RDP).

The RDP will be delivered by a partner ship approach of District Councils and based on locally developed needs. DARD will ensure that these Partnerships will be pro-active in reflecting the Shared Future agenda in their strategies so that good relations outcomes will be a key feature of programmes funded under the relevant measures.

(2) With the NIHE, will take forward community relation issues within the Rural Estates Programme to improve programme structure and provide tangible community relations outcomes.

The work of the Rural Community Estates Programme (RCEP) has been continuing in community estates (in 13 council areas across rural NI) which have a history of high levels of disadvantage and low levels of community infrastructure. Community development workers have been building and improving relationships within largely single identity estates to help develop the community development capacity. The work is gradual, but a key, encouraging outcome has been that community groups involved are now being linked to the Rural Community Network (RCN) with its wide Rural Support Network (RSN) infrastructure. As such, they will integrate with wider community development activities, and be exposed inexorably to the broader horizons of the Shared Future agenda. As this programme is now almost completed the lessons learned have been captured in a "Practice to Policy" evaluation which is currently being considered.

On a more general note Race Equality is now a standard agenda item for the quarterly meetings of the Department’s Equality Steering Group, which comprises the Grade 5 Heads of all DARD Divisions and is chaired by the Permanent Secretary. Anna Lo MLA ex CEO of the Chinese Welfare Association attended the meeting in January 2007 and gave a presentation on the key issues facing the growing number of ethnic minority communities living in Northern Ireland, the problems they face and ways of improving communication with these communities. Patrick Yu, Director of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities has accepted our invitation to address the next meeting of this Group.

In the Year 2 draft of DARD’s Race Action Plan, there are a number of positive and helpful new actions. In the critical area of capacity building there is potential offered for the new Rural Development Programme to benefit those from ethnic communities living in rural areas. To ensure the key issues were addressed from the outset, Rural Development Division and Equality Branch (including the Race Champion) held some informal pre-consultation meetings with groups such as NICEM and the Chinese Welfare Association in April 2007, prior to the issue of the consultation paper.

DARD, like all public bodies has equality duties to meet under Section 75 of the NI Act 1998. These statutory duties make equality and good relations considerations central to the whole range of public policy and decision-making. Completion of High Level Impact Assessments (HLIAs) by Departments is an important part of compliance with mainstreaming equality considerations into the Priorities and Budget process. DARD has carried out a comprehensive programme of High Level Impact Assessments (HLIA) to ensure that equality and good relations considerations are mainstreamed into all aspects of our business decisions; and where appropriate mitigations are incorporated.

Department Officials

Mr D Burnside asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of officials currently employed by her department.

(AQO 1165/08)

Ms M Gildernew: My Department currently employs 3,111 staff consisting of 2,655 non-industrial and 456 industrial staff.

Animal Diseases Bill

Mr D Ford asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide an update on the Animal Diseases Bill, as outlined in the Programme for Government.

(AQO 1195/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I am considering a number of animal health measures to protect our livestock industry. I want to ensure that we have effective biosecurity measures in place to prevent the introduction and spread of disease. That is the first line of defence. I also want to ensure that powers are available to deal quickly and effectively with any disease outbreaks in order to minimise the impact on the agri food industry and protect vital export markets.

I intend to seek the views of industry and key stakeholders early in the New Year on detailed proposals for a Diseases of Animals Bill.

Provided no substantial amendments are required to the draft Bill as a result the consultation process, it is my intention to introduce the draft Bill during the 2007/08 session.

Rivers Agency

Mr G Adams asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to make a statement on the work of the Rivers Agency within the West Belfast constituency.

(AQO 1221/08)

Ms M Gildernew: Rivers Agency is the statutory drainage and flood defence authority for the North of Ireland with the primary aim of reducing risk to life and property from flooding from rivers and the sea. In support of this aim the Agency identifies flooding risk and executes viable works to minimise such risk, maintains a network of free flowing watercourses and administers advisory and enforcement procedures to protect the drainage function of watercourses.

Two drainage improvement schemes for West Belfast are proposed. One for the Whiterock Stream costing approx £250k. Rivers Agency is currently undertaking investigatory and preparatory works in relation to this scheme. The other proposed scheme relates to the permanent culvert replacement on the Blackstaff River costing approx £30k. This follows Emergency repair works on a collapsed culvert on the Glen Road undertaken by the Rivers Agency in late 2005. Both Schemes are due to commence in Spring 2008.

The Agency has 2 squads of industrial staff allocated to the West Belfast area engaged in maintenance of 33 designated watercourses and grille inspection/clearance weekly or more frequently in light of predicted heavy rainfall.

Rivers Agency within its consultancy and consenting role has assessed and approved the realignment of the Clowney River and the Blackstaff River as part of the major improvements to the Westlink.

The Agency provides an emergency response to watercourse related flooding incidents and undertakes follow up investigations to establish the source of flooding and identify any remedial works required.

Rivers Agency has a statutory duty to ensure equality of treatment of drainage throughout the North.

Environmental Protection Agency

Mr P McGlone asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what is her assessment of the administrative and financial implications for her department of proposals to introduce an Environmental Protection Agency.

(AQO 1163/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The realignment of environmental responsibilities in central and local government, recommended by the Review of Environmental Governance, presents some complex issues for DARD and its sponsored bodies.

The Foundations for the Future report recommended the establishment of an independent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, the report’s recommendations were not costed. Minister Foster has commissioned those costings, and until they are available it is impossible to say for certain what the administrative and financial implications for my department will be.

I can assure the Member that my officials and I will scrutinise any costed proposal closely.

Alpha Nortestosterone Enquiries

Mr P J Bradley asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail what plans she has to compensate farming families who were subject to house-raids during the alpha nortestosterone enquiries of 2006, in view of the fact that these families have been vindicated in the review of these events, carried out by Joan Ruddock.

(AQO 1151/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I have no plans to pay compensation to farmers who had their houses searched. You will be aware that the Department is required by law to enforce EU residues legislation and is permitted to do so without incurring legal liability to pay compensation.

In spite of this, and in recognition of the fact that farmers have lost animals without any evidence of wrong-doing on their part, I made the decision to make a good-will payment to all farmers who had on farm emergency slaughter male animals condemned as a result of a positive test. The payment was based on the market value of the animal at the time of slaughter and over £87,000 has been paid out to farmers. This was purely a gesture of good-will towards the farming community and went beyond our statutory obligations. I also met with affected farmers and apologised personally for the distress caused by the on-farm investigations.

Joan Ruddock concluded in her review that DARD’s actions in respect of the surprise on-farm searches were in compliance with legislation and were reasonable in the context of the scientific evidence of the time and also in the context of recent experience of illegal administration. Recommendations were also made on how DARD could improve its approach to enforcement activity in future and I have already given assurances that all the recommendations in the Ruddock Review will be fully implemented.

DARD Direct

Mr A Bresland asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail (i) the progress that has been made in developing DARD Direct facilities for farmers; and (ii) how much it will cost to establish this service.

(AQO 1159/08)

Ms M Gildernew: DARD Direct is my Department’s new service delivery approach that has been tested and positively evaluated at Inishkeen House in Enniskillen. Feedback on the pilot was very good with farmers welcoming the new ‘one stop shop’ approach to customer service. The Department proposes to establish a network of 10 DARD Direct offices across Northern Ireland within a reasonable distance of our customers’ businesses. This proposal came about following DFP approval of an economic appraisal which recommended that 10 offices, strategically located throughout the North, is the most favourable option.

No decisions have been taken yet on the locations of these offices, with the exception of Inishkeen House as it has already been modified to test the DARD Direct service delivery model. The capital costs associated with the refurbishment work to be completed in the 9 other DARD Direct offices are estimated at £4.92m.

My Department is currently undergoing a pre-consultation exercise with key stakeholders and section 75 groups on the DARD Direct roll out proposals. This will inform an EQIA/consultation that is due to take place in 2008. Following this, I will be in a position to make decisions on where the DARD Direct offices will be located.

Environmental Protection Agency

Mr B McCrea asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail any discussions she has had with the Minister of the Environment in relation to proposals to establish an independent Environmental Protection Agency.

(AQO 1184/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I noted the publication of the report, Foundations for the Future, issued by the Review of Environmental Governance in June 2007. At the time, I indicated to the Minister of the Environment that the Executive should take time to weigh up all the options and their related costs and benefits, and assess the implications for the balance of responsibilities across Departments, agencies, and other public authorities.

Minister Foster was clear that she would take the time needed to consider the issues raised by the report, and the best way forward. I will be happy to discuss the report with the Minister and our Executive colleagues in due course, when the costs associated with the creation of an independent EPA have been assessed.

Culture, Arts and Leisure

Sport NI

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the projects in North Antrim that have been funded by Sport NI, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1626/08)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr E Poots): I am aware that this Question was due for Answer on 26 November 2007 and I apologise to the Member for the delay.

The table below details the projects in North Antrim that have been funded by Sport Northern Ireland in each of the last 5 years.

Funding to projects in North Antrim

Year	Applicant Organisation	Project title	Grant Amount (£)
2002/03	Ballymena United FC Ballymena Showgrounds Warden Street Ballymena BT43 7DR	Major Works Year 3	20,000.00
2002/03	Ballymena United FC Ballymena Showgrounds Warden Street Ballymena BT43 7DR	Safety Management	2,685.00
2002/03	Glenravel Environmental Improvement Assoc 14 Old Cushendun Road Newtowncrommelin Ballymena BT43 6RJ	Construction of Multi-use games area with floodlighting	80,000.00
2002/03	Knights Wheelchair Basketball Club c/o 44 The Knockans Broughshane Londonderry BT43 7LQ	Purchase of 20 Basketball Wheelchairs	15,300.00
2003/04	Ballymena United FC Ballymena Showgrounds Warden Street Ballymena BT43 7DR	Safety Management	3,010.00
2003/04	Ballymena Borough Council 80 Galgorm Road Ballymena BT42 1AB	Community Sport Programme	8,888.78
2003/04	Ballymena Borough Council 80 Galgorm Road Ballymena BT42 1AB	Community Sport Programme	38,100.00
2003/04	Ballymena Borough Council 80 Galgorm Road Ballymena BT42 1AB	Community Sport Programme	40,031.00
2003/04	Ballymena RFC Eaton Park 209 Raceview Road Ballymena BT42 4HU	Refurbishment of pitches	95,603.00
2003/04	Moyle District Council Skeskburn House 7 Mary Street Ballycastle BT54 6QH	Community Sport Programme	12,350.00
2003/04	Moyle District Council Skeskburn House 7 Mary Street Ballycastle BT54 6QH	Community Sport programme	38,325.00
2003/04	Moyle District Council Skeskburn House 7 Mary Street Ballycastle BT54 6QH	Community Sport Programme	40,241.00
2003/04	Moyle District Council Skeskburn House 7 Mary Street Ballycastle BT54 6QH	Coach Education Generic, Sports specific training and coaching programmes	3,683.00
2003/04	Moyle District Council Skeskburn House 7 Mary Street Ballycastle BT54 6QH	Coach education generic, sports specific training and coaching programmes	4,695.00
2003/04	St Brigids GAC 111 Marlborough Park Central Belfast BT9 6HP	Construction of pitch	70,000.00
2004/05	Ballymena United FC Ballymena Showgrounds Warden Street Ballymena BT43 7DR	Safety Management	3,230.00
2004/05	Ballymena Borough Council 80 Galgorm Road Ballymena BT42 1AB	UEFA Under 19 Championships	20,000.00
2004/05	Ballymena North Partnership c/o 4 Wellington Court Ballymena BT43 6EQ	Construction of four court sports hall.	500,000.00
2004/05	Ballymena RFC Eaton Park 209 Raceview Road Ballymena BT42 4HU	Refurbishment of pitches	95,603.00
2004/05	Ballymoney Borough Council Riada House 14 Charles Street Ballymoney BT53 6DZ	Community Sport Programme	108,588.00
2004/05	Ballymoney Borough Council Riada House 14 Charles Street Ballymoney BT53 6DZ	Skills 4 Sport	4,504.00
2004/05	Moyle District Council Skeskburn House 7 Mary Street Ballycastle BT54 6QH	Coach education generic, sports specific training and coaching programmes	3,683.00
2004/05	North West Mountain Rescue Team 24 Glassmullan Road Glenariffe Antrim BT44 0QX	Challenge Fund	8,012.00
2004/05	St Brigids GAC Land diagonally opposite 182 Ballyveely Road Cloughmills Antrim BT44 9BG	Construction of pitch	70,000.00
2005/06	Ballymoney Borough Council Riada House 14 Charles Street Ballymoney BT53 6DZ	Causeway Coach Management Scheme	6,435.00
2005/06	North West Mountain Rescue Team 24 Glassmullan Road Glenariffe Antrim BT44 0QX	Exchequer Grant	11,750.00
2005/06	North West Mountain Rescue Team 24 Glassmullan Road Glenariffe Antrim BT44 0QX	Exchequer Grant	24,150.00
2005/06	North West Mountain Rescue Team 24 Glassmullan Road Glenariffe Antrim BT44 0QX	Exchequer Grant	12,338.00
2005/06	St Brigids GAC Land diagonally opposite 182 Ballyveely Road Cloughmills Antrim BT44 9BG	Construction of pitches	161,770.00
2006/07	Ballymena United FC Ballymena Showgrounds Warden Street Ballymena BT43 7DR	Stadia Safety Programme	161,636.00
2006/07	Ballymena United FC Ballymena Showgrounds Warden Street Ballymena BT43 7DR	Safety Management	3,684.00
2006/07	Ballymena United FC Ballymena Showgrounds Warden Street Ballymena BT43 7DR	Safety Management	3,006.00

400th Anniversary of the Plantation of Ulster

Mr A Bresland asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail his department's plans to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Plantation of Ulster.

(AQW 1871/08)

Mr E Poots: I am aware that this Question was due for Answer on the 4^th of December, and I apologise to the Member for the delay.

The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure anticipate the Ulster-Scots Agency taking plans forward on this matter and the Agency are considering a number of events to commemorate this period in our history. Plans are to be finalised on this issue by May 2008.

Northern Ireland Events Company

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail any Northern Ireland Events Company funding allocated to (i) the recent Rally Ireland event in November; and (ii) any previous motorsport events conducted between 2005 and 2007.

(AQW 2131/08)

Mr E Poots: The Northern Ireland Events Company did not allocate any funding to the Rally Ireland event which took place in November 2007. Government funding for this event was provided through Sport Northern Ireland.

The Company has allocated the following amounts to motorsport events conducted between 2005 and 2007:

Financial Year	Event	Amount Allocated
2005/06	Mid Antrim 150	£7,000
2005/06	North West 200	£78,179
2005/06	Rally Ireland 2005	£385,265
2005/06	Sunflower Trophy	£2,000
2005/06	Tandragee 100	£2,464
2005/06	Ulster Grand Prix	£50,000
2005/06	Motocross Grand prix of Northern Ireland	£419,000
2005/06	Supermoto Grand Prix of Northern Ireland	£299,250
2006/07	All Ireland Golden Karting Championships	£9,000
2006/07	Rally Ireland 2006	£581,496
2006/07	Sunflower Trophy	£3,000
2006/07	Tandragee 100	£4,286
2006/07	Circuit of Ireland	£100,000
2006/07	Motocross Grand Prix of Northern Ireland	£374,272
2006/07	Supermoto of Nations	£366,413

Cultural Policy Funding

Mr D McNarry asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the mechanism through which monies allocated in the draft Budget under 'cultural policy', will reach individual artists and arts organisations.

(AQW 2186/08)

Mr E Poots: The cultural policy allocation in the draft budget refers to funding allocated to the Ulster Scots Academy, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, initiatives to promote British and Irish Sign Languages and a number of other linguistic and cultural diversity initiatives.

Funding to artists or arts organisations would fall under the Arts allocation contained within the draft Budget.

TURAS Initiative

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the take-up to date of joint funding of both arts councils on the island of Ireland under the TURAS initiative launched earlier this year.

(AQO 1246/08)

Mr E Poots: The total budget for the TURAS initiative was £60,000, divided equally between the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and An Chomhairle Ealaíon. Of this, £48,533 was allocated to the following projects:

Organisation Name	Project Title	Grant Amount (£)
Patricia Daly	A Journey of Discovery (in partnership with Stefano Uberti)	10,000
Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (Glens of Antrim Branch)	Exchange trip between Glens of Antrim Comhaltas and Ballyduff Comhaltas (Waterford)	9,943
Ceoltai Eireann	An Beirinneach – Songs and Music of an Irish Harper (in partnership with Aibhlin McCrann)	9,000
Otto Schlindwein	Descendants (in partnership with Declan Sheehan)	8,360
Jim MacFarland	Emigration Songs (in partnership with Jackie Boyce)	7,450
Marcas O Murchu	The Flight of the Earls – Imirce na nlarlai (in partnership with Oisin MacDiarmada)	3,780

Ulster Scots

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to confirm his department's proposed allocation for Ulster Scots for the financial year 2008/09.

(AQW 2264/08)

Mr E Poots: The Ulster-Scots Agency operates its financial year on a calendar year basis, in line with all North/South Implementation Bodies. The financial allocation for the Ulster-Scots Agency for 2008 year as outlined in the draft budget amounts to approximately £2.6 million, 75% of which will be met by my Department and the other 25% by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

There is £2.4m allocated for the Ulster Scots Academy for the 2008-2009 financial year.

Irish Language Broadcasting

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, pursuant to his answer to AQW1755/08, to confirm that he will give full consideration to any possible divisiveness relating to Irish Language broadcasting before he comes to a final position on this matter.

(AQW 2323/08)

Mr E Poots: The full implications of Government expenditure proposals, including their impact on equality and social inclusion, are carefully considered before a final position is reached.

Northern Ireland Events Company

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail (i) the contracts that were signed by the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Events Company after 20 September 2007; (ii) the period of time over which these events will take place; and (iii) the amount of money involved.

(AQW 2409/08)

Mr E Poots: Since 20 September 2007 there has been one contract signed by the Acting Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Events Company. This is in regard to the Tennis Legends event to be held over 4 days in February 2008 and the amount of money involved is up to £50,000.

Festival Funding

Mr G Adams asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what plans he has to ensure that district councils will provide matched funding for festivals.

(AQW 2445/08)

Mr E Poots: It will be a stipulation of the funding agreement between the Department and each local Council that matched funding is provided.

There will be a requirement for each Council to make a report to the Department at the end of each year, detailing the festivals supported and the level of funding allocated.

Festival Funding

Mr G Adams asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what action he is taking to provide increased funding for festivals.

(AQW 2446/08)

Mr E Poots: With the transfer of the Community Festivals Fund to Local Councils from April 2008, I will be asking Local Councils to match the amount of funding provided by my Department.

Festival Funding

Mr G Adams asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what action he is taking to ensure that the Community Festival Fund will pay back monies owed to Féile an Phobail; and to provide a timescale for this.

(AQW 2447/08)

Mr E Poots: The Community Festivals Fund is administered on behalf of my Department by the Northern Ireland Events Company, which is currently the subject of a comprehensive and authoritative audit of its financial affairs.

It is my intention that all commitments made by the Community Festivals Fund will be honoured as soon as possible, but by the end of March 2008 at the latest.

Funding for Modernisation Process

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the funding that will be available when the current funding for modernisation process for both the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and Ulster Rugby runs out in March 2008.

(AQO 1242/08)

Mr E Poots: Sport Northern Ireland is responsible for the development of sport including the distribution of funding to sport. For the past 3 years, Sport Northern Ireland, with the support of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, has been providing significant, time bounded funding to the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Irish Football Association to assist them in re-developing their sports and delivering on modernisation and coaching initiatives. The time bounded funding for Gaelic and Rugby is due to end in March 2008. DCAL and Sport Northern Ireland are currently in discussion with both sports about what they achieved as a result of this time bounded investment. As part of these discussions the needs of Gaelic and Rugby beyond March 2008 are being considered within the parameters of the draft Budget published on 25^th October 2007.

Community Funding

Mr S Moutray asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the sums awarded to organisations for community funding, by his department in the last year.

(AQO 1177/08)

Mr E Poots: My Department’s funding for community organisations is administered mainly through our Non-Departmental Public Bodies and other funded bodies.

In 2006/07 the Arts Council of Northern Ireland awarded £1,720,782 revenue funding and £1,153,256 capital funding to community organisations.

The Northern Ireland Events Company awarded £254,565 to community organisations through the Community Festivals Fund.

In addition to this my department provided transitional funding to 3 community festivals in Belfast, totalling up to £145,400.

The Northern Ireland Screen Commission awarded £115,000 of funding to Third Party Organisations in the community sector.

My Department, through the DSD led initiative Renewing Communities programme, provided a sum of £7,114 to the Ulster Historical Foundation for a local and family History Workshops project, awarded £50,000 to W5 for the Sound & Vision Project and £388,000 to the Northern Ireland Screen Commission for Studio On, Northern Visions and the Intergenerational Film project.

Its annual budget of around £3.6million is used to promote and develop good community relations in the education and youth service sectors in the age range 4 to 25.

