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 18 April 2008

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

Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland

Dr S Farry asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail what consideration is being given to ensure that new investments as part of the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland are designed to maximise opportunities for cross-community sharing and integration.

(AQW 3618/08)

The First Minister and deputy First Minister (Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness): The Executive’s Programme for Government and Investment Strategy are intrinsically linked. In these, the Executive has committed to undertaking its programme under a series of interdependent priorities, which include promoting tolerance, inclusion, health and well-being. In addition, the Programme for Government cross-cutting themes of a Shared and Better Future and sustainability are embedded within the Investment Strategy. Individual Ministers will decide how best to reflect the agreed cross-cutting themes within their own areas of responsibility as part of their individual delivery plans for the Investment Strategy at departmental level, that are being published over the course of the next few weeks. Departments will work to progress the Executive’s wider economic, social and employment objectives as projects under the Investment Strategy are rolled out.

Levels of Poverty

Mrs N Long asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail what consideration has been given to the introduction of mechanisms to screen all new policies for their potential impact on levels of poverty.

(AQW 4855/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Tackling poverty and disadvantage is highlighted as one of our priorities within Programme for Government 2008-2011 and as a theme that cuts across Departmental boundaries.

Although there are no specific mechanisms for screening new policies for their potential impact on poverty, Departments are required in line with Public Expenditure guidelines, and do so routinely, to use data and research available on poverty when screening new policies as an integral part of the appraisal process. This helps ensure that resources and efforts are targeted towards those in need and that tackling poverty and disadvantage is afforded suitable priority within Departmental public expenditure plans.

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Mrs N Long asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail (i) the progress toward; and (ii) the timeframe, for the introduction of an anti-poverty strategy and associated action plan.

(AQW 4856/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: In line with its statutory obligation under Section 28E of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Executive Committee will soon receive proposals for the adoption of a strategy to tackle poverty, social exclusion and patterns of deprivation here based on objective need.

The process has already commenced for proposals to be outlined to the OFMDFM Committee in advance of the Executive Committee’s considerations.

When the Executive Committee has completed its considerations and assessment of existing targets, work will commence on the development of actions that could contribute to the adopted strategy’s major goals and objectives.

Lisanelly Army Site

Dr K Deeny asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister if it would consider a request to an extension of the 1 April 2008 deadline from the Ministry of Defence for the purchase of the former Lisanelly Army site.

(AQW 4872/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The First Minister and deputy First Minister are presently in discussions with the Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury in order to progress this matter urgently and are aware that there is a deadline for the potential purchase of Lisanelly and other sites.

If a favourable response from the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is not received, an extension to the deadline will be sought from the Ministry of Defence.

Victims' Commissioners

Mr J Shannon asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the powers currently available to the 4 Victims' Commissioners; and to provide a timescale within which the Commissioners will have the power to investigate and determine issues.

(AQW 4890/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: A draft bill was introduced to the Assembly on 31 March 2008 which will amend the Victims and Survivors (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 to make provision for a Commission for Victims and Survivors. The draft bill is being taken through the Assembly under the accelerated passage procedure and therefore is subject to approval by the Assembly. It is hoped that the Commission will be established and be operational within a short period of time.

In the interim, the Commissioners designate have been working with OFMDFM officials on establishing an office for the Commission and preparation of a work programme.

National Stadium

Mr J Shannon asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail its plans for the Maze site should the National Stadium not go ahead.

(AQW 4899/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The only proposed plan being progressed for the regeneration of the former prison and army base is that which is based upon the development of a multi-sports stadium and an International Centre for Conflict Transformation as recommended in the unanimous multi-party consultation panel report and the Maze/Long Kesh Masterplan supported by all the main political parties.

As you may be aware the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) is currently considering the value for money business case for the proposed programme and the assessment of affordability based on negotiations with the private sector for the appointment of a potential development partner.

Ethnic Minority Groups

Mr J McCallister asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail (i) the number of voluntary ethnic minority groups that are currently receiving funding from the Executive; and (ii) the amount of funding allocated to these groups.

(AQW 4928/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Under the current funding scheme for Minority Ethnic Communities (2005-2008) the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has provided development and project funding of almost £1.8m to 19 different organisations which either represent or provide services to minority ethnic people.