Funding targeted at making young people aware of the dangers of interface violence has however been provided by our Department in two ways:

First, North Belfast – Special Intervention programme - £250,000 of which some £200,000 has already been allocated to consortia of groups in North Belfast to collaborate on the design and delivery of developmental activities for young people in the area. A further 4 proposals are under consideration;
Secondly, the Community Relations council has provided £220,000 to organisations working specifically with interface communities, including youth.

Ulster-Scots Language

Miss M McIlveen asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to provide an update on progress in taking the Ulster-Scots language forward from Part II to Part III status under the Council of Europe Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

(AQO 1229/08)

Mr E Poots: A draft road map has been developed by the Ulster Scots Academy Implementation Group Partnership Board outlining how the criteria could be met for Ulster-Scots to attain Part III status. Government Departments have considered the document and responded accordingly. A revised document was submitted for further consideration by the Interdepartmental Charter Implementation Group (ICIG). A further revised document will be considered at the next meeting of the group.

'Our Shared Heritage' Lecture Series

Mr K McCarthy asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what plans he has to disseminate the contents of the joint lectures series entitled 'Our Shared Heritage', that he referred to in his Ministerial statement on 20th November, to a wider audience.

(AQO 1203/08)

Mr E Poots: Responsibility for this series of lectures rests with the two Agencies which comprise the North/South Language Body (Ulster-Scots Agency and Foras na Gaeilge). Any further information relating to the joint lectures series titled "Our Shared Heritage" can be obtained from either of the Agencies.

National Stadium

Mr J Craig asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the correspondence he has received from the main sporting bodies in relation to a national stadium design and its proposed business plan.

(AQO 1188/08)

Mr E Poots: The governing bodies of the three sports (Soccer, Rugby and Gaelic Games) have worked closely with DCAL and its advisers in finalising and agreeing a Business Plan for the Multi-Sports Stadium. I am pleased to advise that each of the three governing bodies have recently confirmed, in writing, their intention to commit to the development and use of the Multi-Sports Stadium at the Maze/Long Kesh and the associated financial contributions to annual running costs.

In terms of design the Stadium Design Team is continuing to work, with the input of the governing bodies, to develop a design that meets the needs of all three sports. This is at an advanced stage, with all three sports having recently indicated that they were content with the way the plans were developing, subject to minor refinements.

Museum Policy

Mr D McNarry asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to provide a timescale within which the Assembly can expect delivery of a museum policy, with particular reference to independent museums.

(AQO 1147/08)

Mr E Poots: My Department had considered the development of a museums policy for Northern Ireland and had taken the process as far as producing draft Terms of Reference and consulting key stakeholder bodies on these terms of reference.

However in light of the draft CSR settlement and other pressing priorities I have looked at this matter and have concluded that resource pressures within the department are such that the development of a museums policy will not be possible, at this time. I’ve asked the NIMC to bring forward a paper to consider options for developing a policy, with reference to independent museums, in the future.

Olympic Events

Mr M McLaughlin asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail those Olympic events that will be taking place in Northern Ireland.

(AQO 1237/08)

Mr E Poots: As set out in London’s Candidate File, if Northern Ireland builds its planned multi-sports stadium, this venue will be strongly considered as a location for rounds of the Olympic football competition. The torch relay and other events as part of the Cultural Olympiad are planned to take place in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Events Company

Mr R McCartney asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure whether or not he plans to keep the management of events under the remit of his department, rather than the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, in light of the financial difficulties relating to the Northern Ireland Events Company.

(AQO 1238/08)

Mr E Poots: Now that the decision has been taken to wind up the Northern Ireland Events Company we will need time to reflect on the most appropriate arrangements for the effective delivery of the events function in the future. I will be consulting with my Executive colleagues on this issue.

Funding for Modernisation Process

Mr B McElduff asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what action he is taking to provide suitable funding to the Gaelic Athletic Association, Irish Rugby Football Union and Irish Football Association, to facilitate the development of their modernisation and coaching programmes.

(AQO 1240/08)

Elements of funding for the Irish Football Association have yet to be released as the Association is still in the process of implementing its modernisation and coaching programmes.

South Eastern Education and Library Board

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what discussions he has had with the Minister of Education in relation to the transfer of powers, from the commissioners appointed in July 2006, to the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

(AQO 1169/08)

Mr E Poots: I wrote to the Education Minister in June of this year expressing concern at the governance arrangements of the Board due to the appointment of Commissioners. I have been assured by the Education Minister that the matter is under review and she will keep me informed of developments.

Library Funding

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the amount of funding to be allocated to libraries in the next financial year, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

(AQO 1212/08)

Mr E Poots: Based on the Draft Budget published on 25 October the allocation to libraries is £30.8 million recurrent and up to £4.1 million capital next year dependant on receipts of £1 million.

Once the budget is finalised, most of the funding will be allocated to the five Education and Library Boards on a per capita basis, taking social and rural needs into account. The funding will be distributed on an equitable basis across Northern Ireland at Board level but a breakdown will not be available by parliamentary constituency.

Northern Ireland Football Team Home Fixtures

Mr B Armstrong asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what steps he is taking to ensure that the scheduled home fixtures of the Northern Ireland football team, in the World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign, will be played in Northern Ireland.

(AQO 1209/08)

Mr E Poots: Responsibility for ensuring that the scheduled home fixtures of the Northern Ireland football team, in the World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign, will be played in Northern Ireland rests with the Irish Football Association which is the governing body of football in Northern Ireland. As part of its forward planning, the IFA is seeking to ensure that better and more modern football facilities are available in Northern Ireland. This includes facilities that would enable the Northern Ireland team to play its World Cup 2010 qualifying home fixtures in Northern Ireland. Sport Northern Ireland, which is responsible for the development of sport including the distribution of funding, is assisting the IFA in this process with the support of my Department.

Northern Ireland Events Company

Ms M Anderson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail emerging findings from the investigation into the financial affairs of the Northern Ireland Events Company.

(AQO 1234/08)

Mr E Poots: I am in the process of commissioning an independent comprehensive review of all the circumstances surrounding the deficit accumulated by the Northern Ireland Events Company. I will report back to the House at the earliest opportunity on the findings of this review.

Education

Priory Integrated College

Dr S Farry asked the Minister of Education to outline what further information is required to be submitted from (i) Priory Integrated College; and (ii) the South Eastern Education and Library Board, in relation to the proposed new build campus for the college.

(AQW 1836/08)

The Minister of Education (Ms C Ruane): The Department is in contact with the South Eastern Education and Library Board on the sustainability of provision in the area. No additional information is required from the College at this stage.

A development proposal would be required if the site for the new school was located outside its existing catchment area and thereby potentially impacting on other existing educational provision. It is not required in this instance.

There is an approved development proposal for the amalgamation of Holywood and Redburn Primary Schools on the site currently occupied by Priory College.

Priory Integrated College

Dr S Farry asked the Minister of Education to confirm that the Department is in receipt of a development proposal in relation to the amalgamation of Holywood Primary School and Redburn Primary School on the site currently occupied by Priory Integrated College.

(AQW 1838/08)

Ms C Ruane: The Department is in contact with the South Eastern Education and Library Board on the sustainability of provision in the area. No additional information is required from the College at this stage.

There is an approved development proposal for the amalgamation of Holywood and Redburn Primary Schools on the site currently occupied by Priory College.

Priory Integrated College

Dr S Farry asked the Minister of Education to report on whether or not a development proposal is required for a project relating to the rebuilding of a school, such as Priory Integrated College.

(AQW 1839/08)

There is an approved development proposal for the amalgamation of Holywood and Redburn Primary Schools on the site currently occupied by Priory College.

Derryboye Primary School

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Education to give a timeframe within which work will commence on the car park for Derryboye Primary School, and to give the completion date for the scheme.

(AQW 1909/08)

Ms C Ruane: The South Eastern Education and Library Board has responsibility for this project and has advised that, subject to agreement being reached with the land owner, the Board expects that the scheme should be on site next summer. The Board will confirm the completion date as soon as it is known.

Priory Integrated College

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of Education to provide a timeframe within which she intends to announce a decision on the new build proposals for Priory College in Holywood.

(AQW 1956/08)

Ms C Ruane: The Department is in touch with the South Eastern Education and Library Board on anticipated needs in the area and the sustainability of provision which are relevant to a decision on this scheme. I intend to take a decision as soon as possible.

Upgrading Schools

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Education what plans she has to undertake a co-ordinated programme for the upgrading of inner-city schools, and schools with catchment areas comprising large re-settlement estates, in the boroughs around Belfast.

(AQW 1978/08)

Ms C Ruane: Any proposals for building works at schools are a matter for the relevant school authorities to consider and bring forward in the first instance. I would encourage increased co-ordination both within and across sectors, taking account of catchments and patterns of enrolment, in proposals for upgrading schools to meet anticipated needs in an area.

Employment and Learning

Ten Year Children's Strategy

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to confirm whether or not he will implement all the commitments by his department included in the ten year Children's Strategy.

(AQW 2274/08)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Sir Reg Empey): I am pleased to confirm that my Department has already implemented the specific commitments it agreed to under the strategy and will continue to review and monitor progress.

In attempting to raise the percentage of young people moving into or re-engaging with education, training and employment and the percentage of leavers achieving a recognised qualification my Department has jointly with DE, launched for consultation an all-age Careers Education Information, Advice And Guidance Strategy and also developed a policy for provision for 14-19 year olds to prepare them for work and life in the 21^st century; in September 2007 introduced the new Training for Success provision to replace Jobskills a key feature of which is to target hard to reach groups; and in terms of the quality of Further Education and training organisations in the full inspection year to 2007 saw 80% of providers achieving either grade 1 or grade 2.

Non-EU Students

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the number of students from outside the European Union studying at (i) Queen's University, Belfast; and (ii) the University of Ulster, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2294/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The number of student enrolments from outside the European Union at (i) Queen’s University, Belfast; and (ii) the University of Ulster, in each of the last five years, for which data are available, is given in the table below: -

	Queen's University of Belfast	University of Ulster
2001/02	860	500
2002/03	875	600
2003/04	935	615
2004/05	1,035	545
2005/06	1,005	565

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency

Notes: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

EU Students

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the number of students from each European Union country, excluding the United Kingdom, studying at (i) Queen's University, Belfast; and (ii) the University of Ulster, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2295/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The number of student enrolments from each European Union country (excluding UK) at (i) Queen’s University, Belfast; and (ii) the University of Ulster, in each of the last five years for which data is available is given in the table below:-

	Queen’s University, Belfast					University of Ulster
EU Countries	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06
Austria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	5	5
Belgium	5	5	5	5	5	0	5	5	0	5
Cyprus	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	5	N/A	N/A	N/A	10	10
Czech Republic	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	5	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Denmark	0	0	0	5	0	0	5	5	5	5
Estonia	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Finland	5	5	5	5	5	10	10	10	5	5
France	50	40	40	50	50	20	35	35	35	25
Germany	40	40	40	40	35	25	30	45	55	30
Gibraltar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Greece	10	10	10	10	10	30	35	35	30	30
Hungary	N/A	N/A	N/A	5	5	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Irish Republic	1,310	1,260	1,160	1,310	1,090	2,125	2,230	2,490	2,535	2,735
Italy	20	25	25	25	20	10	15	20	20	10
Latvia	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Lithuania	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Luxembourg	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Malta	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	25	30
Netherlands	0	0	0	5	5	0	0	5	0	5
Poland	N/A	N/A	N/A	5	15	N/A	N/A	N/A	5	10
Portugal	0	5	0	5	0	5	5	5	5	5
Slovak Republic	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Slovenia	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	0
Spain	55	90	55	40	30	10	15	10	30	15
Sweden	10	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency

Notes:

Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 with 0, 1, 2 rounded to 0.
N/A – Not Applicable – Not part of the European Union until 2004.

Staff Undergoing Disciplinary Procedures

Mr S Moutray asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the reasons for the high number of staff in his department, compared to other government departments, undergoing disciplinary procedures as a result of an unacceptable sickness record.

(AQW 2326/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The figures provided in answer to Assembly Question 1629/08 do not represent the totality of disciplinary cases resulting from unacceptable sickness records across all Government Departments as Executive Agencies, with the exception of DARD, are not included. Also, the figures are not presented in terms of percentages of total staff who fall within the scope of the reply. This explains the apparent disparity in the figures with DEL presenting considerably higher figures than other Departments.

Uptake of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Subjects

Mr T Lunn asked the Minister for Employment and Learning what steps his department will take to increase uptake of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects as referred to in PSA2, Objective 4 of Annex 1 to the draft Programme for Government 2008-11.

(AQW 2439/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The Department for Employment and Learning, in conjunction with the Department of Education, has initiated a Review of STEM Policy. As part of this, a government led working group is currently considering a strategy for the further development of STEM subjects in schools and Further Education colleges. The group is considering issues such as teacher supply, a comparative lack of integration amongst the components of STEM and a need to better develop the links between schools, further education and industry, particularly in respect of careers guidance and improving the general publics understanding of the importance of STEM to the economy and wider society in general.

SEMTA, the science, engineering and manufacturing technologies Sector Skills Council, has included an Action Point on improving careers promotion and sector attractiveness, in its Sector Skills Agreement Action Plan for Northern Ireland. It is recognised that this can only be achieved through the co-ordination of careers activities, strengthening employer links with the Universities and employer support for careers initiatives.

Northern Ireland Universities are working to complement the work of Government in aiming to increase the number of high quality school-leavers going on to take STEM subjects at university. The Queen’s University of Belfast has launched a scholarship scheme – the first of its kind in the United Kingdom – which will help to ensure future economic competitiveness and attract high-quality students. The scheme, for students entering the University in 2008, offers awards of £1,000 to all students achieving three As at A-level who go on to study a STEM subject (except Medicine and Dentistry) at Queen's University.

Enterprise, Trade and Investment

All-Island Single Electricity Market

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what plans are in place to facilitate net metering, for those who generate small amounts of renewable energy, to be incorporated into an all-island single electricity market.

(AQW 1861/08)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Mr N Dodds): The arrangements in Northern Ireland for the metering of electricity exported and imported by small renewable generators, which were in place prior to the introduction of the Single Electricity Market ("SEM"), are unaffected by the operation of the new market.

There are no plans to change these arrangements which allow small generators, in the first instance, to use output from their generating station to meet their own consumption needs without reference to a licensed supplier. Any electricity that they export to, or consume from, a licensed supplier is separately recorded by a meter. Payment arrangements for both imports and exports are subject to the supplier's terms and conditions of contract. A specific obligation is placed on NIE Energy Ltd to offer a regulated ‘spill’ tariff for small scale generation.

Small scale renewable generators in Northern Ireland also benefit by having access to tradeable Renewables Obligation Certificates (NIROCs) under the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation in respect of their generation.

Tourist Board Signature Projects

Mrs C McGill asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the funding provided by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to its five signature projects (i) Giant's Causeway/Antrim and Causeway Coast Area; (ii) Titanic (Maritime) Belfast; (iii) The Walled City of Derry/Londonderry; (iv) St Patrick/Christian Heritage; and (v) The Mournes, over the last five years.

(AQW 2110/08)

Mr N Dodds: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) identified five key "Signature Projects" as part of the Strategic Framework for Action 2004 – 2007. No figures are available for 2003 as it predates the specific designation of the projects. During 2004 to 2007 NITB has administered a number of funding programmes including the Tourism Development Scheme, International Fund for Ireland, Integrated Development Fund and EU Peace Programme. Calendar year funding provided by NITB is as follows:

Year:	Causeway / Antrim Coast and Glens:	Titanic / Maritime Belfast:	The Walled City:	St. Patrick / Christian Heritage:	The Mournes:
2004	£69,541	0	£10,532	0	£10,000
2005	£42,090	0	0	£40,266	£13,382
2006	£247,837	£136,784	£1,834,746	£41,060	£132,066
2007	£732,794	£275,327	£155,590	£59,978	£20,000
Total	£1,092,262	£412,111	£2,000,868	£141,304	£175,448

Overall Total: £3,821,993

Additional funding has been identified under the Programmes for Government to progress the development of the signature projects over the next three years.

Biofuel Businesses

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to outline what action he is taking to promote and sustain biofuel businesses; and to outline what assistance his department is providing to local biofuel businesses in relation to selling their products in the more developed market in the Republic of Ireland.

(AQW 2216/08)

Mr N Dodds: Production of biofuels to date in Northern Ireland has been small scale. The availability and cost of raw feedstock, transportation costs, cheap US imports of biofuels as well as economies of scale issues make it difficult for NI biofuels producers to compete.

In terms of financial support, biofuel producers, across the UK, receive a 20p per litre rebate on the road fuel tax duty and, from April 2008, the introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation will provide a further subvention of around 15p per litre. Meantime, in the Irish Republic, the Mineral Oil Tax Relief Scheme, which has been operating since 2005, offers, on a competitive basis, full excise duty relief to producers supplying the Irish Republic market. NI biofuels producers were eligible to apply but none were successful and the Scheme is now closed.

DETI is currently leading a cross Departmental Group, which includes Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and Invest NI, to identify the opportunities for Bioenergy, including biofuels, and is commissioning work to assess the current scale, futuresustainable growth potential and optimum size and scale of the sector in NI. This should lead to the development of a co-ordinated Bioenergy strategy.

Pending the outcome of this work, Invest NI has continued to provide technical and legislative advice to over 40 individuals/companies on the production of biofuels using current technology and will provide further advisory support to biofuel producers, in particular, to develop and export second generation technology biofuels. Due to issues around the viability and sustainability of individual biofuel business proposals, Invest NI policy is to encourage the sector through development of collaborative business opportunities and the facilitation of cross border energy clusters, rather than intervene financially in the direct production of biofuels.

Tourism in Portaferry

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what steps he is taking to ensure that the planning application for apartments on the Narrows site will not impact adversely on the tourist potential of Portaferry.

(AQW 2278/08)

Mr N Dodds: Portaferry is featured as a key location along the St. Patrick’s Trail, a prime touring route currently being developed from Bangor to Armagh as part of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s (NITB) St. Patrick/Christian Heritage Signature Project.

DOE Planning Service has confirmed that two applications were received on 5^th November 2007 for the Narrows site. One is for full planning permission (X/2007/1268/F) for a housing development including 13 apartments and parking. The second application (X/2007/1267/CA) is for demolition of all buildings on the site to enable re-construction at 8, 10, 12 Shore Road, Portaferry. The site lies within the Portaferry Conservation Area.

Both applications are at an early stage in the planning process and will be assessed in accordance with prevailing policies and procedures. Material considerations will be taken into account prior to the final determination of the applications.

NITB will be contacting DOE Planning Service to reinforce the role Portaferry plays within the St. Patrick’s Trail and the need for any proposed developments to complement the overall visitor experience the St. Patrick/Christian Heritage Signature Project is aiming to create.

Grants to Regency Spinning Limited, Newtownards

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail any grants paid by his department or its agencies, other than Invest NI, to Regency Spinning Limited in Newtownards, in each of the last five years, and to indicate whether or not the potential exists for the clawback of these public funds.

(AQW 2287/08)

Mr N Dodds: No grants have been paid by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment or it’s agencies, other than Invest NI, to Regency Spinning Limited, Newtownards, in any of the last five years.

Money from Invest NI to TYCO

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail (i) the amount of money TYCO received from Invest NI in each of the last five years; and (ii) his department’s plans to recoup this money.

(AQW 2324/08)

Mr N Dodds: (i)

Invest NI made one offer of assistance to Tyco Healthcare UK Manufacturing Ltd (Tyco) in the last five years. The offer related to training assistance via the Company Development Programme (CDP). The offer was made in January 2005 and was for the amount of £218,623 of which £160,002 was paid.

(ii)

Invest NI will not seek repayment of the training assistance given the success of the training programme and the fact that the skills are considered transferable. It is expected that these skills should provide a future economic benefit.

In the case of Tyco the CDP programme was successful:

103 operators achieved a full NVQ2 in Performing Manufacturing Operations;

13 staff achieved ILM2 and

11 staff achieved ILM3.

The company has advised that each worker completed an additional 2 units for the NVQ2 qualifications – which require a minimum of 4 units - to ensure flexibility across all skills.

(NVQ – National Vocational Qualification ILM – Institute of Leadership and Management)

Stress Amongst Public Sector Workers

Mr D McNarry asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to confirm whether or not the Health and Safety Executive has recently been commissioned to undertake a comprehensive survey relating to stress amongst public sector workers in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 2371/08)

Mr N Dodds: The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has not been commissioned to undertake a survey relating to stress amongst public sector workers. HSENI has however an ongoing programme of engagement with the public sector including the Civil Service, aimed at assisting management to reduce sickness absence attributable to stress.

Northern Ireland Tourist Board grants

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the grants paid by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to the Portaferry Hotel, and The Narrows, Portaferry.

(AQW 2401/08)

Mr N Dodds: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) issued a capital grant of £179,940 on 1^st January 1992, on behalf of the International Fund for Ireland, to the Portaferry Hotel, Portaferry.

NITB issued a capital grant of £168,711 on 13^th January 1995, on behalf of the International Fund for Ireland, to the Narrows Guest House, Portaferry.

NITB issued a grant of £10,634.71 on 15^th March 1996, on behalf of the European Union under the Marketing Support Scheme, to the Portaferry Hotel, Portaferry.

In April 2002 the Capital Investment Programme for tourism accommodation development moved from the NITB to Invest NI. Since then, Invest NI has not provided any further grant assistance to either of the above businesses.

Wi-Fi

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail when and where wi-fi will be turned on in Belfast.

(AQW 2460/08)

Mr N Dodds: The telecommunications sector is a privatised and independently regulated sector. There is already a number of wi-fi nodes operating on a commercial basis across Belfast and the decision to roll-out further nodes will be a commercial decision for operators. As well as in Belfast, wi-fi services are available across Northern Ireland including in hotels, cafes, railway stations and airports. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) does not maintain a list of these locations, however a range of internet sites can easily be accessed to assist customers in locating these nodes.

Economic Task Force

Mr J Dallat asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment what steps he will take to establish an economic task force to address the recent job losses in Limavady.

(AQW 2481/08)

Mr N Dodds: Invest Northern Ireland, the Department for Employment and Learning and the Social Security Agency have well established procedures for dealing with large scale redundancy situations.

Invest NI has, for a number of years, worked with local stakeholders to agree priorities and plans for the economic development of the region through the North West Action Plan. This approach has secured growth against all targets, both concerning indigenous and foreign investment in the region.

I therefore believe that this existing mechanism, already involving local stakeholders, is the most appropriate and efficient way forward.

Environment

Exemption Certificates for Vehicles

Mr P J Bradley asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the reasons why the Driving and Vehicle Agency no longer issues exemption certificates in relation to vehicles that cannot be tested, due to backlogs of work at test centres; and to indicate whether or not she will reinstate the issuing of these certificates until such backlogs are addressed.

(AQW 2176/08)

The Minister of the Environment (Mrs A Foster): Certificates of Temporary Exemption were introduced to deal with the backlog arising from strike action in 2004. This was very much a temporary measure to enable vehicles to be licensed and legal on the roads. The certificates were withdrawn in December 2006 as the situation had returned to normal and the Agency was in a position to offer appointments within the average waiting time target. Given that the average performance across Northern Ireland is currently within the published target of 21 days there are no grounds to reintroduce such certificates.

Planning Application Process

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the procedures which planning officials follow when a planning application has been deferred; and to make available (i) the guidance which was issued to the Chief Executives of Councils, and Divisional Planning Managers; and (ii) the advisory circular which was issued to Planning Service staff.

(AQW 2204/08)

Mrs A Foster: The procedures which planning officials follow when a planning application has been deferred are set out in Planning Circular PC 16/06 entitled ‘Guidance on Consulting Councils about planning applications’.

These procedures are also based on the document that issued to the Chief Executives of Councils entitled ‘Guidance on Consulting Councils about Planning Applications’. More recently the Chief Executive of Planning Service issued further guidance to Councils specifically for draft PPS14 applications. This was copied to Divisional Managers.

A copy of the advisory circular issued to Planning Service staff and the documents issued to Chief Executives of Councils are available in the Assembly Library.

Planning Application Process

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of the Environment what action she is taking to ensure that a consistent approach applies across all district councils, in relation to the deferral of planning applications.

(AQW 2206/08)

Mrs A Foster: Planning Circular PC 16/06 issued to all Planning Service staff in November 2006. It provides information and clarification on the operation of the deferral procedure and consultation arrangements with Councils. It sets out the detail of the agreed procedures between Planning Service and the NILGA workgroup that should be followed. Guidance on Consulting Councils about planning applications was issued to the Chief Executives of Councils in November 2006.

In addition, the Chief Executive of Planning Service has written to all Councils about additional arrangements relating only to draft PPS 14 applications.

Following these agreed arrangements should ensure consistency across the Divisions in relation to the deferral of planning applications.

Strategic Projects Unit

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the criteria used by the Strategic Projects Unit to process (i) non-Article 31 applications; and (ii) Article 31 applications.

(AQW 2207/08)

Mrs A Foster: Non-Article 31 applications which are processed by the Strategic Projects Unit are those which are generally considered to be of economic and/or social significance. These include commercial and infrastructure projects – such as those included in the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland 2005-2015 (ISNI) – as well as projects identified by Invest NI.

The Strategic Projects Unit may also be responsible for processing smaller scale health and education projects such as those which form part of a wider ISNI infrastructure programme.

Article 31 of The Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 enables the Department to deal with major applications under special process arrangements where they:

involve a substantial departure from the development plan for the area to which they relate;
are of significance to the whole or a substantial part of Northern Ireland;
affect the whole of a neighbourhood; or

consist of or include the construction, formation, laying out or alteration of a means of access to a trunk road or of any other development of land within 67 metres of the middle of such a road, or of the nearest part of a special road.

Planning Application Process

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of the Environment to detail whether or not there is a policy in relation to the timescale within which an office meeting will be held after a deferral has been granted; and if not, what plans she has to introduce such a policy in order to improve the efficiency of the planning application process.

(AQW 2217/08)

Mrs A Foster: Revised guidance in respect of the Deferral Process issued to both Planning Service staff and the Chief Executives of Councils in November 2006. To allow a degree of flexibility in this process, the guidance does not stipulate any specific timescale within which an office meeting will be held after a deferral has been granted.

A review of revised council consultation arrangements is ongoing. When the final report is received, its recommendations will be carefully considered in due course.

Threemile Water River Basin, Newtownabbey

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the action she is taking to ensure that (i) planning applications to develop housing or commercial locations, which lie within the catchment area and feeder streams that drain the Threemile Water river basin in Newtownabbey, do not have an adverse impact on the salmonid status of the river; and (ii) surface water and sewage disposal plans for potential developments in this area meet the highest standards.

(AQW 2286/08)

Mrs A Foster: Planning Service consults Northern Ireland Water and the Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) on all planning applications to develop housing or commercial locations in Newtownabbey. Planning Service also routinely consults DCAL Inland Waterways and Inland Fisheries on planning applications in river basins and DARD Rivers Agency on applications on land liable to flooding from a watercourse.

Separately all development which involves a discharge of trade or sewage effluent (including site drainage liable to contamination) to a waterway requires consent from EHS under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. Failure to comply with the conditions of a discharge consent is an offence.

The consultation responses to Planning Service are material to whether the proposal is refused or approved with conditions and/or informatives.

Where a waterway has been designated as salmonid, consent conditions will be set to ensure that the environmental quality standards in the EC Directive are maintained. If the assessment shows that the waterway in question could not sustain the discharge without an adverse impact on water quality, consent may be refused.

Car Clamping

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the number of cars clamped in the past 12 months; and to provide a breakdown of the reasons for these cars being clamped.

(AQW 2319/08)

Mrs A Foster: The number of vehicles clamped and/or seized in the past 12 months was 5,358. Vehicles are clamped and/or seized and impounded for the offence of being unlicensed while on a public road.

Illegal Dumping

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the number of prosecutions for illegal dumping in each council area in each of the last three years; and the total amount imposed in fines.

(AQW 2338/08)

Mrs A Foster: The number of successful prosecutions against those convicted of illegal dumping in each District Council area in each of the last three years is set out at Annex 1 below. The total amount of fines imposed is £477,880.

PROSECUTIONS FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING IN LAST THREE YEARS

District Council	2005	2006	2007 (to date)	Total
Antrim	4	9	-	13
Ards	-	8	3	11
Armagh	3	1	2	6
Ballymena	2	2	3	7
Ballymoney	7	12	2	21
Banbridge	-	-	-	-
Belfast	5	8	-	13
Carrickfergus	1	-	-	1
Castlereagh	-	-	-	-
Coleraine	3	13	2	18
Cookstown	1	4	4	9
Craigavon	-	2	-	2
Derry	3	5	1	9
Down	2	1	2	5
Dungannon	5	4	10	19
Fermanagh	1	4	4	9
Larne	1	2	-	3
Limavady	4	4	1	9
Lisburn	7	8	4	19
Magherafelt	3	3	-	6
Moyle	-	3	3	6
Newry and Mourne	3	1	1	5
Newtownabbey	1	1	1	3
North Down	-	1	-	1
Omagh	1	7	4	12
Strabane	3	7	4	14

Farmers Affected by Flooding

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of the Environment whether or not emergency financial assistance will be made available to farmers affected by the flooding in the Glens during the summer.

(AQW 2360/08)

Mrs A Foster: The Scheme of Emergency Financial Assistance to District Councils, which closed on 12 September 2007, did not extend to the farming industry. It was limited to supporting district councils in their clean-up activities and to making immediate payments of £1,000 available to householders. This was an offer of practical assistance following the severe flooding, to assist in making homes habitable as quickly as possible.

Financial Incentives for Recycling

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister of the Environment what plans she has to encourage recycling by introducing financial incentives for those district councils that increase their recycling output.

(AQW 2422/08)

Mrs A Foster: My Department has no plans to introduce financial incentives for those district councils that increase their recycling output.

The Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy 2006-2020 "Towards Resource Management" gives a commitment that, by 2009, my Department will consult on the use of financial incentive schemes as a means of motivating recycling. However such schemes, if adopted, would be aimed at providing financial incentives to businesses and the public rather than to district councils.

Finance and Personnel

European Union Peace and Reconciliation Programmes

Mr A Bresland asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the projects funded by the European Union Peace and Reconciliation Programmes, during the last five years, addressing the needs of (i) former members of the security forces; and (ii) ex-prisoners.

(AQW 2067/08)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Mr P Robinson): (i) The table below details funding awarded under the EU PEACE II Programme during the last five years to projects addressing the needs of former members of the security forces.

Year	Organisation Name	Total Commitment £
2002-03	Disabled Police Officers Association Ltd	89,762
2003-04	Derry and Raphoe Action	27,000
	Disabled Police Officers Association	9,810
	Prison Service Trust	64,039
2004-05	Conflict Trauma Resource Centre	9,837
2006-07	Organisation for Ex-servicemen and women Teoranta (ONET)	24,690
TOTAL		225,138

(ii) The table below details funding awarded under the EU PEACE II Programme during the last five years to ex-prisoners’ groups.

Year	Organisation Name	Total Commitment £
2002-03	Abhaile Aris	447,844
	Amach Agus Isteach	150,466
	An-Eochair Ex-Prisoner Support Group	260,740
	Ar Ais Aris	146,011
	Aráis Arís ar an Omaigh	35,600
	Cairde Strabane Republican Ex-prisoners Group	221,154
	Coiste Na N-Iarchimí	697,407
	Cumann na Meirleach Ard Mhaca Theas	414,373
	Expac (Ex-Prisoners Assistance Committee Ltd)	391,927
	Failte Abhaile	437,007
	Failte Cluain Eois	404,152
	Goitse	141,268
	Iar Cimi Liatroma Teoranta	399,078
	Iarchimí Fhearmanach	261,529
	Lisburn Prisoners Support Project	549,308
	North Belfast Prisoner's Aid	93,242
	Prisoners Enterprise Project	217,639
	REACT (formerly EPIC Mid Ulster)	323,890
	REACT Northwest	123,217
	Tar Abhaile	300,549
	Tar Anall	219,325
	Tar Isteach	152,067
	Teach na Failte	414,329
	Trá Ghearr	132,570
2003-04	AAI Construction Ltd	106,315
	An-Eochair Ex-Prisoner Support Group	29,911
	Áras Tar Abhaile	427,919
	Cairde Strabane Republican Ex-prisoners Group	9,439
	Cumann na Meirleach Ard Mhaca Theas	111,073
	Failte Abhaile	131,200
	Goitse	5,420
	Iarchimí Fhearmanach	10,000
	Lagan Valley Ex-Prisoners Support Group	6,543
	Lisburn Prisoners Support Project	68,149
	North Belfast Prisoner's Aid	41,712
	Prisoners Enterprise Project	15,185
	REACT Northwest	10,000
	Tar Anall	252,729
	Tar Isteach	8,280
	Teach na Failte	24,433
	Trá Ghearr	10,000
2004-05	Ar Ais Aris	66,125
	Coiste Na N-Iarchimí	124,587
	Cumann na Meirleach	61,094
	EPIC (Ex Prisoners Interpretative Centre)	4,000
	REACT (formerly EPIC Mid Ulster)	15,572
	Tar Anall	26,727
2005-06	Abhaile Aris Teo	357,230
	Coiste Na N-Iarchimí	387,000
	Expac (Ex-Prisoners Assistance Committee Ltd)	238,751
	Failte Abhaile	319,856
	Fáilte Chluain Eois	221,148
	Iar Cimi Liatroma Teoranta	252,370
	REACT	132,976
	Tar Isteach	197,730
2006-07	Ar Ais Aris	76,403
	Cairde Strabane Republican Ex-prisoners Group	10,133
	Coiste Na N-Iarchimí	283,157
	Expac (Ex-Prisoners Assistance Committee Ltd)	74,286
	Failte Abhaile	78,820
	REACT	20,800
	REACT Armagh	115,786
	Teach na Failte	108,460
TOTAL		11,376,011

In addition, the following organisations (although not specifically ex-prisoners’ groups) have been awarded EU PEACE II funding in the last five years for projects addressing the needs of ex-prisoners.

Year	Organisation Name	Total Commitment £
2002-03	Cavan Family Resource Centre Ltd.	223,710
	Clonoe Community Development Association	5,000
	Comharchumann Finn Thiar Teo	9,677
	New Lodge Forum	216,212
	Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO)	89,800
	Rossinver Community Development Company Ltd.	118,492
	Upper Springfield Development Trust	186,687
2003-04	Educational Trust	302,276
	New Lodge Forum	9,291
	Trademark	59,753
	University of Ulster	60,919
2004-05	Armagh College of Further and Higher Education	66,646
	Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre	339,993
	Upper Springfield Development Trust	32,000
2005-06	Iar Cimi Liatroma Teoranta	252,370
2006-07	CHARTER for Northern Ireland	121,152
TOTAL		2,093,978

Non-Pensionable Bonuses

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of non-pensionable bonuses that were paid to staff in his department in each of the last three years; and what steps is he taking to ensure that such bonuses are not used as a cheaper alternative to an appropriate salary increase.

(AQW 2145/08)

Mr P Robinson: There is no question that non-pensionable bonuses are being used as an alternative to salary increases. The policy adopted within the Northern Ireland Civil Service is that not all reward should be in the form of consolidated salary increases, and that non-pensionable bonuses, focussed on the assessment of in-year performance, should form an integral part of wider pay strategies.

The number of non-pensionable bonuses paid to staff in DFP in each of the last three years is detailed in the attached table.

YEAR	Number of Non-consolidated, Non-pensionable Bonuses	Number of Special Bonuses
2005/06	2303	424
2006/07	2519	390
2007/08	2389	275

Population in Ballywalter, Carrowdore and Greyabbey

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to provide a breakdown of the people living in the Ballywalter, Carrowdore and Greyabbey areas, by the following age groupings (i) 0-5 years; (ii) 5-10 years; (iii) 10-20 years; (iv) 20-40 years; (v) 40-60 years; and (vi) 60 plus years old.

(AQW 2171/08)

Mr P Robinson: The table below provides a breakdown by age of the people living in the Ballywalter, Carrowdore and Greyabbey settlements.

Breakdown by age of the people living in Ballywater, Carrowdore and Greyabbey settlements (Source: 2001 Census)

Age Grouping	Ballywalter	Carrowdore	Greyabbey
Aged 0 to 4 years	84	69	61
Aged 5 to 9 years	81	57	71
Aged 10 to 19 years	152	107	98
Aged 20 to 39 years	360	272	293
Aged 40 to 59 years	357	186	256
Aged 60 years and over	382	125	232
All people	1416	816	1011

The upper limits of the age grouping should be interpreted as follows: Aged 0 to 4 years means all those aged up to but not including 5 years.

Influenza

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of deaths in Northern Ireland from influenza in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2242/08)

Mr P Robinson: The table below gives the number of deaths registered each year between 2002 and 2006 where the underlying or main cause of death was recorded as influenza¹.

Registration Year	Number of deaths where influenza was the main cause of death
2002	1
2003	4
2004	1
2005	0
2006^P	1

¹International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes J10-J11.

^P Provisional data.

Land and Property Services Agency

Mr P McGlone asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to confirm whether or not the Land and Property Services Agency uses offices outside Northern Ireland for the handling and processing of details and correspondence from people in Northern Ireland, with regard to rates collection matters.

(AQW 2289/08)

Mr P Robinson: The IT suppliers for Land and Property Services, ICS Computing Ltd, have a contract with Adare Limited, based in Huddersfield, to provide a secure, operational print management service for printing and issuing bills and related correspondence to ratepayers in Northern Ireland.

Ministerial Statement on 'Outlining a Vision for our Education system'

Mr B McCrea asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail when, and how, he was first notified of the Ministerial Statement, 'Outlining a Vision for our Education system'; and to confirm whether or not he had discussions with the Minister of Education on the subject matter of the statement before it was issued.

(AQW 2418/08)

Mr P Robinson: I was first notified of the content of the statement the Minister for Education made to the Assembly on Tuesday 4 December outlining her vision for the education system in Northern Ireland when it was received in my Private Office at 10.51am on the same day and brought to my attention immediately thereafter.

The Education Minister met with the Chair of the Education Committee on Monday afternoon, 3 December, to brief him on the issue. I also attended this meeting.

Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Respite Beds

Mr G Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of respite beds within the Western Health and Social Services Board; their location; and the frequency of their occupation, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1741/08)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Mr M McGimpsey): Information on the number of respite beds, their location and frequency of occupation is not collected centrally.

Community Information Branch (CIB) within the Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety, requested the information from the Chief Executive for Western Health & Social Services Board (WHSSB). The information provided by the WHSSB is detailed in the table below.

Location		2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07
Foyle HSS Trust	No. of Respite Beds	10	10	10	10	11
Foyle HSS Trust	*Occupied Bed Days	4,890	4,292	4,312	3,537	4,272
Sperrin Lakeland	No. of Respite Beds	6	6	6	7	7
Sperrin Lakeland	*Occupied Bed Days	3,242	4,049	3,531	5,035	4,431
WHSSB	No. of Respite Beds	16	16	16	17	18
WHSSB	*Occupied Bed Days	8,132	8,341	7,843	8,572	8,703

1. Occupied Bed Day figures include a range of provision over and above its correlation with the number of Respite Beds.

2. As a consequence, the multiple of 365 days per year in relation to the number of Respite Beds is less than the Number of Occupied Bed Days.

Administrators Within the Health Service

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of administrators currently employed within the Health Service in Northern Ireland; and to outline how the number has changed over the last decade.

(AQW 1950/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Tables 1 and 2 below give details of the numbers of Administrative and Clerical staff in each grade group in Northern Ireland Health and Social Care organisations over the last 10 years, and the percentage change over time.

Table 1. Administrative and Clerical staff by grade (headcount), 1998 - 2007

Grade	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	% change1998 - 2007	% change2006 - 2007
Clerical and Admin	8,408	8,519	8,842	9,060	9,523	9,910	10,406	10,808	10,862	10,657	26.7%	-1.9%
Manager	504	500	579	603	669	767	852	921	964	990	96.4%	2.7%
Senior Manager	623	652	710	782	861	972	1,111	1,157	1,182	1,153	85.1%	-2.5%
Senior Executives	146	142	156	163	167	171	173	189	196	161	10.3%	-17.9%
Board Member	52	57	58	60	118	159	162	162	158	82	57.7%	-48.1%
Total	9,733	9,870	10,345	10,668	11,338	11,979	12,704	13,237	13,362	13,043	34.0%	-2.4%

Table 2. Administrative and Clerical staff by grade (WTE), 1998 - 2007

Grade	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	% change1998 - 2007	% change2006 - 2007
Clerical and Admin	7342.21	7452.41	7703.82	7867.99	8230.06	8538.55	8968.80	9214.05	9276.33	9116.04	24.2%	-1.7%
Manager	495.35	485.37	561.20	582.95	639.93	736.34	812.60	882.36	919.21	946.70	91.1%	3.0%
Senior Manager	616.08	641.57	697.51	764.40	842.88	952.66	1085.88	1130.66	1152.08	1123.05	82.3%	-2.5%
Senior Executives	142.50	138.50	152.50	159.45	166.96	170.27	172.17	186.90	194.19	159.50	11.9%	-17.9%
Board Member	48.13	50.13	52.50	54.50	115.00	156.00	159.00	159.00	158.00	82.00	70.4%	-48.1%
Total	8644.27	8767.98	9167.53	9429.29	9994.83	10553.82	11198.45	11572.97	11699.81	11427.29	32.2%	-2.3%

Source: Human Resources Management System

WTE – Whole-=Time Equivalent

Figures are as at 30th September in each year

Prescription Charges

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the spend per head on prescription charges in Northern Ireland; and how this compares with England, Scotland and Wales.

(AQW 1985/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The information requested is provided below. The data relates to 2005/2006 which is the most recent financial year for which information is available.