This funding has supported the work of community and voluntary groups in promoting good relations, community cohesion and integration between people from different racial groups and communities.

As part of our ongoing work to combat racism, we have just completed the application process for a new one year (2008-09) funding scheme for minority ethnic communities. We will make an announcement in the near future about the organisations that will receive funding and amounts allocated.

Victims' Commissioners

Mr T Elliott asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the representations it has had from victims' organisations after the appointment of the Victims' Commissioners.

(AQW 4930/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The decision to establish a Victims and Survivors Commission, subject to amending legislation which is currently before the Assembly, was announced on 28 January 2008. Since then we have received several representations from Victims Organisations, four of which referred directly to the Victims Commission designate.

Poverty Reduction

Mr J Shannon asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the actions it is taking to significantly reduce income poverty.

(AQW 5041/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Employment with a reasonable wage is generally considered the best route out of poverty. That is why ‘Growing a dynamic and innovative economy’ is therefore central to reducing income poverty and our top priority within Programme for Government 2008-2011. It is supported by targets and actions to tackle economic in-activity and build the skills’ level of the workforce through a wide variety of measures. These measures will have a particular focus on supporting those most at risk of income poverty.

Reform of tax and benefits, and modernisation of benefit services will continue to provide improved financial security for those who are temporarily or permanently unable to work. The recent announcement in the budget, which affects tax and benefits here, should have an impact on income poverty for a percentage of those in relative income poverty.

In line with its statutory obligation under Section 16 of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006, the Executive Committee will soon consider proposals for the adoption of a strategy to tackle poverty, social exclusion and patterns of deprivation here based on objective need.

The process has already commenced with proposals soon to be outlined to the OFMDFM Committee in advance of the Executive Committee’s considerations.

When the Executive Committee has completed its considerations, we will focus on the delivery of actions that will contribute most to the agreed strategy’s major goals and objectives.

River Blackwater at Annaghroe

Mr J McCallister asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether it was agreed with the Taoiseach that two new bridges should be constructed across the River Blackwater at Annaghroe and Knockginny, and on what information this decision was based.

(AQW 5128/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: A number of cross-border roads were closed for security reasons. Subsequently, in recognition of the importance of cross-border road links the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach agreed that there was no longer a security justification for the last 2 such roads (involving the Annaghroe and Knocknaginny cross-border bridges over the River Blackwater between Glaslough and Caledon) remaining closed. At the North South Ministerial Council meeting in the Transport Sector held on 14 September 2007, Ministers endorsed progress made on the decision to re-open these roads. The Irish Government has given a commitment to fund the replacement of the bridges and the approach roads in County Monaghan while our Roads Agency has agreed to improve the approach roads here.

Official Visits

Miss M McIlveen asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the protocols that are followed in informing MLAs that the First Minister, deputy First Minister or the junior Ministers will be visiting their respective constituencies.

(AQW 5141/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The protocol is that MLAs should be notified of official visits by members of the Executive or Junior Ministers to their constituencies not less than 24 hours in advance of the visit. Notification of such visits should include detail on the reason, location and timing of the visit, with a contact number through which MLAs may seek further details.

These protocols were recently agreed by the Executive and are now being implemented by all Ministerial Private Offices. They were communicated to the Speaker of the Assembly on 12 February 2008 and a copy of this letter has been placed in the Assembly Library.

Committee of the Regions

Mr A Maginness asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the attendance level of each Northern Ireland member of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union at both Plenary and other Commission meetings, since their appointments.

(AQW 5259/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The table below details the attendance level of Northern Ireland members of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) since the Committee’s current mandate began on 16 February 2006.

CoR member	Type of Membership	CoR Commission	Plenary Sessions		Commission Meetings
CoR member	Type of Membership	CoR Commission	Number Attended	Number open to each Member*	Number Attended	Total Number
Minister Edwin Poots, MLA	Full Member	Sustainable Development	5	11	4	11
Minister Conor Murphy, MP MLA**	Full Member	Territorial Cohesion	1	11	0	11
Cllr Lord Maurice Morrow MLA	Alternate Member	Economic and Social Policy	1	6	1	11
Cllr Bernice Swift	Alternate Member	Education and Culture	0	10	0	10

* Alternates, may only attend a CoR Plenary session if their full member is not attending.