Table 1

Prescribing Period 2005/2006 financial year	Northern Ireland	England	Wales	Scotland
Income from prescription charge receipts/population	£13.2 million /1.7 million	£427million /51 million	£24.5 million /3 million	£46 million/ 5 million
Average spend per head on prescription charges.	£7.76	£8.37	£8.17	£9.20

Sources: Information and Analysis Branch, DHSSPS

Central Services Agency, Northern Ireland

Central Services Agency, Scotland

Dept of Health, London

Dept of Health, Wales

Cost of Hospital Procedures

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the unit cost of hospital procedures in Northern Ireland; and how this compares with England, Scotland and Wales.

(AQW 1986/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: In Northern Ireland and England reference unit costs at Healthcare Resource Group (HRG) level are returned by Trusts annually. A given HRG category attempts to aggregate a cohort of patients for whom treatment is provided which are similar in resource consumption and where treatment relates to a similar body system. This approach is used to ensure that costs do not have to be derived for thousands of possible procedures or other hospital stays but for a more manageable level of groupings.

There are over 600 possible categories of HRGs each of which can occur across three patient types (elective inpatient, daycase and non-elective inpatient) for maternity, acute and elderly specialties. This leads to a significant number of different unit costs of hospital procedures. HRGs do not apply to outpatient, mental health or learning disability hospital services.

Caution should be used in comparing costs where there are only few instances of a particular procedure, because the costing is a top down process of apportionment. Caution should also be used in respect of national comparisons because of differences in timing or of funding flows.

Cost information on hospital procedures at HRG (Healthcare Resource Group) level in Northern Ireland for 2005/06 is published online at:

http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/dhssps_reference_costs_2005-06_-narrative.pdf

Cost information on English hospital procedures at HRG level for 2005/06 is published online at:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&siteId=en&ssTargetNodeId=566&ssDocName=DH_062884

Our most recent understanding is that in Wales a reference cost collection on a HRG basis has been in place for three years. However it is not directly comparable because critical care is not excluded from HRG groupings in Wales, as it would be in England and Northern Ireland.

In Scotland, retrospective HRG level unit costs are not collected from Health Boards or Hospitals on a HRG basis. Costs are collected and published at specialty level only.

Hospital Stays

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the average length of hospital stays in Northern Ireland; and how this compares with England, Scotland and Wales.

(AQW 1987/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Information on the average length of hospital stays in each of the four UK countries, for all specialties, for the last five years is detailed below.

Year	Average Length of Stay (in days) – All Specialties
Year	Northern Ireland	England¹	Scotland	Wales
2002 - 2003	7.8	7.9	9.7	8.7
2003 - 2004	7.8	7.4	9.1	8.6
2004 - 2005	7.6	7.1	8.7	8.5
2005 - 2006	7.3	6.6	8.4	8.3
2006 - 2007	6.8	N/A	8.0	8.0

1 – Information relating to the position in England for 2006-07 is not currently available.

Source: Departmental Return KH03a, Department of Health, Social Service & Public Safety, Northern Ireland.

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Information Centre for Health & Social Care (England).

ISD (S)1, ISD Scotland, NHS National Services Scotland.

QS1, StatsWales, Welsh Assembly Government.

Note: Day case admissions are excluded from the calculation.

Cost of Prescription Items

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the average cost per prescription item in Northern Ireland; and how this compares with England, Scotland and Wales.

(AQW 1988/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The information requested is provided below.

The data provided refers to calendar year, except for the Scottish data which is provided for the financial year ending March 2007.

Table 2

Prescribing Period 2006	Northern Ireland	England	Wales	Scotland2006-07
Average cost per item	£12.87	£10.90	£9.74	£11.97

Sources: Information and Analysis Branch, DHSSPS

Central Services Agency, Northern Ireland

Staff Productivity in the Health Service

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the present level of staff productivity in the Health Service in Northern Ireland; and how this compares with England, Scotland and Wales.

(AQW 1989/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: To date no global measure of workforce productivity exists for health or social care in Northern Ireland and no official estimates have been produced comparing the performance in each of the UK countries.

The accurate measurement of workforce productivity, in a complex business area such as the provision of health and social care, is far from straightforward. Aside from issues concerned with adequately capturing the total volume of activity which takes place in a diverse range of settings, and taking into account the changing skill mix of the workforce, any robust productivity measure must also take into account changes in the quality of services. My Department is currently taking work forward on all of these fronts with the UK Centre for the Measurement of Government Activity (UKCeMGA) who are at the leading edge of developments in the measurement of Government productivity.

Staff productivity comparisons are only available in the hospital sector and following the work in the Appleby Review a Productivity Working Group of DHSSPS and DFP officials now assess that there is a difference of between 9 and 11% between here and England. There are many possible explanations for this differential, including the structure and scale of hospital provision and the extent to which this can be closed is unclear.

The potential for improving staff productivity is a key element of the Department’s efficiency agenda.

Comparisons with Scotland and Wales are not available.

Ambulances

Mr A Bresland asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of ambulances based in stations in West Tyrone which are available for 999 calls.

(AQW 2066/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The following table sets out emergency ambulance resources based at Omagh, Strabane and Castlederg Ambulance Stations:

	Omagh	Strabane	Castlederg
Resources	6 A&E ambulances 1 Rapid Response Vehicle	2 A&E ambulances	2 A&E ambulances
Cover	Mon-Sun: 0800-1600hrs 3 x A&E crews Mon-Sun: 1600-2300hrs 3 x A&E crews Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 2300-0800hours 2 x A&E crews Friday and Sat: 2100-0800hrs 3 x A&E crews Rapid Response Vehicle Mon-Sun: 0800-2000hours	24/7 1 A&E crew Ambulance cover is provided by Altnagelvin on Thursday between 0800hrs - 2000hrs	Mon-Sat: 0800-1700hrs 1 x A&E crew Mon-Sun: 2300-0800hrs 1 x A&E crew Ambulance cover is provided by Strabane/Omagh:Mon-Sat 1700-2300hrsSunday between 0800-2300hrs

Cigarette Purchases

Mr A Ross asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety whether or not his department has conducted any research into the demographic most likely to purchase (i) ten-pack cigarettes; and (ii) cigarettes from vending machines; and to detail his plans to publish this information.

(AQW 2076/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: My Department has not commissioned research in these areas. Research carried out in England in 2004* found that, of all 11-15 year olds who had successfully purchased cigarettes from a shop on their most recent attempt, 55% had bought 10 cigarettes and 36% had bought 20 cigarettes. Children, in particular, are known to purchase cigarettes from a variety of sources and the 2004 findings identified the main sources of cigarettes obtained by 11-15 year old smokers as follows.

Source	Regular Smokers	Occasional Smokers
Shops	77%	41%
Given by friends	51%	73%
Bought from other people	42%	25%
Vending machines	24%	8%
Given by siblings	16%	6%
Given by parents	10%	1%

Smokers were invited to name as many sources as applied to them.

* Smoking Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England in 2004.

Cigarette Legislation

Mr A Ross asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what consideration he is giving to the introduction of legislation to limit the availability of, or ban, (i) cigarette vending machines; and (ii) ten-pack cigarettes.

(AQW 2077/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 requires the publication of warning statements on vending machines to the effect that the machine is only for the use of people aged 16 or over.

My Department’s Five Year Tobacco Action Plan includes a commitment to work with local councils to ensure that the placement of tobacco vending machines complies with the voluntary code produced by the National Association of Cigarette Machine Operators. In addition, the duties of 12 additional enforcement officers appointed earlier this year include enhanced activity in relation to underage sales.

UK Health Departments remain concerned about the levels of smoking among young people and the Department of Health last week announced its intention to consult on banning the sale of tobacco in vending machines and reducing cigarette displays in shops. I have asked my officials to discuss these issues and the scope for further action to tackle children’s smoking with their counterparts in Great Britain when they next meet in January.

Prescription Charges

Mr R McCartney asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans he has to examine the possibility of abolishing prescription charges, in line with similar proposals for Wales.

(AQW 2085/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The issue of prescription charges was debated in the Assembly on the 15^th May when I announced that I was setting up a cost and benefit review to inform the way forward on the current system of prescription charges. The abolition of prescription charges will be one of the options examined in the review. The review is to due report back to me by the end of the year, and I shall bring proposals for the way forward to the Executive early in 2008.

Community Care Assistants

Mr P J Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the current hourly rate paid to community care assistants in each of the five Health and Social Care Trust areas for the provision of (i) personal care; (ii) practical care; and (iii) sitting services.

(AQW 2096/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: There are a wide range of staff groups which could fall within the description of community care assistants. This includes home helps, domiciliary care workers and community nursing assistants. Under the Agenda for Change arrangements now in operation in all five Health and Social Care Trusts these staff groups would fall into one of the following pay ranges, depending on the skills required to do their jobs: Band 1 (minimum hourly rate £6.23 – maximum hourly rate £6.78), Band 2 (minimum hourly rate £6.43 - maximum hourly rate £7.94) or Band 3 (minimum hourly rate £7.38 - maximum hourly rate £8.83).

Care Workers from External Agencies

Mr P J Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the current hourly rate paid to external agencies in each of the five Health and Social Care Trust areas for providing (i) personal care; (ii) practical care; and (iii) sitting services.

(AQW 2097/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The information requested is not held centrally by my Department. External agencies are not contracted on the basis of the hourly rates of pay paid to their employees. This is an employment matter between the agency and their employees.

Community Care Assistants

Mr P J Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the current weekend rates of pay and mileage allowance paid to community care assistants providing community care in each of the five Health and Social Care Trust areas.

(AQW 2098/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: There are a variety of methods used to calculate payments to reward staff in the HSC who work outside normal hours and at the weekends. These range from a percentage increase on the basic pay to overtime rates at time and a half. There are however plans under the Agenda for Change arrangements to unify payments to all non-medical staff for working in the evenings and at the weekends. These new arrangements will be introduced from 1 April 2008.

Where HSC staff are required to undertake business travel in order to carry out their work, they are compensated by their employer. This level of compensation depends on them satisfying particular criteria on the number of miles undertaken, the engine capacity of the vehicle and the appropriate form of transport. The rates payable are set out below and do not vary for weekends.

Public Transport Mileage Rate

Public Transport mileage is payable at 23p per mile where the employer deems that standard or regular user rates do not apply.

Standard rate

Engine Capacity	Up to 1000cc	1001cc to 1500cc	Over 1500cc
Up to 3,500 miles	34p	43p	53p
Thereafter	16.2p	18.3p	20.5p

Regular User allowance

Engine Capacity	Up to 1000cc	1001cc to 1500cc	Over 1500cc
Lump Sum	£508	£626	£760
Up to 9000 miles	27p	33.5p	40p
Thereafter	16.2p	18.3p	20.5p

Care Workers from External Agencies

Mr P J Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the current weekend rates of pay and mileage allowance paid to external agencies providing community care in each of the five Health and Social Care Trust areas.

(AQW 2099/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The information requested is not held centrally by my Department. Rates of pay and mileage allowances paid by external agencies will vary and are a matter for the agency and their employees.

Healthy Living Centres

Mr A Ross asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail how the network of healthy living centres in Northern Ireland has been further developed in the last seven months.

(AQW 2104/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Healthy Living Centre (HLC) initiative was funded by the Big Lottery. Healthy Living Centres operate at local level in some parts of Northern Ireland. At local level the Health and Social Services Boards have made or are considering arrangements to match fund extra money made available through Big Lottery to assist with sustaining those Healthy Living Centres currently in existence, at least in the short term. Agreements with the Boards are subject to monitoring and compliance, and further evaluation will be undertaken to build the evidence base as to the effectiveness of Healthy Living Centres.

At regional level the Department has recently met the HLC Regional Alliance and discussed the role of Healthy Living Centres in tackling health inequalities. The Department is willing to continue with this engagement. The possibility of any additional funding for enhancement must await the final outcome of budget negotiations and would be in any case the responsibility of local commissioners.

Outpatient Waiting Lists

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount of money spent on reducing outpatient waiting lists.

(AQW 2117/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: In April 2006, 74,000 people were waiting over six months for a first outpatient appointment. By 31 March 2007 this had been reduced to only 32 people.

The achievement of this transformation in performance required a substantial increase in activity. This increase was provided partly through additional evening and weekend sessions, and also by independent sector providers.

During 2006/07, approximately 43,000 people were transferred to independent sector providers for a first outpatient assessment at a cost of £6.3m. Further transfers are taking place in 2007/08 to help ensure the achievement of a 13-week maximum waiting time for outpatients by March 2008.

I consider that supplementing health care capacity with the independent sector is an appropriate short term measure that will continue to be necessary while waiting times are further reduced and backlogs exist, and while any shortfalls in health service capacity are identified and addressed.

MRSA

Mrs M Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what steps are being taken to eradicate the MRSA bug from hospitals and care homes.

(AQW 2122/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The problem of MRSA, like all healthcare-associated infections, needs to be tackled by a range of policies, both medium and long term. The policy aim is to achieve reductions in incidence, rather than eradication because there is a consensus among professionals that eradication is not possible.

A considerable number of policies are already in place, the most recent of which I announced on 11 September 2007. I have set reduction targets for two particular healthcare associated infections found in hospitals. This is the first time that this has been done in Northern Ireland. The first of the new targets requires a drop of 10% in the numbers of people in hospital with Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections, including MRSA, by March 2009. The baseline for measurement of the reduction is to be the financial year 2006/7. At the same time I launched a new regional leaflet and poster advising patients on measures they can take to prevent infection, and encouraging visitors, in particular, to go straight to the hand sanitiser when entering wards. These have gone out to all hospitals.

Regulations which came into effect in 2005 place a requirement on care home proprietors to have in place arrangements to minimise the risk of infection and the spread of infection between residents and staff. In addition, care standards, due to be published this month, set minimum requirements for infection prevention and control arrangements which must be met in all care homes. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority registers and inspects all care homes and will take account of the new standards.

Each of the four Health and Social Services Boards has a Health Protection Nurse whose role includes providing advice to care homes.

Enhanced staff training on infection reduction is ongoing, as is work on a regional infection control web-based manual. A dress code policy is now out for consultation. Extended screening of hospital patients for MRSA is also under consideration. Extra funding has been provided this year through the appointment of five new Infection Control Nurses for Trusts, part of whose job is to address community infection, including in care homes.

New South Eastern Trust

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of Manager positions in the (i) Down and Lisburn Trust; and (ii) Ulster Community and Hospital Trust, before they were merged into the new South Eastern Trust.

(AQW 2123/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Down Lisburn Trust had 241 manager positions and the Ulster Community Hospitals Trust had 199 manager positions before they merged into the South Eastern HSC Trust.

Cancelled Outpatient Clinics

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of (i) outpatient clinics cancelled in each of the five Health and Social Care Trusts; and (ii) appointment slots that were available for these cancelled clinics, for each of the last four years.

(AQW 2126/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Information on (i) the number of cancelled clinics in each of the five Health and Social Care Trusts for the last four years is detailed below. Information on (ii) the number of appointment slots that were available for these cancelled clinics is not available.

Trust	Number of Cancelled Clinics
Trust	2003-2004	2004-2005	2005-2006	2006-2007
Belfast	5,648	5,979	6,081	5,292
South Eastern	2,154	2,276	2,489	2,157
Northern	1,768	1,901	2,077	2,065
Southern	1,936	2,069	2,215	2,439
Western	1,559	1,770	1,909	1,894
Northern Ireland	13,065	13,995	14,771	13,847

Source: Departmental Return KH09, Department of Health, Social Service & Public Safety, Northern Ireland.

Note: Any clinic that has patients already booked into it and that has to be cancelled is counted as a cancelled clinic. Where a clinic has no patients but is scheduled within the next 6 months, then if this clinic is cancelled it is counted as a cancelled clinic. Where a clinic has no patients but is scheduled more than 6 months ahead, then if this clinic is cancelled it is not counted as a cancelled clinic.

There has been a year-on-year reduction in the number of patients who did not attend an outpatient appointment without informing the hospital (Did Not Attend rate) in NI since 2000/01. The DNA rate in Northern Ireland for 2006/07 is 11.4%. This is comparable with performance in England during the same period (10.8%). I am not complacent about this however, and we continue to take all possible steps to reduce non-attendance and clinic cancellation rates. New, more patient-focused, booking arrangements are currently being put in place across all specialties which will further reduce the likelihood of patients not attending their appointments.

Proposed Funding

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail any proposed funding to organisations offering advice on sexual orientation, in each of the next three years.

(AQW 2133/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Subject to the availability of resources, it is anticipated that my Department will make available the following amounts to voluntary organisations offering advice on sexual orientation, in each of the next three years:

	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
*Core Funding	£220, 031	£220,031	£220,031

In addition, it is anticipated that my Department will provide in the region of £440,000 to Health and Social Services organisations in each of the next three financial years to support work on sexual health promotion.

*Does not take account of the annual pay and prices uplift.

Proposed Funding

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail any proposed funding to organisations offering family planning advice, in each of the next three years.

(AQW 2137/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Subject to the availability of resources, it is anticipated that my Department will make available the following amounts to voluntary organisations offering family planning advice, in each of the next three financial years:

	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
*Core Funding	£117,703	£117,703	£117,703
Project Funding	£41,200	£41,585	NIL

In addition, it is anticipated that my Department will provide in the region of £840,000 to Health and Social Care bodies in each of the next three financial years to support work on sexual health promotion and reducing teenage pregnancies.

* Does not take account of the annual pay and prices uplift.

Efficiency Measures

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount of money his department expects to save as a direct result of efficiency measures in each of the next three years.

(AQW 2148/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: My Department is currently finalising challenging efficiencies amounting to £118m, £233m, £344m for the CSR period from 2010/11, as part of the Executive’s agreed approach to the comprehensive spending review. This figure reflects 3% of the baseline annually. Within it are included the 5% savings on Administrative costs within the Department. This builds on £146m of efficiencies already achieved under the previous CSR.

Residential Facility for Addicts

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline any consideration given by his department to developing a residential facility for those with addiction problems under the age of 18 years.

(AQW 2156/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Developing appropriate services for young people in respect of substance misuse is a key priority within the New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs. Therefore, a range of treatment and counselling services have been put in place for young people under 18 years in Northern Ireland, and these services essentially follow the four tier model of service provision, in line with what is considered to be best practice in this area.

The majority of dedicated services are targeted and orientated towards Tiers 2 and 3, and these involve drug education, assessment and referral at Tier 2 and a multi-disciplinary response of counselling and treatment services at Tier 3, especially for young people with complex needs.

There are currently no dedicated in-patient facilities (Tier 4) for those aged under 18 with substance misuse problems. Demand for such a service is limited and is currently being met by the use of other sources.

We are aware that the Inter Church Addiction Project (ICAP) has a particular interest in this issue, officials have had constructive discussions with ICAP on the issue and these discussions are ongoing.

Services for Disabled Children

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what actions he is taking to improve services for disabled children.

(AQW 2157/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: My Department is working in partnership with user and carer groups, the statutory, voluntary, and community sectors to develop a Physical and Sensory Disability Strategy and to conduct a Review of Autism Services. Regional working groups have been established to review the provision of wheelchair and sensory impairment services. Further working groups will be established as required to address other key strands of the strategy. The Physical and Sensory Disability Strategy is expected to be ready for consultation by 31 March 2008. The Final Report of the Review of Autism Services will be produced by 31 March 2008. My Department is also preparing the Government’s Response to the Bamford Review of Mental Health & Learning Disability which will be released for public consultation in early 2008.

My Department is also currently involved in a number of improvements to services for children with a learning disability including expansion of community based treatment and assessment, provision of early intervention multi disciplinary teams, transition planning, reviewing services for children with autistic spectrum disorder and investment in the development of seamless services.

A review of speech & language therapy services is also underway and is due to be completed in January 2008. This will impact on service delivery for disabled children.

Music Therapy

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount of funding allocated for music therapy provision, for children and young people with special educational needs and mental health problems, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2158/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The amount of funding allocated for music therapy provision, for children and young people with special educational needs, in each of the last five years is outlined below. No funding has been allocated for music therapy provision in respect of children and young people solely with mental health problems.

Core Funding to Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust –

2003/2004 - £14,580

2004/2005 - £14,944

2005/2006 - £15,392

2006/2007 - £15,854

2007/2008 - £16,250

Project Funding to the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust’s Arioso Project

Sept 2003/Aug 2004 - £30,000

Sept 2004/Aug 2005 - £99,211

Sept 2005/Aug 2006 - £129,527

Sept 2006/Aug 2007 - £111,227

Sept 2007 to date - £36,065

Specialised Mental Health Treatment

Mr T Burns asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, pursuant to his answer to AQW 1461/08, to detail (i) the number of children and young people who have been sent for treatment; (ii) the types of treatment they received; and (iii) the healthcare facilities in which they received the treatment.

(AQW 2174/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The number of children and young people who have been sent for treatment outside Northern Ireland are as follows:

2002/03 11

2003/04 8

2004/05 14

2005/06 15

2006/07 18

The complex range of mental health conditions which these young people may suffer from includes Severe Behavioural Problems, Eating Disorders and Acquired Brain Injury. To give more detailed information could compromise a patient’s anonymity.

Ambulance Hygiene

Mrs M Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans he has to undertake an assessment of the current hygiene and cleaning regimes for all ambulance services in Northern Ireland; and to detail the action he is taking to ensure that the highest standards of hygiene are maintained within the service.

(AQW 2177/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I would refer the hon Lady to the reply I gave the hon member for West Tyrone on 10 December 2007. AQW2065/08

Healthy Living Centres

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what action he is taking to enhance the network of Healthy Living Centres.

(AQW 2189/08)

Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what action he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability.

(AQW 2190/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Boards and Trusts are already planning and developing services in line with Bamford recommendations. However, implementation of the Review requires a Government-wide response and my Department is leading on this work. The response document will be submitted to the Executive for approval early in 2008, once the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review is known, and will then be issued for public consultation.

Early Intervention Service Provision

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what action he is taking to enhance the level of early intervention service provision.

(AQW 2191/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Department has been working with HSC Boards to develop new arrangements for the more effective management of people with chronic conditions. These arrangements will include education for patients in self-management of their condition, and provision for early intervention, aided where appropriate by new technology which will enable healthcare professionals to remotely monitor the vital signs of their patients and identify problems before they become serious, and so, where necessary, trigger remedial action through community-based support teams. At each stage of a patient’s illness, the focus of primary care teams is to assess need and provide prompt intervention that will reduce or delay deterioration.

The recent Bamford review of mental health and learning disability services also highlighted the importance of early intervention in these fields and this will be taken forward as part of the wider work in response to Bamford.

Music Therapy

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to make a statement on strategic policy development for music therapy provision.

(AQW 2192/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Currently music therapy services are provided through short-term contracts and project funding. These services are mainly provided through the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust (NIMT). NIMT keep the Department informed of their project involvement with the HSC and this information is used to assess the need for future strategic development. In addition, music therapists are represented on the Department’s Central Advisory Committee for Allied Health Professions

Health and Social Care Trusts

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount of savings made following the merger of the nineteen Hospital Trusts into the five Health and Social Care Trusts.

(AQW 2198/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The merger of the nineteen Hospital Trusts into the five Health and Social Care Trust only took place from 1 April 2007, so it’s too early to advise on the exact levels of savings being achieved.

What I can advise is that the merger of 19 Trusts to just 6 has reduced the number of Directors by more than 50%. That’s a reduction of 80 of the most senior staff and real savings will be made at each level of staff as the new Trusts agree their structures.

I expect Trusts and Boards to make savings of £53m per annum from RPA by 2010-11, of which £39m will be from the merger of Trusts.

Management Costs for Hospital Trusts

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the management costs for the nineteen Hospital Trusts, in the month preceding their merger into the five Health and Social Care Trusts.

(AQW 2200/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Management Costs for Heath and Social Care Trusts

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the management costs for the five Health and Social Care Trusts, in the month following the merger of the nineteen Hospital Trusts.

(AQW 2201/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Taxi Expenditure

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount spent by the Health Service on taxis for the collection of medical records, equipment, staff, and patients over the last four years.

(AQW 2202/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Healthcare Assistants for Special Schools

Ms M Anderson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the amount spent per capita, on the provision of healthcare assistants for special schools, in each Health and Social Care Trust.

(AQW 2211/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Basic salary costs of healthcare assistants employed by Health and Social Care Trusts are outlined in the table below. Information is not collected on a per capita basis as healthcare assistants in special schools in Northern Ireland provide support in a variety of ways. Healthcare assistants may provide one to one support on an individual basis to children with complex needs, or they may provide support to an entire special school.

Trust	Approx salary costs for healthcare assistant provision in special schools
Northern	£100,000
South Eastern	£15,000
Belfast	£44,000
Southern	£134,000
Western	£0

Note

Western Trust does not currently employ any healthcare assistants.

Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in relation to the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 PART III, to detail (i) how many improvement notices have been issued; (ii) those establishments and individuals to which such notices have been served; and (iii) any prosecutions resulting from inspections and other work conducted by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.

(AQW 2214/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: No improvement notices have been issued in relation to Part III of the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.

However, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority has issued 93 Failure to Comply notices to 21 establishments since April 2005. Details of the establishments and individuals to which such notices have been served are provided in the table overleaf.

No prosecutions have taken place.

Name of Home	Provider
Ardlough Nursing Home	Four Seasons
Armagh Care (Nursing) Home	Four Seasons
Ashbrooke Nursing Home	Southern Cross
Bangor Care (Nursing) Home McKeown Suite	Four Seasons
Barrhall Residential Care Home	Barrhall
Cherry Tree House Nursing Home	Dr D Harron
Clairville Residential Care Home	Mrs V Reid
Cromore House Nursing Home	Four Seasons
Dhu Varren House Children’s Home	Northern HSC Trust
Domnall Nursing Home	Four Seasons
Drumragh Nursing Home	Four Seasons
Flaxfield Children’s Home	South Eastern HSC Trust
Galliagh House Residential Care Home	Praxis Care
Glenwood Residential Care Home	South Eastern HSC Trust
Greerville Manor Nursing Home	Four Seasons
King’s Castle Nursing Home	Messana Investment Ltd.
Laurelhill Residential Home	South Eastern HSC Trust
Mount Lens Nursing Home	Four Seasons
South Parade Residential Care Home	Mr I Emerson
Templemoyle Nursing Home	Southern Cross
Victoria Nursing Home	Dr & Mrs Lynass

Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in relation to the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 PART III Regulation of Establishments and Agencies, to (i) detail how many individuals and establishments have had their registration cancelled; (ii) list those individuals and establishments; and (iii) detail the reason for the cancellation; and in relation to Article 21 of the same Order, to detail the number of cancellations that were made.

(AQW 2215/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: To date, no individuals or establishments have had their registration cancelled under Part III of the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.

Radiotherapy Services in the North West

Ms M Anderson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail what plans he has to establish radiotherapy services in the North West.

(AQW 2231/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Radiotherapy for the population of Northern Ireland is provided at the Cancer Centre in Belfast. The Cancer Centre was developed to meet the radiotherapy needs of the population of Northern Ireland until 2015.

An initial assessment of projected cancer incidence and demographics conducted by the Department suggests that a combination of radiotherapy services in Belfast and Altnagelvin would best meet the needs of the Northern Ireland population beyond 2015. Any future development of radiotherapy services will of course be subject to a full economic appraisal.

Improved Performance

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the action he is taking to encourage improved performance across the health service.

(AQW 2234/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: My Department is working closely with Boards and Trusts in taking forward a comprehensive programme of reform and modernisation to improve performance across the health service.

I have set a range of challenging performance targets to improve services for patients and put in place robust performance management arrangements underpinned by comprehensive management information systems to ensure that organisations and individuals are held accountable for their delivery. A Service Delivery Unit has also been established to support Boards and Trusts to implement good practice and deliver improved performance.

We are already seeing the impact of these actions with significant improvement in patients’ access to elective care services and unscheduled care. I am confident that this approach will in time lead to similar improvements across a wider range of services.

Appleby Report

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the recommendations of the Appleby Report that he has implemented.

(AQW 2235/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Full details are given below. Most of Professor Appleby’s recommendations proposed a requirement for further research. My Department has substantially delivered on the research required by the recommendations and in many instances has already brought about real change on the ground. The joint steering group chaired by the DFP and DHSSPS Permanent Secretaries will sign a recommendation off as met when research has been carried out and the way forward in terms of using it to improve performance is agreed.

Recommendation 1 In the light of suggested future funding (see Recommendation 3), in-year monitoring additions to health and social care budgets should cease other than in exceptional circumstances and solely on a one-off basis

The review of HPSS financial control and allocation arrangements has been approved and its recommendation signed off by the Steering Group. Changes implemented include controlling the use of late in-year funding allocations by ensuring that reduced requirements are declared at an earlier stage in the financial year. This will ensure HSS financial stability.

Recommendation 2 Over and above the need to track spending for reasons of financial probity, the main performance policy monitoring focus should be on tracking outcomes, not spending per se. A programme budgeting approach - as currently being developed in England for 23 disease/service groups- in addition to traditional accounting would be of help with this.

The annual Strategic Resource Framework process forms a good basis for tracking expenditure. An annual comparison of NI and English actual expenditure by Programme Budgeting Category gas been established. This recommendation was signed off by the Joint DFP-DHSSPS Appleby Steering Group in July 2007.

Recommendation 4 Further work is needed to investigate the usefulness of employing direct measures of health status (for example, as derived from instruments such as EQ-5D) in resource allocation models.

A report was produced, and peer reviewed, evaluating alternative direct health measures, both in comparison to the English formula and their usefulness in resource allocation work. It was agreed by the interdepartmental steering group that the key outcome for both recommendation 4 and 5 would be a robust assessment of relative health and social care need between each UK country which could reasonably inform resource allocation decisions. This recommendation was therefore signed off by the Steering Group in January 2007.

Recommendation 5 Future work on pan-UK resource allocation model would provide a more empirically-based answer to relative shares of resources. Such work should be open, and draw on extensive experience in the areas of resource allocation models of research groups across the UK.

Acceptance of this recommendation would require the agreement of HM Treasury and all the other UK administration. In the absence of such agreement, the work by DHSSPS and DFP carried out on this recommendation has attempted to follow, as closely as possible, the methodology employed in England to allocate health and social services funding and peer review by Matt Sutton has now been formally finalised. Professor Appleby and DFP have provided a further challenge function at each stage of progress.

This work indicates a health-only index, adjusted for market forces, of 10%. That is, for every pound spent in England on health services, a further ten pence would be needed here to achieve the same level of health in the population. The personal social services work indicated that the index for these services would be 36%, with a combined health and PSS index of 16%.

A final short report is to be produced for the Appleby Steering Group in respect of some outstanding issues which are mainly outside of the English formula. In my Department’s view, pending this consideration, this work is now substantially complete and has been subject to independent peer review.

Recommendation 7:

Routine collection of self-assessed health status data at population level would yield useful comparative data on population health status.
In addition, the potential for routine collection of patient related outcome measures in health care services should be explored

Plans are being made to include more self assessed data in future health surveys and to consider ways of improving the usefulness of such measures. It is also proposed that patient related outcome measures will be developed and monitored as part of the overall development of the target-setting and performance management approach to improving outcomes for service users. An action plan will be agreed at the next Steering Group meeting.

Recommendation 8 On the basis of current lifestyle data, the funding recommendations based on the Wanless ‘fully engaged’ scenario imply considerable effort will be needed to engage the Northern Ireland population through expanded public health services and other means (Section 3.2) Wanless fully engaged scenario

It has been agreed with DFP that a separate interdepartmental group can take this forward. An independent review of the cross departmental Investing for Health strategy will take place next year.

My Department’s bids for the new CSR period have been consciously aimed at producing an enhanced level of public health improvement but progress will be limited if the draft Budget allocations are not improved.

Recommendation 9: Further investigation is required of very high

A&E use to explore reasons and find ways for reducing likely inappropriate use.

A comprehensive regional audit of A & E Services has been carried out and a major programme of service improvement including redesign of services and changes in working practices across the whole system has been put in place to achieve better A&E times.

On the ground there has been real change. This time last year, there were typically 300-400 patients each week waiting longer than 12 hours on trolleys in A&E departments across Northern Ireland. Performance in this area has improved significantly in recent months and trolley waits are now a thing of the past. Performance against the four hour target is also greatly improved, from 81% in March 2007, to 92% currently. The Ulster Hospital in particular has made considerable progress against this target. This time last year around 75% of patients attending the Ulster’s A&E Department were treated and discharged, or admitted to a ward within four hours of their arrival, this has increased to 98% in the last two weeks of November this year.

These improvements have been achieved through the introduction of improved ways of working and robust performance management arrangements. No additional funding has been invested in unscheduled care over the last year.

Recommendation 10: Detailed analysis is needed into hospital activity trends as part of a broader analysis of the dynamics of waiting times and lists.

Recommendation 12: Adopt a multi-pronged long-term strategy to reduce waiting times, including long-term targets (with milestones) backed by strong incentives.

Recommendation 15: Investigate scope for further reduction in length of stay and avoidance of hospital admissions.

Our response to these recommendations, which included consultants sharing waiting lists and treatment in strict chronological order have been fully signed off by the Appleby Steering Group. Published hospital statistics show the following:

Between 2005/06 and 2006/07 the number waiting for an outpatient appointment has decreased by 43.4%, or 78,495 people, bucking the five year trend which was of increasing waits.
As at the end of 2006/07 only 32 people were waiting more than five months for an outpatient appointment, compared to 73,915 the previous year.
Between 2005/06 and 2006/07 the number waiting for inpatient treatment has decreased by 8.4%, or 3,470 people
Length of stay has decreased by 7.1% in the last year, equating to half a day per discharge, correspondingly throughput per bed has increased by 7.1%. Likewise throughput increased 14.3% in the last 5 years and LOS decreased 12.6% or a day.

Appleby recommendation 11 DHSSPS should develop a more coherent strategy towards partnerships with the Private Sector.

Work is ongoing to complete this recommendation.

Appleby recommendation 13 – Investigate ways to reduce unit cost variations through incentive mechanisms such as tariff-based activity payment/budget setting systems.

The Department has been considering how best to revise the current finance regime and an independent report on this area is to be completed by December 2007. I will be considering its implications in the context of the structural reform.

Appleby recommendation 14 – Further investigation is needed to explore possible reasons for high unit costs at the Royal and Green Park Trusts.

In response to this recommendation the Department commissioned an independent review of the cost variations in these two former Trusts. Final reports were published in early Autumn 2007 and confirm that there is already clear evidence of improvement in the comparative costs of both organisations from the position in 2002/03 as analysed in the Appleby Report. Nonetheless the reports also confirm that much can still be done to increase productivity and thus reduce costs in both former Trusts, and suggest some ways of tracking performance which can be incorporated into work on Recommendation 16. Recommendation 14 was therefore signed off in July 2007.

Appleby Recommendation 17 – An assessment should be carried out on the implementation of the GMS contract in Northern Ireland to examine whether the actual improvements in quality outweigh the cost. In light of the finding, the GMS contract should be revised as far as practicable.

This assessment was signed off by the Steering Group in September 2007, having outlined an approach to NI’s input to future four nations’ discussions on GMS negotiation.

Appleby Recommendation 18 – New mechanisms involving greater use of sanctions are needed to tackle high prescribing costs and to encourage greater use of generic drugs.

Mechanisms to tackle high prescribing costs and encourage greater use of generic drugs were identified and the recommendation was subsequently signed off.

Since the report, £55m has been saved in the community drugs budget through efficiencies from generic prescribing and related measures and it is anticipated that more will be achieved during the new CSR period.

Appleby recommendation 19 – The integration of health and social services should be re-examined with an initial first stage being the implications of ring fencing of funding for social services from the acute sector. There should however be scope for financial sanctions when inefficiency in one part of the system impacts negatively on another e.g. lack of social services provision causing delayed discharge from hospital.

The Appleby Steering group signed off on this recommendation in September 2007, primarily on the basis that new models of care require professionals to work together in new structures and that emerging best practice evidence shows there is no sound case for departing from the integrated approach.

Also we have adopted other ways of managing the hospital: social services relationship such as weekly monitoring of discharges.

Appleby recommendation 20 – Contracting for services from independent/voluntary sector organisations should be reviewed to consider whether it can be put on a more strategic basis

A new policy was issued and work on a fair rate for care and on service specifications is continuing. This recommendation was signed off in September 2007.

Appleby Recommendation 21 – Further investigation is required of possible reasons for relatively low labour productivity.

The way forward has been agreed and the recommendation has been cleared subject to approval of an Action Plan which is to be presented in December 2007.

Appleby Recommendation 22 – Health and social care workers in Northern Ireland should formally come under the remit of the GB Pay Review Bodies.

Implementation is complete.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Recommendation 16:

Aim in medium term to use outcome-based productivity measures

Work is ongoing to complete this recommendation.

Recommendation 23 – There is a need to develop an explicit performance management system with rewards and sanctions which provide enough ‘bite’ to encourage change and innovation in the health and social care system. There are many options for the types of incentives that could be introduced and their design for Northern Ireland. There should however be a commitment to such reform coupled with further investigation of how incentives can be strengthened.

Recommendation 24: Separation of the tasks of service provision and commissioning is an important factor in sharpening incentives. However, the most appropriate structures (e.g. single pan-NI commissioner; devolved GP commissioning etc) needs further investigation

Recommendation 25: Alongside changes in the performance management system, there is a need to explore the development of a more transparent priority setting process at national level, together with an explicit ‘NHS Plan for Northern Ireland’ which sets out outcome-based targets linked to new spending paths

An approach to these three recommendations was agreed and signed off by the steering group in March 2007. This involved principal targets set in PfA for a range of primary and community care services as well as for planned and unplanned care in hospitals. Robust arrangements for holding Trusts accountable for the delivery of these targets are in place and were formalised in Accountability Agreements. DFP Supply have been provided with performance reports showing good progress against targets for elective waiting times and A&E.

The following two Appleby recommendations were for DFP to address:

Recommendation 3 Adopt HMT NAS model based Wanless ‘fully engaged scenario’ projections as set out in Table 1 for now as best reasonable guide to future spending in NI

Recommendation 6 If the future spending path suggested by this Review is accepted, then there needs to be some way round the implications of the Barnett Formula for health and social care if the general principle (sic) of Barnett are to be maintained and other public services in Northern Ireland are not to suffer

The draft Budget allocation to DHSSPS is significantly less than the increase recommended by Professor Appleby.

In summary then, of the 23 recommendations my Department are responsible for, there is some action to take to bring Appleby recommendations 7, 8, 11, 13 and 16 to a conclusion. The necessary future process for these has been established or will be proposed this month at the Steering Group meeting. Recommendation 5 is complete and final results will be presented to the Steering Group this month. Recommendations 21, 14 and 9 at this stage only require an action plan or similar, which we also hope to present to the steering group this month.

More important is what positive change my Department and others have effected in terms of ensuring cost efficiency without compromising quality and ensuring that waiting lists for treatment and waiting times in A&E are driven down.

Innovation in the Health Service

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the action he is taking to encourage innovation across the health service.

(AQW 2236/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Innovation is a central element of the reform and modernisation programme being taken forward by my Department in conjunction with Boards and Trusts.

In addition to top-down regional initiatives to improve performance, Trusts and Boards are encouraged to develop and implement local solutions to improve the safety, quality and accessibility of services. Trusts are supported in this work by the Department’s Service Delivery Unit which comprises staff for both Northern Ireland and GB with specialist healthcare expertise.

My Department has also developed linkages with the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement to further support Trusts and Boards in the development and implementation of best practice in healthcare.

Review of NHS Funding

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline his assessment of the report 'Our Future Health Secured? A review of NHS funding and performance' by Sir Derek Wanless.

(AQW 2237/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The original Wanless Report in 2002 included NI and I fully support its conclusion that our Health & Social Care system can only be sustained if we continue to invest at levels significantly above inflation, provide services much more efficiently and ensure that everyone in NI actively seeks to improve their own health status.

The latest review did not include NI and while I think many of the conclusions here would be similar, there are some important differences.

Expenditure in England has been broadly in line with the Wanless recommendations but expenditure here has been much lower. This funding gap will increase further if the draft Budget is approved. This review recommends real CSR increases of 4.4%. England has been given 3.7% while we have only 1.1%.

On the other hand, essential pay reform here has also taken up a significant part of available resources and, as in England, the full benefits have yet to be realised.

Despite lower levels of recurrent and capital expenditure, there have also been significant improvements here in a range of services. The funding gap, however, means that the level of services provided in many key areas has fallen behind England.

With regard to efficiency and productivity, significant savings have also been achieved and more are planned. For example, the number of day cases has risen significantly and the length of stay has been reduced. Much more needs to be achieved and this requires service redesign, more effective use of ICT and new models of delivery here as recommended by Wanless for England. Similarly, the Wanless analysis of policy direction is equally applicable to NI.

Finally, Public Health interventions and other interventions that assist people to engage knowledgeably in regard to their own health and to manage their own conditions are crucially important if a free health service is to be sustainable. The Department’s CSR bids places a focus on these interventions for that reason. Successfully improving the health of the public requires action on the part of all relevant Departments, through Investing for Health and other processes, such as Neighbourhood Renewal

Efficiency Measures

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline (i) a timetable for the implementation of efficiency measures over the next three years; and (ii) the expected savings each year that will result.

(AQW 2243/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: My Department plans to achieve its efficiencies on the basis and timetable assigned by DFP which is as follows:

Year	Amount (expressed cumulatively
2008/09	£118m
2009/10	£233m
2010/11	£344m

In addition to the £146m achieved in the last three years, this represents savings of almost half a billion pounds over a six year period.

Sale of Assets

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what consideration he is giving to the sale of assets to augment his department's resources; and to detail these assets.

(AQW 2250/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has identified potential sales of assets of properties that are surplus to requirement, or are expected to become surplus, to the value of £265m over the period 2008-2018. Under the current ISNI proposals, published for consultation along with the draft budget and Programme for Government, the income from these sales would form part of the Department’s overall capital budget. Asset sales that would generate £95m in capital receipts in respect of surplus properties in the Health and Social Care service are proposed in the next budget period 2008-2011.