** Minister Murphy resigned with effect from 13 March 2008 and a replacement nominee has been identified to replace him on the Committee and this process is underway.

Freedom of Information

Mr K Robinson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether Freedom of Information legislation overrides confidentiality agreements drawn up between employers and employees at the termination of a contract.

(AQW 5492/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The Code of Practice on the discharge of public authorities’ functions, issued under section 45 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs in November 2004, provides guidance to public authorities on 'desirable practice' in discharging their functions under Part I of the Act.

Part 5 of the Code aims to promote consideration by public authorities of the implications for Freedom of Information before agreeing to confidentiality provisions in contracts. While the Code states that all parties to a contract should be aware of the limits of enforceability of confidentiality clauses, it also recognises that there will be circumstances in which the preservation of confidentiality between public authorities and contractors is appropriate, and must be maintained, in the public interest. Therefore, every case would have to be judged on its merits.

The Code does not have statutory force. However, failure to comply with its provisions may lead to a breach of the Act, and ultimately enforcement action being taken by the Information Commissioner.

Employment and Equality Legislation

Mr K Robinson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to confirm that companies registered in the Republic of Ireland with employees based in Northern Ireland must abide by fair employment and equality legislation.

(AQW 5495/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The various pieces of anti-discrimination legislation all contain similar provisions setting out the circumstances in which employment is to be regarded as being at an establishment in Northern Ireland.

We can confirm that all companies with employees working wholly or partly in Northern Ireland are required to abide by fair employment and equality legislation here.

Planning Appeals

Mr D Simpson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the steps it has taken to recruit additional planning appeals Commissioners to tackle the backlog of planning appeals.

(AQW 5598/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) exercises its functions independently of OFMDFM but the Department is responsible for providing the resources needed for the Commission to discharge its responsibilities. Appointments to the Commission are made by us.

The additional funding allocations for PAC in the Budget 2008-2011 will enable the Chief Commissioner to fund a significant number of additional Commissioners to deploy against the backlog of planning appeals cases. An increase in the complement of permanent and part-time fee-paid Panel Commissioners has been agreed and officials are currently working with the Chief Commissioner to implement a strategy for use of the additional funding.

Arrangements are currently under way to deliver a competition with a view to recruiting up to 10 new fee-paid part-time Panel Commissioners. This will of course be subject to the availability of suitable people from within a limited and specialised market. Plans are also in place to recruit additional permanent Commissioners later in the year.

Three new internal appointments at Principal and Senior Commissioner level will shortly be made to the Commission to deploy against an increasingly complex workload and to provide the management and support necessary to maximise the effectiveness of the new Commissioners.

First Minister Advice

Mr M Storey asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, pursuant to the answer to AQW 4561/08, to provide a copy of (a) the further request for advice sought by the First Minister; and (b) the advice provided to the First Minister; and, if unable to provide a copy of this advice, to detail the reasons why this can not be made available.

(AQW 5767/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: We are unable to provide copies of the material you have requested as the contents of both are covered by legal professional privilege. We can confirm, however, that our answers to AQW 1825/08 and AQW 4561/08 accurately reflect the legal advice received by the First Minister.

Executive Office in Brussels

Mr S Neeson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what use has been made of the Northern Ireland Executive Office in Brussels.

(AQO 2869/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels (ONIEB) is at the heart of this administration’s engagement with the European Union Institutions.

The Office is a resource that is available to this Assembly and its Committees and to Northern Ireland’s civic society, local government, universities and other groups seeking to engage in Europe.

As well as providing space in Brussels for visitors, staff in the Brussels Office are often asked to speak to visiting groups and organisations from other countries. This provides the opportunity to raise Northern Ireland’s positive profile throughout Europe.

Our Brussels staff work with all Northern Ireland’s representatives in Brussels, including Members of the European Parliament, the representatives of the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee and with the Northern Ireland Civil Servants working for the European Commission.

Ministers and officials from our Department and from other Departments have made frequent use of the resources available in the Brussels Office since the restoration of devolution.

These visits have ranged from operational meetings between officials right through to us meeting with European Commission President Barroso to discuss the Northern Ireland Task Force.

Indeed, the Office has played a key role in liaison between this administration, the European Commission and the British and Irish Permanent Representatives as the work of the Task Force has progressed.