The specific assets to be included in this programme of disposals are currently not finalised and have yet to be confirmed with Health and Social Care Trusts.

Review of Public Administration

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the responsibilities he is proposing to transfer to local government under the Review of Public Administration.

(AQW 2251/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: No final decision has been made about the transfer of DHSSPS responsibilities to local government. I am currently exploring the possibilities for enhancing the role of local government in the delivery of health and social care in Northern Ireland. In particular, I am keen to look at how more collaborative working with district councils can help address health inequalities and help realise the shared goal of a better and healthier future for all our people.

For example, a Partnership Group has been established to take stock of relevant existing partnership working and collaborative initiatives and to examine the scope for greater co-ordination and relevant integration across and between existing partnerships in the Belfast area.

The Families Matter: Supporting Families Consultation

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to (i) detail the progress made in relation to 'The Families Matter: Supporting Families Consultation' which closed in March 2007; and (ii) give a timescale within which the outcome of this consultation will be brought to the Assembly Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

(AQW 2259/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: (i) A summary of the responses received on the consultation on Families Matter: Supporting Families in Northern Ireland, will be placed on the Departmental website by the end of December and individuals and organisations who sent in responses will be notified accordingly; and (ii) it is envisaged that the final strategy document will be brought to the Assembly Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety for discussion early next year.

Childrens Strategy

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to confirm whether or not he will implement all the commitments by his department included in the ten year Children's Strategy.

(AQW 2260/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: My Department are making progress in the implementation of many of the commitments attributed wholly or partly to the DHSSPS and its agencies. As the Strategy has another eight years to run, I think it would be premature to state categorically that all commitments will be implemented by 2016, however every effort will be made to advance the aims of the Strategy and Action Plan within the resources available.

Services for Children and Young People

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (i) all amounts being spent by his department on children and young people; and (ii) the services on which these monies are being spent.

(AQW 2270/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Generally cost information is not collected by the age group of care recipients but all expenditure which can be identified has been listed in the table below.

2005/06 Identified Expenditure on Children and Young People

Programme of Care	Service	£m
Acute	Inpatients and Daycases*	75.2
	Outpatients	10.6
	Critical Care Units**	19.0
Maternity and Child Health	Inpatients and Daycases*	2.6
	Speech and language therapy	7.6
	Community Medical and Dental	7.8
	Health Visiting	10.7
	Other Community Services	6.8
Family and Child Care	Social Work	50.0
	Residential Homes	29.4
	Payments to foster carers	19.9
	Grant aid	12.7
	Payments under legislation	8.7
	Assessment centres	2.7
	Daycare for Children	4.8
	Surestart programme	5.0
	Other Personal Social Services	4.7
	Community Services	4.0
Mental Health	Inpatients and Outpatients	2.2
Learning Disability	Residential Homes	4.7
Learning Disability	Inpatients	2.2
Physical and Sensory Disability	Technology Dependent Children	1.9
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention	Health Visiting	9.6
Total		302.8

* Estimated by costing care for patients aged under 18

** Neonatal Care Services and Paediatric Intensive Care

Accountability in the Provision of Health Services

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what assessment he has made of the need for accountability at local level for the provision of health services.

(AQW 2275/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I am firmly convinced of the need for a strong local voice in the planning and delivery of health and social care in Northern Ireland. To that end, I am examining the scope for increasing democratisation within the various structures and for enhancing the role of local government in service delivery, particularly in terms of collaborative working with district councils to help address health inequalities.

Improved Performance

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the incentives in place to encourage improved performance within the health service.

(AQW 2280/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Robust arrangements are in place within the health service to incentivise improved performance and to deal with poor performance.

My Department monitors progress towards my key targets on a weekly basis. Where Trust performance falls behind that required such that there is a serious risk to the achievement of the targets, my Department takes appropriate steps to intervene including placing the Trust on "special measures" until performance improves to the necessary level. Special measures may include some or all of transferring patients to another provider (with the original Trust meeting the costs), providing specialist recovery support to the Trust, and meetings between the Department and the Trust Chief Executive.

Conversely, where a Trust is performing well against my standards and targets, there is a degree of "earned autonomy" with my Department adopting a more hands-off approach to the performance management of the organisation.

There is a direct link between the annual pay increase made to senior executives in Trusts and their performance and the performance of their organisation.

In addition arrangements are in place in primary care to incentivise improved performance with rewards available for practitioners that improve the accessibility and quality of services, consistent with regional standards.

Review of Public Administration

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what assessment he has made of the potential to improve health productivity arising from the reforms proposed by the Review of Public Administration.

(AQW 2281/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Departmental officials have looked closely at all elements of the Department in an effort to drive up HPSS productivity, including RPA. I am committed to ensuring that productivity is further increased across the CSR period and delivering on RPA reform is central to productivity improvement. Three key strands of RPA will transform HPSS productivity:

Reducing costs through efficiency savings - over the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 the Department will realise total annual efficiencies of £53 million from RPA restructuring: a reduction of almost 1,700 managerial and administrative staff.
Consideration of new finance regime – the current finance regime is being reviewed in partnership with DFP, aiming to facilitate and incentivise reform and increased productivity. An example of this is the "final offer" scheme which is used to move resources from one Trust to another should a waiting time breach be unmanageable within the original Trust and, consideration of a tariff style regime which will enable commissioning to focus on outcomes rather than on agreeing costs.
Performance Management – Building on the excellent progress that has been made to date, I expect the new structures under RPA to give a strong focus to both local commissioning and performance management. Doing so, will drive up activity, control costs and so improve HPSS productivity.

Air Ambulance/Helicopter Service

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what assessment he has made of (i) the feasibility of an air ambulance/helicopter service; (ii) the projected cost of providing such a service, in terms of (a) purchase costs; (b) maintenance costs; and (c) staffing costs; and (iii) the benefits of such a service in meeting critical care needs.

(AQW 2284/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: A Feasibility Study on a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for the island of Ireland was published by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Republic of Ireland’s Department of Health and Children in April 2004. The Report identified three possible response roles for a HEMS:

"Primary" – travelling directly to the scene of an incident to take the patient to hospital;
"Secondary" – meeting a ground ambulance to speed up the patient’s journey to hospital; and
"Tertiary" – the planned, rapid transfer between hospitals of patients requiring specialist care, escorted by skilled professionals.

The Report concluded that the tertiary role may be the most appropriate in an all-island context and estimated that this service level would require capital investment in the region of £8 million with annual operating costs of £2.4 million.

A copy of the report can be viewed on the DHSSPS website at http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/hems.pdf .

Bamford Review

Mr D McClarty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the reasons why a service user representative was not appointed to the Bamford Review's Expert Implementation Body.

(AQW 2302/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Board for Mental Health and Learning Disability consists of a small number of people, 6 in all, who have key expertise to bring to the work of championing the issues of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, following the Bamford Review. One of its members is a representative of users of services. The Board is, of course, free to engage with other individuals and groups as it sees fit in carrying out its remit. Consideration is also being given to ways of involving wider groups of users of services and carers in the work.

Treatment for Personality Disorders

Ms C Hanna asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the treatment that is available to patients with personality disorders in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust; and to provide details of the number that (i) are being currently treated; (ii) have been referred to specialist centres outside Northern Ireland; and (iii) are currently on a waiting list.

(AQW 2316/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust currently have no specialist services for people with a diagnosis of personality disorder; but within the Belfast Trust there is a general adult psychiatrist with a particular interest in developing such services for people with this diagnosis.

It is generally accepted that between 20 – 40% of patients admitted to acute mental health inpatient care will have a single or co-morbid diagnosis of personality disorder. Also, 10% of the outpatient list of general adult psychiatrists will include patients with a single or co-morbid diagnosis of personality disorder. Community mental health teams will provide support to clients with personality disorder where they have significant functional needs and are willing to engage with services.

It would be extremely difficult to provide exact details in relation to the number of patients currently being treated because it would require individual patient’s files to be reviewed.

Currently there are 6 patients referred to specialist centres outside of Northern Ireland. There is one client with severe personality disorder presently on the waiting list awaiting assessment for placement in a specialist centre outside of Northern Ireland.

Foreign Nationals

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail what responsibility his department has in relation to monitoring the number of foreign nationals residing in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 2317/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Department of Health, Social Services & Public Safety does not have any formal responsibility for monitoring the number of foreign nationals residing in Northern Ireland.

Health and social Care statistics contain information only on foreign nationals who have registered for treatment and for a Health and Social Care number.

Respite for Autistic Children

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what consideration he will give to changing the current provision of funding for respite for autistic children, in order that the parent or carer is no longer required to pay for this service.

(AQW 2332/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Bamford Review made a series of recommendations on the improvements required in terms of health and social care provision for those with autism, including improvements to respite provision. As a result, additional funds for respite have been bid for under the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). However whilst the Department bid for £17m, £29m and £48m across the CSR period, to support the reform of mental health and learning disability services in line with Bamford recommendations, a disappointing allocation of £4m, £7m and £18m is currently allocated in the draft budget. Consultation on the CSRwill not be finalised until January 2008. Until it is clear what funding will be available to improve respite provision it is not possible to anticipate what respite provision will be available. As resources are finite, provision will continue to be prioritised based on need.

Respite for Autistic Children

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what consideration he will give to increasing the provision of respite care for children with autism and their parents.

(AQW 2333/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: It is clear that an increase in respite provision for children with autism is necessary. The Bamford Review made a series of recommendations on the improvements required in terms of health and social care provision for those with autism, including improvements to respite provision. As a result, my Department made a bid for additional funds for respite under the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). However, whilst my Department bid for £17m, £29m and £48m across the CSR period to support the Bamford recommendations for mental health and learning disability, a disappointing allocation of £4m, £7m and £18m is currently allocated in the draft budget. Consultation on the Comprehensive Spending Review will not be finalised until January 2008.

Autism

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans he has to reduce waiting lists for diagnosis of autism.

(AQW 2334/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I have already announced a number of targets to assist in the reduction of waiting lists/times. By March 2008 no patient should wait any longer than 13 weeks for a consultant-led first outpatient appointment. I have also set a target for six key services provided by Allied Health Professionals that will ensure that no-one is waiting more than 26 weeks for treatment by March 2008, and no more than 13 weeks by March 2009. I am currently awaiting the outcome of the Independent Review of Autism which is due to report to me by the end of December 2007. I will examine its recommendations as to how services may be improved with a view to reducing waiting lists/times for the diagnosis of autism further.

Autism

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans he has to provide a service within his department that deals specifically with issues relating to autism.

(AQW 2335/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Service provision issues relating to autism are dealt with locally by individual Health and Social Care Trusts. I have set up an Independent Review of Autism Services to identify gaps, share best practice and promote innovation. The Independent Review Group will report to me by the end of December 2007

Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-Related Deaths

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what is his assessment of the progress of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths.

(AQW 2353/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Progress on the Inquiry has been slower than I would have wished, but both the Chairman and I recognise that the work of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecution Service in respect of these cases must be completed before the Inquiry can fully examine all relevant matters. I remain committed to ensuring that the Inquiry will finish its work, so that whatever learning might come from it can be applied.

Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-Related Deaths

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline what reviews or discussions have taken place within his department into the progress of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths; and to detail the stages at which these took place.

(AQW 2354/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I met with John O’Hara on 31 May 2007 to discuss how the Inquiry into hyponatraemia-related deaths might be progressed. I have also reviewed responses received in July 2007 from both the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecutions Service regarding the progress of their ongoing investigations into hyponatraemia-related deaths.

In addition, the progress of the Inquiry is regularly monitored and discussed within the Senior Management Team of the Department’s Safety, Quality and Standards Directorate.

Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-Related Deaths

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to confirm when the last sitting of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths took place.

(AQW 2355/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The last sitting of the Inquiry into hyponatraemia-related deaths took place on Friday 7 October 2005.

Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-Related Deaths

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail any discussions between his department, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Public Prosecution Service in relation to the progress of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths.

(AQW 2356/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I wrote to both the Chief Constable and the Director of the Public Prosecutions Service in June of this year to enquire about the progress of the investigation into hyponatraemia-related deaths. Replies were received in July and subsequently copied to Mr O’Hara for his information.

Community Commissioning Associations

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what is his assessment of the introduction of Community Commissioning Associations.

(AQW 2357/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I am currently considering the future shape of our health and social care systems in Northern Ireland. This also includes an assessment of the most appropriate way to commission health and social care services in Northern Ireland.

I am of the view that commissioning, together with robust financial management and performance management, have to be three key functions of any new structure. I want to be sure that the changes we make will deliver the best outcome for the people of Northern Ireland. Health and social care structures must meet local needs and must be sustainable in the long-term.

I want to see resources used in a way which maximises the benefits to patients by driving up quality and standards without compromise. I want to ensure that the new commissioning arrangements contribute to the delivery of this agenda.

Care Workers

Mr M McLaughlin asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of home helps and home care workers currently employed by Homefirst in the South Antrim constituency.

(AQW 2366/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Homefirst Trust was subsumed within the Northern Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust on 1^st April 2007. There are 308 (126.32 whole-time equivalent) home helps and home care workers in the Northern HSC Trust who were formerly employed by the Homefirst legacy Trust and who provide services within the South Antrim constituency area.

Community Care Packages

Mr M McLaughlin asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what assessment he has made of the impact upon the care of the elderly and vulnerable, that the lack of staff and resources available for community care packages, is having in the South Antrim constituency.

(AQW 2367/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: It is important that older and vulnerable people have their care needs met promptly. Tough targets have been set for Trusts to reduce delayed discharge from hospital and to meet the need for community care packages in the community. By March 2008, people with complex needs should be discharged from hospital within 72 hours with appropriate support and people with assessed care needs in the community should have the main components of those needs met within 12 weeks. My Department has invested an additional £4m in services for older people in 2007/08. I am satisfied that those resources been allocated equitably across Northern Ireland and good progress is being made against the targets in South Antrim and elsewhere. However, as I made clear in my submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review, further investment will be required if we are to maintain and improve upon the progress that has been made to date.

Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, given the health benefits to women and girls afforded by the human papilloma virus vaccine, whether or not he will (i) introduce a vaccination and immunisation programme; and (ii) investigate the benefits of running a parallel 'catch up' programme, similar to that committed to by the Scottish Executive.

(AQW 2374/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I am strongly in favour of introducing a routine vaccination programme against human papilloma virus in 2008/09. Regarding the benefits of a catch-up programme, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has investigated this rigorously and concluded that such a campaign would be cost-effective. I am also strongly in favour of carrying out such a campaign in 2009-2011. These proposals are subject to adequate resources being made available in the budget settlement.

The Department of Health in London, the Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly have all announced details of their plans for HPV vaccination over the coming three years and beyond. Northern Ireland must not fall behind the rest of the UK in regard to this cancer-prevention investment. If this happens it will be unprecedented in the field of immunisation.

Treatment for Haemo-Chromatosis

Mr I McCrea asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of people who receive vene section treatment for haemo-chromatosis in (i) home visits; (ii) clinic visits; and (iii) hospital day units, in the past year.

(AQW 2383/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The number of people who receive vene section treatment for haemo-chromatosis during a home visit or during a clinic visit in Northern Ireland is not currently available. However, information is available on the number of people receiving vene section treatment for haemo-chromatosis during a day case admission to hospital.

The total number of day case admissions to hospital were the patient has a primary diagnosis of haemo-chromatosis and received vene section treatment during 2005/06 is 1,238. It is estimated that this equates to 260 individuals based on the patients’ casenotes.

It is possible that any individual could be admitted to hospital more than once in any year and will thus be counted more than once as an admission.

Bamford Review

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans he has to reprioritise the implementation of the Bamford Review of Mental Health within his department's work programme.

(AQW 2400/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I have no plans to reprioritise the implementation of Bamford. It is already a top priority for my Department. While a wide range of service improvements are already underway in line with the Bamford recommendations, the draft budget for 2008/09 to 2010/2011 will only allow for the highest priority elements of the Review to proceed.

Ministerial Statement

Mr B McCrea asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail when, and how, he was first notified of the Ministerial Statement, 'Outlining a Vision for our Education system'; and to confirm whether or not he had discussions with the Minister of Education on the subject matter of the statement before it was issued.

(AQW 2478/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The intention of the Minister of Education to make a statement to the Assembly on her vision for the education system was notified to my Private Office by e mail on 4 December – approximately 30 minutes before the statement was made to the Assembly.

I can confirm that I had no discussions with the Minister of Education on the subject matter of the statement before it was issued.

Missed Outpatient Appointments

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of outpatient appointments missed over the last four years.

(AQW 2495/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The number of outpatient appointments missed in Health Service hospitals in Northern Ireland, over the last four years, is detailed below.

Year	Number of New Referrals¹ that Did Not Attend (DNA)	Number of Consultant Initiated Appointments² that Did Not Attend (DNA)	Total number of appointments that Did Not Attend (DNA)
2003-2004	48,135	156,674	204,809
2004-2005	47,304	150,434	197,738
2005-2006	48,673	152,296	200,969
2006-2007	47,816	149,116	196,932

Source: Departmental Return KH09 part 1.

1 – A New Referral is the first of a series, or the only attendance, at an out-patient clinic of a consultant in a hospital.

2 – A Consultant Initiated appointment is any attendance other than a referral attendance i.e. a review or follow up attendance.

Note: The number of ‘Did Not Attend’ appointments is used to represent missed appointments. This refers to the number of patients with an appointment who did not attend and failed to give advance warning to the hospital. This does not include those who could not attend and who did warn the hospital in advance.

Director of Mental Health and Learning Disability

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to confirm when the post of director of mental health and learning disability will be filled.

(AQW 2520/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The post of Director of Mental Health Services is not being filled. The proposed remit and duties of the Director post is being carried out by the Mental Health and Learning Disability Board of Experts, which I have established to act as an independent champion for taking forward the Bamford Review’s vision.

Regional Development

Broughderg - Carnaransy - Sixtowns Road Upgrade

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to upgrade the Broughderg - Carnaransy - Sixtowns Road from Greencastle to Draperstown, as part of the strategic transport corridor between Counties Tyrone and Derry/Londonderry.

(AQW 2112/08)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr C Murphy): The Regional Transportation Strategy identifies Key Transportation Corridors, Link Corridors and Trunk Roads vital for sustained economic growth and future prosperity. The C554 road between Greencastle and Draperstown does not form part of the Regional Strategic Transportation Network and while some recent improvements have been carried on this road, there are no plans to upgrade its classification.

20mph Speed Limit Zones

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the locations of (i) existing 20mph speed limit zones; and (ii) 20mph speed limit zones under construction.

(AQW 2181/08)

Mr C Murphy: By way of information, I should explain that 20mph Zones are a form of traffic calming and are generally implemented in residential areas where an extensive network of streets is involved and self-enforcing measures can be provided to reduce vehicle speeds to approximately 20mph. Whenever speeds have been reduced to this, it is then possible to introduce a mandatory 20mph limit. If the level of traffic calming measures are insufficient to reduce speeds to around 20mph, then it is not possible to introduce a 20-mph mandatory limit.

In relation to the first part of your question, my Department’s Roads Service advises that 20mph speed limit zones have been introduced at the locations detailed in the table below.

Location of 20mph zones
Lisanally Lane / Alexander Road, Armagh	Glennelly Heights/Villas, Draperstown
Brownstown West, Portadown	Lisnahull, Dungannon
Carlisle Park, Ballynahinch	Altmore,Dungannon
The Holylands, Belfast	Windmill , Dungannon
Mersey Street, Belfast	Cornagrade, Enniskillen
Riverdale, Belfast	Windmill , Enniskillen
Donegall Road Village Area, Belfast	Meetinghouse Ave, Maghera
Taughmonagh, Belfast	Crawfordsburn, Maghera
Ardoyne, Belfast	Sunnyside, Maghera
Ballymurphy, Belfast	Strathroy, Omagh
Ballynafeigh, Belfast	Keeragh, Pomeroy
Bloomfield, Belfast	Parkview, Pomeroy
Andersonstown, Belfast	Shanroy, Pomeroy
Turf Lodge, Belfast	Ballycolman, Strabane
Tonagh Estate, Lisburn	Greenvale, Cookstown

With regards the second part of your question, I am advised that there are no 20mph zones currently under construction. However, the table below details the location of proposed schemes.

Location of proposed 20mph zones
Lakeview, Ardboe	Gleannan,Omagh
Abbeyvale,Ardboe	Pinefield, Omagh
Derrycharra,Enniskillen	Cluney,Clady
Ashfield, Fintona	Scrabo Estate, Newtownards

For your additional information, I can also advise that Roads Service has implemented non-mandatory "advisory" 20mph zones with the primary aim of testing the effectiveness of signing alone without the accompanying self enforcing engineering measures. These measures are at the locations detailed in the table below.

Location of non-mandatory "advisory" 20mph zones
Alexander Park, Katesbridge	Earhart Park, Londonderry
Greenpark Manor, Armagh	Colinbridge, Belfast
St. Anthony’s School, Craigavon

Adopted Roads

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of roads that are adopted by the Roads Service, but are as yet unadopted by Northern Ireland Water.

(AQW 2197/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service officials have advised that there is one instance of an adopted road where Northern Ireland Water (NIW) has yet to adopt their services.

Increase in Traffic Volume

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (i) the increase in the volume of traffic on A-class roads, B-class roads, trunk roads, dual carriageways and motorways; and (ii) the spending on each of these classes of road, over the last five years.

(AQW 2199/08)

Mr C Murphy: In response to part (i) of your question, I should firstly explain that my Department’s Roads Service has some 270 traffic census sites strategically located throughout the North on both the major and minor road networks. Traffic flow is monitored at each of these sites for at least one week in every quarter of the year and an annual average is calculated. Roads Service also conducts a vehicle kilometres of travel (VKT) survey each year, to estimate the total distance travelled on the road network in the North. This provides a measure of the usage of the various roads and traffic growth rates for most of the road categories you requested. Although most of the dual carriageways in the North are ‘A’ Class roads, they are not exclusively included within one class. As such, I am unable to provide a traffic growth rate for this type of road.

Estimated traffic growth rates for the other types of road are provided in the table below:-

Road Class	Traffic Growth
	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Motorways	2.66%	3.52%	3.07%	2.96%	-2.54%
‘A’ Class	0.82%	1.02%	1.76%	1.74%	-0.19%
‘B’ Class	-	-1.17%	0.81%	1.13%	-2.06%
Trunk Roads	-0.07%	1.57%	2.09%	2.59%	-1.26%

In response to part (ii) of your question, my Department’s Roads Service officials have advised that they do not maintain details of expenditure broken down by road class.

Bonfires

Mr P Butler asked the Minister for Regional Development, pursuant to his answer to AQW 30/08, to confirm that Roads Service will undertake to monitor expenditure related to bonfires in 2008.

(AQW 2220/08)

Mr C Murphy: In response to AQW 2220/08, my Department’s Roads Service has advised that the overall number of bonfire sites, on Roads Service property and the resulting spend on clear up or repair expenditure, is relatively low, when viewed in the context of the overall Roads Service budget. It is considered that the introduction of a system to monitor these specific costs would serve no useful purpose and would impose an undue additional burden on front line staff.

In relation to AQW 2227/08, I am advised that the experience of my Department’s Roads Service is that there are very few incidents of bonfires in publicly owned car parks. Consequently, Roads Service would propose to continue to manage these on the basis of current practice and with the co-operation of the other agencies involved in bonfire management.

You may also be interested to note that Roads Service has signed up to a "Bonfires" report, produced by an inter-agency group. This group was chaired by the Department of the Environment and included representatives from the Police Service for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Northern Ireland Office, District Councils and Roads Service. This report provided useful guidelines on bonfire management. Roads Service would be content to participate in any future review of this document.

Bonfires

Mr P Butler asked the Minister for Regional Development, pursuant to his answer to AQW 484/08, to detail what action he will take to review the Roads Service policy in relation to the removal of bonfire materials from carparks belonging to his department.

(AQW 2227/08)

20mph Zones Outside Schools

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (i) the number of schools that have 20mph zones outside them, listed by district council area; and (ii) the percentage of schools in Northern Ireland that have such zones outside them.

(AQW 2230/08)

Mr C Murphy: With regards the first part of your question my Departments Roads Service have advised that there are currently 12 schools located within 20mph zones and the council areas where these are located are detailed in the table below.

Council Area	Number Of Schools Within 20mph Zones
Armagh City and District Council	3
Craigavon Borough Council	1
Belfast City Council	7
Fermanagh District Council	1

In relation to the second part of your question, colleagues from the Department of Education have advised that there are 1288 schools in the North. The 12 schools would therefore equate to 0.93% of schools in the North located within a 20mph zone.

Traffic Signals at Sandyknowes Roundabout

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the changes that have been made to the timings on traffic signals at Sandyknowes roundabout.

(AQW 2315/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service officials have confirmed that the traffic signals at Sandyknowes Roundabout have been operating full time since 22 October 2007. This was one of the measures introduced to cope with increased traffic flows generated by the recent closure of Hightown Bridge. Some minor adjustments to the signal timings were necessary as part of this exercise.

In addition, as part of my Department’s transportation strategy to encourage a change of travel mode from private car to public transport, the hard shoulder busway on the M2 (Citybound) was opened on 18 November 2007. As a result, buses can make use of a 1.5km length of hardshoulder prior to the Sandyknowes junction and are brought down the off-slip at Sandyknowes, where they now receive priority at the traffic signals on the roundabout before travelling up the on-slip to rejoin the main carriageway. This is a joint Roads Service/Translink project and initial evaluation has shown journey time savings of between 7-15 minutes for the buses.

Finally, I am sure you will appreciate that Sandyknowes is a complex interchange, with seven approaches to the roundabout, and is saturated during the morning and evening peak periods. Roads Service’s Traffic Information and Control Centre continuously monitors the traffic flows and, as necessary, makes adjustments to the traffic signal timings to cope with the prevailing traffic flows.

Free Parking Places

Mrs D Kelly asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail his plans to increase the number of free parking places in Lurgan and Portadown.

(AQW 2337/08)

Mr C Murphy: As this issue is a matter for the Department for Regional Development, your question has been passed to me, as Minister responsible, to answer.

I am advised by my Department’s Roads Service that there are no plans to increase the level of free parking in either Portadown or Lurgan.

In line with the recently adopted Sub Regional Transport Plan, parking strategies have been developed for all the 29 major towns and cities referred to in the Plan. The overriding parking strategy is to encourage the availability and turn-over of convenient short-stay spaces in the town centres, which is to be achieved through on-street enforcement and appropriate charging of off-street parking.

The ultimate aims of the strategy are to encourage a shift to more sustainable transport modes, reduce congestion, improve accessibility and promote economic vitality in town centres to the benefit of all in the area.

It is envisaged that any additional parking facilities will be provided through future development in regional towns.

Street Lighting

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Minister for Regional Development what consideration his department has given to energy efficiency in relation to street lighting, in particular (i) the feasibility of turning off all, or some, street lights between, for example 3.00am and 6.00am; and (ii) solar powered street lighting.

(AQW 2372/08)

Mr C Murphy: The energy efficiency of street lighting is a major consideration for my Department’s Roads Service and I have been assured that, where possible, the highest wattage street lights have already been replaced with more efficient lanterns that use less power. Further energy conservation measures are currently being implemented and assessed, including appropriate lighting levels for new schemes, reduced burning hours, use of white light lamps and dimming systems.

In relation to turning street lights off for part of the night, Roads Service officials advise that this was considered but rejected on road safety grounds. However, officials will continue to monitor developments and will reconsider this option when next reviewing energy conservation plans.

In relation to solar powered lighting, while this is not considered viable for street lighting purposes at this time, rapid developments in the efficiency of photo-voltaic cells and lamp technologies will likely make solar power a realistic solution for street lighting purposes in the near future.

Airport Security

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to discuss with the relevant authorities ending the practice of photographing airline passengers travelling between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

(AQW 2373/08)

Mr C Murphy: The practice of photographing airline passengers is carried out by police forces to meet the requirements of anti-terrorism legislation, which is the responsibility of the British Home Office. It is one of a number of security measures used. The policy affects all domestic passengers who use a common departure lounge, travelling within the common travel area and is not aimed solely at those passengers who travel to and from the North of Ireland. The British Home Office has been consulted and it has no plans to recommend change to the current policy.

Planning Policy Statement 12

Mr P McGlone asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the arrangements, including timescales, for the transfer of Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks to the Department of the Environment.

(AQW 2381/08)

Mr C Murphy: I wrote to Arlene Foster, MLA, Minister of the Environment, on Tuesday 4 December to seek her agreement that responsibility for PPS 12 ‘Housing in Settlements’ be transferred to the Department of the Environment. However, no timescales for this transfer have been set.

NCP Services Ltd

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to carry out a review of the operation of NCP Services Ltd.

(AQW 2387/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service became responsible for on-street parking from 30 October 2006. Following a robust procurement process, NCP Services Ltd was appointed to provide enforcement services and car-park management within Roads Service car-parks from that date.

NCP’s performance within the contract is measured through Key Performance Indicators and these are monitored at regular monthly review meetings. Additionally, under the terms of the contract, there will be a meeting of senior personnel from both parties to review the operation of the contract in early 2008.

Bus Passes

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the reasons why senior citizens who currently hold a bus pass have been required to re-apply for their bus pass.

(AQW 2399/08)

Mr C Murphy: SmartPasses are used to ensure that only those people eligible for concessionary travel can avail of it and that transport operators can be properly reimbursed for concessionary journeys taken.

The first SmartPasses which were issued in 2002 had an estimated lifespan of five years. Therefore, from the April 2007 these SmartPasses have begun to expire.

As Senior SmartPasses represent a significant benefit my Department has established robust procedures to ensure that those customers who wish to continue to obtain concessionary travel can renew their SmartPass before their existing pass expires.

These procedures involve the Department writing to all customers three months prior to the expiry of their SmartPass informing them of what they need to do to renew their SmartPass. The Department also has carried out an extensive advertising campaign to promote and explain the reissue process. In addition, officials have written to each MP, MLA and local council informing them of the process needed to obtain a replacement pass.

Ministerial Statement on Outlining a Vision for our Education System

Mr B McCrea asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail when, and how, he was first notified of the Ministerial Statement, 'Outlining a Vision for our Education system'; and to confirm whether or not he had discussions with the Minister of Education on the subject matter of the statement before it was issued.

(AQW 2420/08)

Mr C Murphy: I was notified of the intention of the Minister of Education to make a statement to the Assembly on her vision for the education system at official level on morning of Tuesday 4 December.

While the Education Minister and I had discussed a vision of the education system in a party political context, I did not discuss this statement with the Minister of Education before it was issued.

Hightown Bridge

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the service works being carried out on the Hightown bridge, from 12 December until 22 December, that will reduce the traffic flow to a single lane system between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

(AQW 2434/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised that the Hightown Bridge will be reduced to a single lane of traffic from 8:00 pm in the evening until 6:00 am in the morning from Wednesday 12 December until Friday 21 December 2007. This lane closure is required to allow BT to draw cables through the new chamber and ducts recently constructed on the Hightown Road, which will enable BT to divert and maintain essential services in advance of the Hightown Bridge being demolished at the end of January 2008.

This cable laying operation will be undertaken at night to reduce the impact on road users in the Glengormley area. During the works one lane will be maintained over the Hightown Bridge and shuttle working will be in operation with temporary traffic lights. The Hightown Bridge will be returned to its normal 2 lane arrangement each day.

Roads Management

Mr T Lunn asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the overhead costs that were incurred by the Roads Service, in the management of the roads in Northern Ireland, in (i) the 2006/2007 financial year; and (ii) the current financial year to the end of October 2007.

(AQW 2437/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised me that it does not analyse its expenditure between overheads and other costs. The analysis performed classifies expenditure in terms of Administration and Programme costs. Administration expenditure reflects the costs of running the Agency and Programme costs reflect non-administrative costs.

Administration expenditure (apart from staff costs) includes premises costs including rent and leases, general administration costs, travel and subsistence costs, staff training and notional costs from DRD, other departments and NIAO.

Programme costs include payments to contractors for maintenance and capital work and payments for materials and fuel, energy costs including street lighting energy and the cost of public liability claims. It also includes the purchase of land for schemes.

The table below details these costs for the 2006/2007 financial year

2006/2007 Financial Year
	Administration£000	Programme£000
Staff Costs	59,509
Other Costs	23,292	238,622

Total	82,801	238,622

Unfortunately, as this analysis is conducted on an annual basis, no figures are available for the current financial year to the end of October 2007.

Hilyard Report

Mr T Lunn asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will provide an update on the Hilyard Report.

(AQW 2442/08)

Mr C Murphy: The Independent Water Review Panel was appointed on 14 June 2007. Its terms of reference indicated that its work would be carried out in two strands. The first strand focused on the fundamental issues of financing water and sewerage services. The Panel’s Strand 1 report was published on 12 October 2007 and the Executive made a number of decisions which I announced to the Assembly on 22 October.

The Panel is currently undertaking the second strand of its work which will concentrate on the wider aspects of the management and governance arrangements for water and sewerage services. In addition to the issues set out in its terms of reference, the Panel indicated in its first report that it would also consider the issue of affordability under Strand 2 of its review.

I expect to receive the Panel’s final report early in the New Year. I understand that the Panel will publish this report during January.

Social Development

Public Housing

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of units of public housing that will be provided in the following areas in the next two years: (i) Warrenpoint; (ii) Rostrevor; (iii) Kilkeel; (iv) Rathfriland; (v) Mayobridge; (vi) Hilltown; and (vii) Annaclone.

(AQW 2078/08)

The Minister for Social Development (Ms M Ritchie): The current five year Social Housing Development Programme, which is in the process of being rolled forward, makes provision for the following schemes for 2007/08 and 2008/09:

Year	Housing Association	Scheme	Units
2007/08	Rural	Lisbane Park, Mayobridge	8
	Ulidia	Ganna Way, Warrenpoint	1
	Rural	Monteith Road, Annaclone	6
2008/09	Ulidia	Clonallon Road, Warrenpoint	30

Public Housing

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of units of public housing that have been built in the following areas in the past three years: (i) Warrenpoint; (ii) Rostrevor; (iii) Kilkeel; (iv) Rathfriland; (v) Mayobridge; (vi) Hilltown; and (vii) Annaclone.

(AQW 2079/08)

Ms M Ritchie: During 2006/07, 30 units of social housing were completed at Ganna Way/Mews, Bridal Loanan, Warrenpoint. No other schemes were completed in the other areas listed for the period concerned.

Waiting List for Houses

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of people on the waiting list for houses in the following areas: (i) Warrenpoint; (ii) Rostrevor; (iii) Kilkeel; (iv) Rathfriland; (v) Mayobridge; (vi) Hilltown; and (vii) Annaclone.

(AQW 2080/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The total number of people on the waiting list at 30^th September 2007 for each of these areas was as follows:

Warrenpoint – 220
Rostrevor – 83
Kilkeel – 106
Rathfriland – 51
Mayobridge – 18
Hilltown – 28
Annaclone - 7

Social Housing Budget

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister for Social Development what plans she has to source more affordable designs, to the traditional block-built homes, in order to ensure the better use of the department's social housing budget.

(AQW 2094/08)

Ms M Ritchie: From 1 April 2008 my Department intends to introduce a three star level in the Code for Sustainable Homes as the mandatory standard for new social housing. The Code has been developed to enable a step change in sustainable home building practice with a view to achieving a six star rating - zero carbon home - by 2016. In order to achieve this it will be necessary to move away from traditional building practices to modern methods of construction.

My Department is also about to launch a new Procurement Strategy for the Social Housing Development Programme. The key objectives of the strategy are to procure the programme on a value for money basis in accordance with best practice and to reduce the transaction costs of construction procurement.

Efficiency Measures

Mr M Storey asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the amount of money her department expects to save as a direct result of efficiency measures in each of the next three years.

(AQW 2147/08)

Ms M Ritchie: My department has a target to deliver cash releasing efficiencies of £19.3 million, £38.1 million and £56.3 million respectively, over the period 2008-09 to 2010-11. In addition, my department will have to absorb pay and price inflation of £4.8 million, £9.5 million and £14.1 million over this period.

Anti Social Behaviour Orders

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of times the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has exercised its powers, including the use of Anti Social Behaviour Orders, to deal with tenants who have caused problems to neighbours and other residents in each of the following District Office areas: (i) Newtownabbey I; (ii) Newtownabbey II; (iii) Carrickfergus; and (iv) Larne.

(AQW 2152/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The information is as follows:

District Office	No of cases recorded for period 2006/07	No of cases recorded for period 01/04/07-30/09/07
Newtownabbey 1	79	79
Newtownabbey 2	40	16
Carrickfergus	60	25
Larne	64	34

All reported cases of anti social behaviour received in these areas during the periods requested were of a nature that did not require legal intervention. All cases were resolved through a range of early interventions including the use of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and referrals to Housing Executive Mediation Services.

Pension Credit

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of new applicants for pension credit in each of the last 12 months.

(AQW 2167/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The number of new applications for Pension Credit for the 12 month period November 2006 to October 2007 is set out in the table below.

November	878
December	635
January	584
February	511
March	677
April	635
May	715
June	588
July	601
August	615
September	740
October	786
Total	7,965

Attendance Allowance

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of new applicants for attendance allowance in each of the last 12 months.

(AQW 2168/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The number of new applications for Attendance Allowance for the 12 month period November 2006 to October 2007 is set out in the table below.

November	808
December	486
January	513
February	688
March	667
April	558
May	617
June	607
July	578
August	589
September	631
October	726
Total	7468

Big Wheel Attraction at Belfast City Hall

Ms M Anderson asked the Minister for Social Development to clarify whether or not any public funds were used to pay for the big wheel attraction at Belfast city hall.

(AQW 2169/08)

Ms M Ritchie: My Department has incurred expenditure of £5,000 on this project in providing drawings for the planning application, planning application fee and advertising costs for the tender. Following an invitation to tender, World Tourist Attraction Company Ltd (WTA) was appointed to provide the Observation Wheel meeting the full costs of installation, operation and reinstatement.

Housing Benefit

Mr M Storey asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of people in North Antrim who were in receipt of housing benefit in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2224/08)

Ms M Ritchie: North Antrim has been taken to mean the Ballymena, Ballymoney and Ballycastle/Moyle areas. The tables below detail the numbers of people who were receiving Housing Benefit in those areas at year end for each of the last five years up to March 2007.

Ballymena

Year end	Social Rented	Private Rented	Total
March 2007	1996	1752	3748
March 2006	2071	1672	3743
March 2005	2137	1545	3682
March 2004	2304	1432	3736
March 2003	2400	1327	3727

Ballymoney

Year end	Social Rented	Private Rented	Total
March 2007	1152	788	1940
March 2006	1179	724	1903
March 2005	1184	682	1866
March 2004	951	577	1528
March 2003	1324	572	1896

Ballycastle (Moyle)

Year end	Social Rented	Private Rented	Total
March 2007	664	663	1327
March 2006	693	621	1314
March 2005	686	587	1273
March 2004	778	542	1320
March 2003	815	519	1334

Desmond & Sons Limited 1975 Pension and Life Assurance Scheme

Mr M McLaughlin asked the Minister for Social Development to detail what steps she is taking to assist deferred members of the Desmond & Sons Limited 1975 Pension and Life Assurance Scheme.

(AQW 2229/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Both the Pension Protection Fund and the Financial Assistance Scheme, which provide help to members of defined benefit occupational pension schemes where the scheme winds up and is unable to meet its liability to its members, operate on a United Kingdom-wide basis. The Minister of State for Pensions Reform has met with representatives of members of the Desmond & Sons Limited 1975 Pension and Life Assurance Scheme to discuss the particular issues relating to the scheme. Officials have been working with member representatives and the trustees of the Desmond’s scheme to try and find a way forward. Scheme members have also made representations to the Young Review which is looking at how to make best use of scheme assets and to see if they could be used to increase the help available to members of underfunded schemes, and it is expected to report shortly. My officials will continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions in seeking a resolution to this matter.

New Claimants for Pension Credit

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of new claimants for pension credit in (i) Bangor Social Security Office; (ii) Newtownards Social Security Office; and (iii) Holywood Road Social Security Office, over the last 12 months.

(AQW 2240/08)

Ms M Ritchie: It is not possible to provide the information in the format requested for all new claimants as we do not hold geographical data on unsuccessful claims. The table below provides a breakdown of customers whose postcodes fall within each of the 3 Social Security Office/Jobs & Benefits office boundaries in respect of successful new claims only for the 12 month period November 2006 to October 2007. *

Month	Social Security Office/Jobs & Benefits office
	Bangor SSO	Newtownards SSO	Holywood Road Jobs & Benefits office
November	25	21	44
December	14	16	15
January	14	15	36
February	24	19	35
March	17	25	34
April	49	43	62
May	26	19	41
June	10	4	18
July	22	19	12
August	24	16	22
September	33	31	40
October	23	13	30
Total	281	241	389

* In producing this analysis, individual records were attributed to geographical areas on the basis of their postcode. Not all records can be correctly allocated to a geographical area using this method, and some cannot be allocated at all.

New Claimants for Attendance Allowance

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of new claimants for attendance allowance in (i) Bangor Social Security Office; (ii) Newtownards Social Security Office; and (iii) Holywood Road Social Security Office, in each of the last 12 months.

(AQW 2241/08)

Month	Social Security Office/Jobs & Benefits office
	Bangor SSO	Newtownards SSO	Holywood Road Jobs & Benefits office
November	45	25	37
December	53	32	59
January	30	14	29
February	44	21	45
March	61	34	51
April	47	40	61
May	20	19	25
June	21	11	36
July	34	30	37
August	21	16	30
September	33	25	37
October	24	5	24
Total	433	272	471

Housing Benefit

Mr S Moutray asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of people in Upper Bann constituency who were in receipt of housing benefit in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2245/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Upper Bann constituency has been taken to mean the combined Banbridge, Lurgan and Portadown areas. The tables below detail the numbers of people who were receiving Housing Benefit in those areas at year end for each of the last five years up to March 2007.