As you may be aware, we joined Commissioner Hübner this morning as she launched a report setting out how Northern Ireland can best engage with the European Union. We send our thanks to Commissioner Hübner for travelling to Belfast for the launch and for the ongoing long term support of the Commission as the work of the Task Force continues.

One of the reasons the Office was established was to ensure that Departments remain up to date with and influence policy developments at the EU level.

With the European Commission, through the Task Force, committed to helping us to grow a dynamic and innovative economy, we are sure that our Office in Brussels will continue to play a vital role in our work in Europe.

Gender Inequality

Mrs C Hanna asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the specific measures it is bringing forward to address gender inequality.

(AQO 2857/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Being disadvantaged because of gender, whether in the home, in education, in the labour market or elsewhere, is unacceptable. We are committed to policies that address and tackle such inequalities wherever they occur.

The Programme for Government commits our Department to the implementation of the cross-departmental Gender Equality Strategy and to introduce measures towards the total elimination of the gender pay gap.

The Gender Equality Strategy is implemented across government through the mainstreaming of gender considerations into all policies and strategies and, where appropriate, by specific gender action measures, to address identified gender inequalities.

Our officials are currently analysing gender equality action plans from all departments which will form the basis of cross-departmental plans for the period 2007-2011. We aim to bring these to the Executive, together with a report on the action measures required across a range of themes including poverty, violence, employment, work-life balance, decision making, access to services and data research to address gender equality, in advance of the Summer recess 2008 and following consultation with our Departmental Committee.

Good Relations Strategy

Mr F Molloy asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on progress on the Good Relations Strategy to promote cohesion, sharing and integration.

(AQO 2907/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: As we have stated on previous occasions, we are totally committed to the cross-cutting theme of a shared and better future for all: equality, fairness, inclusion and the promotion of good relations are the watchwords for all our policies and programmes across government. We have committed an additional ₤7.5m direct expenditure over the next three years – 2008/2011, with a total investment of approximately ₤29m on good relations and good race relations.

We are now at an advanced stage of development of the detailed proposals for a ‘Programme of Cohesion, Sharing and Integration for a shared and better future,’ which we signalled in the Programme for Government. As the Member is aware, our officials briefed the Committee of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the current stage of development of the Programme last week. This programme will tackle issues affecting both the established communities as well as new arrivals. It will build on some of the excellent work which is already being done, particularly by district councils and community organisations, to address the challenges which local communities are facing. Action to tackle sectarianism, racism and intolerance will be at the core of these proposals.

The emphasis of the programme will be support for local people to deal with local issues through their local solutions.

Bamford Review

Mrs N Long asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the actions it will take over the next 12 months to deliver on the recommendations of the Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities.

(AQO 2866/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Our Programme for Government commits us to achieve a measurable improvement in the lives of people with disabilities by 2012. To that end our Department is finalising the report of the Promoting Social Inclusion Working Group on Disability which was set up to examine the barriers to participation experienced by people with disabilities, including those with a mental health or learning disability, that contribute to their relative poverty, disadvantage and social exclusion. That report will include recommendations aimed at removing such barriers faced by people with disabilities.

The report will also take account of the recommendations of the Bamford review and the Executive’s response to these which is being co-ordinated by the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. We will consult with our Departmental Committee on the Promoting Social Inclusion (Disability) report and in due course ask the Executive to consider its recommendations.

Furthermore, our Department continues to bring forward legislation to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities including those with a learning disability. This legislation implements provisions of the Disability Discrimination Order introduced by OFMDFM in 2006. It covers areas such as functions of public authorities, private clubs, premises and transport.

Rural Post Offices

Mr D O'Loan asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the action it has taken to date to challenge the proposal to close more than thirty rural Post Offices.

(AQO 2834/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The recent announcement by Post Office Ltd reflects the UK Government’s network change strategy which sets out a range of measures it believes are needed to modernise and reshape the network to place it on a more stable, long-term financial footing.

The Member will be aware that this is a reserved matter but the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister ensured that the views of Northern Ireland departments were conveyed to the UK Government as the strategy was being developed.

We welcome the UK Government’s commitment to continue to support the network, that significant sums will be available to Post Office Ltd to maintain a viable network and that there was a recognition of the social role that Post Offices play in local communities.