Banbridge

Year end	Social Rented	Private Rented	Total
March 2007	1322	1094	2416
March 2006	1367	955	2322
March 2005	1351	859	2210
March 2004	1243	764	2007
March 2003	1380	783	2163

Lurgan

Year end	Social Rented	Private Rented	Total
March 2007	1999	2053	4052
March 2006	2104	1944	4048
March 2005	2136	1762	3898
March 2004	2377	1601	3978
March 2003	2258	1605	3863

Portadown

Year end	Social Rented	Private Rented	Total
March 2007	1154	1451	2605
March 2006	1191	1416	2607
March 2005	1198	1322	2520
March 2004	1724	1207	2931
March 2003	1236	1184	2420

Budget Allocations

Mr S Moutray asked the Minister for Social Development to detail any analysis she has undertaken on budget allocations to other departments in relation to identifying monies that could be re-allocated to her department.

(AQW 2246/08)

Ms M Ritchie: My Department has not engaged in any analysis of this nature. Recommendations on budget allocations to departments and programmes are put forward by the Minister of Finance and Personnel and agreed by the Executive.

Bereavement Benefit

Mr S Moutray asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of people in receipt of bereavement benefit (i) in total; (ii) by constituency; and (iii) by council area, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 2247/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The total number of people in receipt of Bereavement Benefit in each of the last five years is set out in the following table.

Table 1: Bereavement Benefit Recipients in Total in each of the last five years

	Oct-03	Sep-04*	Oct-05	Oct-06	Oct-07
Total number of Bereavement Benefit Recipients	1,430	1,503	1,614	1,749	1,881

* Figures have been derived from Bereavement Computer Scan at September 2004.

Table 2: Bereavement Benefit Recipients by Parliamentary Constituency in each of the last five years

Parliamentary Constituency	Oct-03	Sep-04*	Oct-05	Oct-06	Oct-07
BELFAST EAST	57	66	70	69	74
BELFAST NORTH	80	87	79	92	92
BELFAST SOUTH	54	46	47	54	62
BELFAST WEST	97	100	99	115	125
EAST ANTRIM	70	79	86	94	100
EAST LONDONDERRY	71	84	74	89	88
FERMANAGH AND SOUTH TYRONE	85	79	97	100	103
FOYLE	92	102	117	117	120
LAGAN VALLEY	84	81	81	101	106
MID ULSTER	74	72	89	100	90
NEWRY AND ARMAGH	85	91	103	113	120
NORTH ANTRIM	91	94	98	105	120
NORTH DOWN	66	71	72	76	92
SOUTH ANTRIM	79	77	96	112	109
SOUTH DOWN	90	103	128	121	145
STRANGFORD	88	93	95	91	113
UPPER BANN	87	96	91	103	118
WEST TYRONE	72	73	77	87	91
UNALLOCATED POSTCODE**	8	9	15	10	13
TOTAL	1,430	1,503	1,614	1,749	1,881

* Figures have been derived from Bereavement Computer Scan at September 2004.

** In producing this analysis, individual records were attributed to Electoral Wards, Parliamentary Constituency and District Council Areas on the basis of their postcode. Not all records can be correctly allocated to a ward using this method, and some cannot be allocated at all

Table 3: Bereavement Benefit Recipients by District Council Area in last five years

District Council	Oct-03	Sep-04*	Oct-05	Oct-06	Oct-07
ANTRIM	39	44	52	47	52
ARDS	60	69	79	69	80
ARMAGH	52	62	56	65	70
BALLYMENA	51	53	55	62	64
BALLYMONEY	28	26	27	30	38
BANBRIDGE	43	38	41	42	46
BELFAST	212	225	222	257	270
CARRICKFERGUS	31	42	47	47	53
CASTLEREAGH	62	59	57	55	68
COLERAINE	49	54	48	60	64
COOKSTOWN	30	30	34	42	37
CRAIGAVON	64	78	68	81	91
DERRY	92	102	117	117	120
DOWN	64	66	76	70	95
DUNGANNON	43	44	50	48	48
FERMANAGH	57	51	63	69	69
LARNE	26	26	31	33	31
LIMAVADY	22	30	26	29	24
LISBURN	98	100	103	118	129
MAGHERAFELT	29	26	39	41	39
MOYLE	12	15	16	13	18
NEWRY & MOURNE	61	67	91	96	99
NEWTOWNABBEY	64	52	61	93	91
NORTH DOWN	61	62	63	68	81
OMAGH	36	34	44	44	52
STRABANE	36	39	33	43	39
UNALLOCATED POSTCODE**	8	9	15	10	13
TOTAL	1,430	1,503	1,614	1,749	1,881

* Figures have been derived from Bereavement Computer Scan at September 2004.

Children and Young People

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister for Social Development to detail (i) all amounts being spent by her department on children and young people; and (ii) the services on which these monies are being spent.

(AQW 2262/08)

Ms M Ritchie: With regard to the Children and Young People Fund my department has committed £871k in 2007-2008 supporting 13 women’s centres in disadvantaged areas deliver a range of childcare services for 0-4 years and school-aged children. This funding secures more than 2,000 childcare places each week and provides employment to more than 50 childcare staff. The services provided include:

full day/week care including pre and after-school care and holiday schemes linked to women’s development (education, training and capacity building) and family support (advice and advocacy services, young mothers groups, respite and parenting programmes)

part-time services, crèches or afternoon out-of-school hours clubs to facilitate mothers taking up courses and programmes

temporary childcare over a set number of weeks

services for families/children referred by Social Services (who are generally on the Child Protection Register)

mobile crèches for ‘one-off’ events.

Eviction Notices

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of eviction notices that have been unsuccessful, broken down by district council area, for each of the last 3 years.

(AQW 2267/08)

Ms M Ritchie: All eviction notices lodged in the Courts by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive have successfully led to a decree being awarded for possession of the property.

Evictions

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of evictions that have taken place, broken down by district council area, in each of the last three years.

(AQW 2268/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The information requested is as follows:

Evictions due to Rent arrears

HOUSING EXECUTIVE DISTRICT	EVICTIONS 2004/05	EVICTIONS 2005/06	EVICTIONS 2006/07
Belfast (West)	0	1	0
Belfast (East)	2	0	4
Belfast (South)	0	0	1
Belfast(North)	0	4	6
Belfast(Shankill)	0	6	3
(Area Totals)	2	11	14

Bangor	3	4	0
Newtownards	2	1	0
Castlereagh	0	4	1
Lisburn (Poleglass)	5	5	6
Lisburn (Antrim Street)	1	0	0
Down	5	3	4
(Area Totals)	16	17	11

Banbridge	0	0	0
Newry	0	0	0
Armagh	0	0	0
Lurgan/Brown	2	5	0
Portadown	2	4	1
Dungannon	2	0	0
Fermanagh	0	0	0
(Area Totals)	6	9	1

Ballymena	0	0	0
Antrim	1	0	0
Newtownabbey 1	4	0	0
Newtownabbey 2	1	0	0
Carrick	0	1	6
Larne	0	0	2
Ballycastle	0	0	0
Ballymoney	0	0	0
Coleraine	0	0	0
(Area Totals)	6	1	8

Waterloo	0	0	0
Waterside	0	1	0
Collon	0	0	0
Limavady	0	0	0
Magherafelt	0	0	0
Strabane	0	0	0
Omagh	0	0	0
Cookstown	0	0	0
(Area Totals)	0	1	0

Totals	30	39	34

Evictions due to Anti-social Behaviour

HOUSING EXECUTIVE DISTRICT	EVICTIONS 2004/05	EVICTIONS 2005/06	EVICTIONS 2006/07

Belfast (West)	0	0	0
Belfast (East)	1	0	0
Belfast (South)	0	0	1
Belfast (North)	2	0	1
Belfast (Shankill)	0	0	0
(Area Totals)	3	0	2

Bangor	0	0	0
Newtownards	1	1	1
Castlereagh	0	0	0
Lisburn (Poleglass)	2	0	0
Lisburn (Antrim Street)	1	4	2
Down	1	0	0
(Area Totals)	5	5	3

Banbridge	0	0	0
Newry	1	0	0
Armagh	1	2	0
Lurgan/Brown	0	1	2
Portadown	1	1	1
Dungannon	1	2	1
Fermanagh	2	2	0
(Area Totals)	6	8	4

Ballymena	0	0	0
Antrim	0	0	0
Newtownabbey 1	0	0	0
Newtownabbey 2	0	0	0
Carrick	0	0	0
Larne	1	0	0
Ballycastle	0	0	0
Ballymoney	1	0	0
Coleraine	1	0	0
(Area Totals)	3	0	0

Waterloo	1	0	0
Waterside	1	2	0
Collon	0	1	0
Limavady	0	2	0
Magherafelt	0	2	0
Strabane	0	0	0
Omagh	0	0	0
Cookstown	1	0	0
(Area Totals)	3	7	0

Totals	20	20	9

Proposed Scheme for the Ardcarne Park Area of Newry

Mr M Brady asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm whether or not the proposed scheme for the Ardcarne Park area of Newry, approved by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive Board in October 2007, will go ahead as planned in 2009.

(AQW 2269/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I would refer to the reply I gave to the honourable member for Newry & Armagh in AQW 1881/08 on 4 December 2007.

Childrens Strategy

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm whether or not she will implement all the commitments by her department included in the ten year Children's Strategy.

(AQW 2272/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I can report that my Department is on course to deliver all of the actions detailed in the 2007 – 2008 Action Plan for the ‘Our Children and Young People – Our Pledge’ 10 year Strategy. However, I am unable to confirm whether or not I will be able to implement all my Department’s commitments in the strategy, particularly those relating to housing, before the finalisation of the budget allocation.

Housing Executive District Office at Dairy Farm, Stewartstown Road

Ms J McCann asked the Minister for Social Development whether or not it is planned to close the Northern Ireland Housing Executive district office at Dairy Farm, Stewartstown Road, Belfast.

(AQW 2330/08)

Ms M Ritchie: There are no plans to close the Dairy Farm office. It will remain in its current location and continue to provide a comprehensive range of housing services. I understand that while the processing of Housing Benefit claims has moved to Lisburn and the Rent Accounting function will also relocate next year, only a small number of staff is involved. The relocation of back office processing functions will not reduce the range or quality of services provided from the Dairy Farm office.

Houses of Multiple Occupation

Mr A Maskey asked the Minister for Social Development to outline (i) what action she is taking to address the effects of an excess of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in South Belfast; (ii) whether or not the Northern Ireland Housing Executive will review the HMO strategy and increase the rate of registration; and (iii) what plans she has to hold discussions with the Minister of the Environment in relation to the high number of HMOs in South Belfast.

(AQW 2364/08)

Ms M Ritchie: In order to safeguard the residents of HMOs and the areas in which they are situated my Department has given the Housing Executive a range of statutory powers which enable it to deal with issues relating to both the physical condition of HMOs and the standards to which they should be managed. I have agreed to meet with representatives of the Belfast Holyland Regeneration Association to ensure that I am aware of all the issues and will address any which fall within my remit.

(ii) The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is currently reviewing the HMO strategy with the intention of increasing the rate of registration. A detailed plan will be provided in the New Year.

(iii) I have no plans at this stage to meet with the Minister of the Environment, however, my officials and Housing Executive officials are involved in the consultation process on the draft HMO Plan.

Social Development of the Crumlin Area

Mr M McLaughlin asked the Minister for Social Development to outline what plans she has to promote the social development of the Crumlin area, in view of the scale of demographic change and housing development that have taken place in the area.

(AQW 2365/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Crumlin was classified as a large village in the report on urban/rural definitions produced by NISRA in 2004. DSD does not, therefore, have a role in its regeneration as we focus solely on regeneration of urban areas. My Department is aware of the recent rapid growth of Crumlin and this position is regularly reviewed.

In its role as an agent of the International Fund for Ireland, my Department is at present working with Crumlin Together Limited to bring forward a Community Property Development Scheme on the site of the PSNI station in the village. An application for DSD funding under the Modernisation Fund is currently being assessed.

Social Housing

Mr A Maskey asked the Minister for Social Development what consideration she gives to the concept 'shared future', in relation to future social housing provision and allocation.

(AQW 2370/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I believe that the OFMdDM policy document "A Shared Future" has laid down the foundations to build trust between all people in Northern Ireland. It advocates a public policy to promote sharing over separation and the development of shared communities where people of all backgrounds can live, work, learn and socialise together.

In developing Shared Future Housing schemes the following selection criteria are taken into account:-

Housing need
Religious mix of the local community
Presence of integrated primary and secondary schools
A history of good relations
Proximity of other housing developments
Potential size of development (10-20 units)
Local political issues/views
Availability of developable land in a neutral area.

I am in favour of increasing the uptake of the shared future housing in the social housing sector. However, housing provision and allocation will continue to be based on housing need.

Relocation of Tenants

Mr P Butler asked the Minister for Social Development, pursuant to her answer to AQW 1708/08, to detail the number of complaints there have been to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, in relation to religious intimidation in social housing developments in the Lisburn area, in the last five years.

(AQW 2386/08)

Ms M Ritchie: While the reasons for applicants presenting as homeless due to intimidation is available from 2000/01, the type of intimidation, for example sectarian, was only recorded from 2005/06. Data, by type of intimidation, is therefore not readily available before 2005/06.

The table below details the total number of homeless applicants for the Lisburn area presenting as homeless because of sectarian intimidation during 2005/06 and 2006/07. There is not necessarily a correlation between those who presented as homeless or were awarded Full Duty Applicant (FDA) status. For example, an applicant may have presented in one financial year and been awarded FDA in another year.

	2005/06	2006/07
Homeless Presenters*	76	62
Homeless Presenters (Sectarian)**	4	2
Awarded FDA status*	38	30
Awarded FDA status (Sectarian)**	1	2

* Cases presenting as homeless with the reason given as intimidation

** Cases presenting as homeless with the reason given as sectarian intimidation.

Housing Executive Improvement Schemes

Mr F McCann asked the Minister for Social Development what is her assessment of the impact of the shortfall in her department's budget in relation to (i) current; and (ii) proposed, Northern Ireland Housing Executive improvement schemes, in each Belfast district office area.

(AQW 2388/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The final programme of schemes for 2007/08 will be confirmed when the December monitoring round outcome is known. The proposed programme of work for 2008/09 may be at risk. There is a significant shortfall in the capital budget for housing which needs to be redressed. The forward budget is still in draft form and I am exploring every means possible to both get the budget increased and raise the necessary capital in alternative ways. My aim is to minimise the effect on our most vulnerable citizens.

Housing Executive Improvement Schemes

(AQW 2389/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The schemes programmed to start in 2007/08 will be unaffected. However, the proposed programme of work for 2008/09 may be at risk. There is a significant shortfall in the capital budget for housing which needs to be redressed. The forward budget is still in draft form and I am exploring every means possible to both get the budget increased and raise the necessary capital in alternative ways. My aim is to minimise the effect on our most vulnerable citizens.

Antisocial Behaviour

Mr W Clarke asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of complaints made to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive about antisocial behaviour involving mini motorbikes or other off-road vehicles, in the last three years, broken down by district office area.

(AQW 2397/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The Northern Ireland Housing Executive cannot disaggregate its figures on anti-social behaviour to include only those involving off-road vehicles.

Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance life-time awards that were reviewed, in each of the last three years.

(AQW 2398/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The information requested is not available as there are no "life-time awards" for Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance.

Table 1 below details the number of Incapacity Benefit claims reviewed under the Personal Capability Assessment process in each of the last three years and shows the current year to date position.

The Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 removed the term "for life" in respect of awards of Disability Living Allowance and amended it to state "indefinite" awards. Table 2 below details the number of indefinite awards of Disability Living Allowance reviewed under my Department’s Programme Protection Strategy in each of the last three years and shows the current year to date position.

Table 1 Incapacity Benefit

Year	Number reviewed
2004/05	32,194
2005/06	39,845
2006/07	40,293
Year to date	31,073

Table 2 Disability Living Allowance

Year	Number reviewed
2004/05	2079
2005/06	3395
2006/07	3811
Year to date	2319

Foreign Nationals

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister for Social Development to detail what responsibility her department has in relation to monitoring the number of foreign nationals residing in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 2430/08)

Ms M Ritchie: My Department has no formal responsibility for monitoring the number of foreign nationals residing in Northern Ireland.

My Department collects and maintains data on the number of applications made by foreign nationals for a National Insurance number (NINo) and allocates NINos on behalf of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). A database of national insurance number allocations and registrations to foreign nationals is supplied to the Department by HMRC for the purposes of statistical analysis, research and fraud investigation. Using this data the Department produces an annual National Statistic entitled "NINo Allocations to Oversees Nationals entering Northern Ireland". Quarterly summary tables relating to trends on the allocation of NINos to foreign nationals are also produced.

Disability Living Allowance

Mr J Dallat asked the Minister for Social Development to outline what steps she is taking to ensure that there is a consistent approach, taken by panels hearing Disability Living Allowance cases, in reaching their decisions.

(AQW 2479/08)

Ms M Ritchie: My Department does not have a role in such matters as appeal tribunals are independent judicial bodies composed of members taken from a panel appointed by the Lord Chancellor. In the circumstances, the Honourable Member may wish to write direct to the President of Appeal Tribunals at 6th floor, Cleaver House, 3 Donegall Square North, Belfast, BT1 5GA for a response.

Housing Waiting Lists

Mr J Dallat asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of (i) applicants for housing on waiting lists; (ii) applicants perceived to be at risk; and (iii) the number of homes planned for construction in the next calendar year, broken down by district council area.

(AQW 2480/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The following table indicates the total number of applicants on the waiting list, those awarded Full Duty Applicant status (FDA*) at 30^th September 2007 and the number of units currently programmed to start in 2008/09**

District Council Area	Applicants on waiting list	Applicants with FDA status *	Units planned 08/09
Derry	1565	377	284
Limavady	532	72	12
Coleraine	1342	158	13
Ballymoney	511	65	11
Moyle	377	45	10
Larne	541	70	11
Ballymena	1561	204	29
Magherafelt	496	73	0
Cookstown	398	41	0
Strabane	555	43	3
Omagh	720	37	6
Fermanagh	1024	122	54
Dungannon	828	119	55
Craigavon	1936	186	27
Armagh	870	99	22
Newry & Mourne	1774	200	63
Banbridge	704	83	16
Down	1196	131	81
Lisburn	2555	397	333
Antrim	1000	99	10
Newtownabbey	1660	258	17
Carrickfergus	1015	79	15
North Down	1835	194	12
Newtownards	1626	181	48
Castlereagh	1312	155	4
Belfast	9473	1201	1251
Totals	37406	4689	2387

* Full Duty Applicant is a person to whom the Housing Executive owes a duty under the homelessness legislation to provide accommodation.

** This includes an element of overprogramming to allow for slippage. The programme will be dependent on the availability of funding.

Improvements in the Markets area, Belfast

Mr A Maskey asked the Minister for Social Development to provide an update on her department's commitment in relation to public realm improvements in the Markets area, Belfast; and to provide a timeframe for work on these improvements to be completed.

(AQW 2485/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I am committed to delivering the planned public realm improvements in the Markets area. They are being taken forward in three phases, details of progress to date are as follows:

Phase 1 - Cromac Street completed.

Phase 2 – (a) East Bridge Street (along frontage of Forsythe House) commenced on 10^th September 2007. Scheme suspended over the Christmas period. Estimated completion date is 31^st January 2008.

Phase 2 – (b) East Bridge Street to Friendly Street. Estimated completion date is 31^st January 2008.

Ministerial Statement

Mr B McCrea asked the Minister for Social Development to detail when, and how, she was first notified of the Ministerial Statement, 'Outlining a Vision for our Education system'; and to confirm whether or not she had discussions with the Minister of Education on the subject matter of the statement before it was issued.

(AQW 2527/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I was first notified of the Ministerial Statement by email on the morning of 4 December. I did not discuss the subject matter of the Statement with the Minister of Education before it was made.

Maternity Pay

Ms J McCann asked the Minister for Social Development to detail her department's policy in relation to providing maternity pay to project workers who are funded by government departments, but who work in the voluntary and community sector.

(AQW 2582/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The Department for Social Development fully complies with legal requirements in relation to Maternity rights in relation to its own employees. However, individuals who are employed by others will have the full protection of Employment Law and compliance with the requirements of that Law is the responsibility of those employers.

Assembly Commission

Assembly Doorkeepers

Ms M Anderson asked the Assembly Commission to detail the number and percentage of doorkeepers from a Roman Catholic background who were employed by the Assembly on 3 September 2007, broken down by (i) direct recruits; (ii) secondees; and (iii) Brook Street agency staff.

(AQW 2175/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): At 3 September 2007 there were 28 doorkeepers working at the Assembly. Of these there were 27 direct recruits and 1 secondee. Five (18.5%) direct recruits were from a Roman Catholic background. We will not release details of the religious background of the single secondee as to do so would be a breach of our obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998.

At 3 September 2007,19 Agency (Brook Street) doorkeepers were working at the Assembly. The Assembly Commission does not hold information on the community background of Agency staff.