It is very regrettable therefore that the Post Office has now had to propose the closure of 42 Post Offices, both urban and rural. While we must acknowledge the social, technological and financial issues underlying these proposals, they are undoubtedly of concern to those communities which will be affected by the removal of this service.

We are writing to the Secretary of State, with responsibility for post office matters, seeking an extension to the consultation period. Our colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has also written to the Post Office seeking a meeting to discuss the impact of the closures on rural areas.

We would also urge all Members of this Assembly to carefully consider these proposals with the communities they represent, and make their views known to the Post Office directly.

Union Flag

Mr D Burnside asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what consultation it has had with the UK Government on the terms of a green paper which includes proposals to allow schools, hospitals and council buildings to fly the union flag all year round.

(AQO 2922/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: A green paper entitled The Governance of Britain was published by the UK Government on 3 July 2007. In the green paper the Government said it would consult on proposals to alter the guidance on flying the Union Flag from UK Government buildings in England, Scotland and Wales.

The UK Government announced that it had no plans to change the current legislation governing flag flying here and as a result the consultation exercise arising from the green paper did not include Northern Ireland.

Racial Equality Strategy

Ms A Lo asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to give an update on the progress of the current action plan for the Racial Equality Strategy.

(AQO 2867/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: We would refer the Member to our previous answer to her question AQO 2615/08, published in the Written Answers Booklet on Friday 4 April 2008, where we clearly set out the position.

Byron Report

Mr M McLaughlin asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail how the recently published Byron Report will be taken forward.

(AQO 2917/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: We welcome Dr Byron’s report of her review which examined the risks to children of potentially harmful or inappropriate material on the internet and in video games.

She has recommended the establishment of a UK Council on Child Internet Safety chaired by the Home Office and DCSF with two core elements:

Better regulation of the industry; and
Better information and education.

Keeping children and young people safe is a priority for us all and this is a wide ranging report which has implications for a number of departments.

We have therefore asked officials in the Children and Young People’s Unit to work with those departments to examine Dr Byron’s recommendations in detail and produce a paper on the way forward for discussion at the next meeting of the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Children and Young People.

Child Poverty

Mrs M Bradley asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail its delivery plan to eradicate child poverty.

(AQO 2831/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: It is totally unacceptable that around 100,000 children here live in poverty and the Executive is determined to tackle this issue as a priority. Our Programme for Government therefore commits specifically to:

Work towards the elimination of child poverty in Northern Ireland by 2020 and reducing child poverty by 50% by 2010; and

Work towards the elimination of severe child poverty by 2012.

There are a number of policies which currently aim to lift children out of poverty. These include tax and benefit policies set by the UK Government, and Programmes such as Early Years, New Deal and Sure Start which are the responsibility of Northern Ireland Departments, but we need to do more if we are to achieve these targets. Consequently, the Executive will soon adopt its own Strategy to tackle poverty and social exclusion based on objective need. In so doing it will take account of the findings and recommendations coming out of the current enquiry by the OFMDFM Committee.

We will also take account of findings from our own departmental work on tackling disadvantage and barriers experienced by lone parents and people with disabilities, which is nearing completion.

Bamford Review

Mr K McCarthy asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the support it is giving to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to implement the recommendations of the Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities.

(AQO 2864/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Our Programme for Government commits us to achieve a measurable improvement in the lives of people with disabilities by 2012. To that end our Department is finalising the report of the Promoting Social Inclusion Working Group on Disability including recommendations to remove barriers faced by people with disabilities. This report will take account of the recommendations of the Bamford review and the Executive’s response to these. We will consult with our Departmental Committee on the Promoting Social Inclusion (Disability) report and in due course ask the Executive to consider its recommendations.

Bamford Review

Mr D Ford asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the support it is giving to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to implement the recommendations of the Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities.

(AQO 2863/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Our Programme for Government commits us to achieve a measurable improvement in the lives of people with disabilities by 2012. To that end our Department is finalising the report of the Promoting Social Inclusion Working Group on Disability including recommendations to remove barriers faced by people with disabilities. This report will take account of the recommendations of the Bamford review and the Executive’s response to these. We will consult with our Departmental Committee on the Promoting Social Inclusion (Disability) report and in due course ask the Executive to consider its recommendations.

Civic Forum

Mr A Attwood asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what assessments have been made on the role and function of the Civic Forum.

(AQO 2830/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The arrangements for the Civic Forum, approved by the Assembly on 16 February 1999, provided for a formal review of all matters relating to the structure and effective operation of the Civic Forum. However, the suspension of the devolved institutions in October 2002 meant that the review, which had commenced in the Spring of 2002, was not completed.

Following the restoration of devolution in May 2007, the Executive decided to commission a fresh review to examine the effectiveness and appropriateness of the current structure, operation and membership of the Forum and to make recommendations on the most appropriate mechanism and arrangements for engaging with and obtaining the views of civic society on social, economic and cultural matters. The Terms of Reference for the review have been placed in the Library.

Climate Change

Mr T Gallagher asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to provide an assessment of the contribution Government departments are making to help reduce climate change.

(AQO 2898/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: Lead responsibility for Climate Change policy lies with the Department of the Environment. OFMDFM will monitor and report on progress as part of its strategic responsibility for sustainable development.

Within the Sustainability Strategy, departments have individually identified key actions which will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and each is responsible for the delivery of these. OFMDFM will use the Implementation Plan and a number of Key Indicators as the primary mechanisms to monitor and report progress against targets, as part of its strategic responsibility for sustainable development.

Child Poverty

Miss M McIlveen asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the impact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget Announcement will have on tackling child poverty and the targets set by OFMDFM.

(AQO 2892/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget announcement marks further progress towards the achievement of child poverty targets through significant investment. Measures announced in the budget which will undoubtedly play an important role include:

Increasing the first child rate of Child Benefit to £20 per week by April 2009;

disregarding Child Benefit in calculating income for Housing Benefit, which improves the work incentive and boosts income for the lowest paid families;

increasing the child element of the Child Tax Credit by £50 per year above indexation from April 2009.

At the time of the Budget announcement, Government estimated that some 250,000 children will, as a consequence, be lifted out of poverty across the United Kingdom. Estimates for different regions are not available but it would be reasonable to assume however that Northern Ireland will benefit proportionately.

Equality Impact Assessment

Ms M Anderson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on its recent Equality Impact Assessment on the Programme for Government, Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland and Budget.

(AQO 2920/08)

Rt Hon I Paisley and Mr M McGuinness: At the end of January 2008, the Executive launched its draft Equality Impact Assessment carried out at a strategic level on the Programme for Government, Budget and Investment Strategy for a twelve week consultation period.

Officials from OFMDFM, the Department of Finance and Personnel and the Strategic Investment Board have held five public consultation events to ensure that the public and interested groups had an opportunity to feed key messages into the consultation process. These consultation meetings were widely advertised in the local press and officials contacted local Councils, Health Trusts and Boards, Education and Library Boards and representatives from Section 75 groups in advance to make them aware of the publication of the draft EQIA and the public consultation events.

In addition to these public meetings, officials have arranged consultation meetings with interested organisations such as the Equality Coalition and Disability Action. They have also offered to meet with other organisations on request.

The consultation process on the draft assessment is still current and in addition to participating in consultation meetings, members of the public and organisations can submit written consultation responses until the closing date of 23^rd April 2008.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Tree-Felling

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to confirm if the Forest Service and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) are utilising private sector resources to train employees in tree-felling; and to detail the amount spent on such resources.

(AQW 5170/08)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms M Gildernew): The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, (CAFRE), is responsible for the organisation of training for Forest Service staff. CAFRE has two staff members to deliver this training. However, due to sick absences of these staff and to enable CAFRE to meet its commitments to Forest Service, CAFRE has procured a private company for the provision of Chainsaw Training Refresher Courses. The value of this tender is £165 per day.

Training of Forest Service staff in tree-felling is due to commence this month.

European Union Fisheries Council

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail where she sat during the 2007 European Union Fisheries Council; and to confirm that she negotiated directly with European Union representatives from countries other than the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

(AQW 5250/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I attended all the plenary sessions at the Council with my fellow fisheries Ministers and negotiated directly at bilaterals with the Commission and the Presidency.

European Fisheries Fund

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide a timescale within which (i) the new European Fisheries Fund will go live; (ii) applications can be submitted; and (iii) applications will be processed.

(AQW 5251/08)

Ms M Gildernew: (i) It is anticipated that European Commission will approve the Operational Programme for the EFF in July 2008.

(ii) We plan to have the Fund open to applications within 3 months of receiving approval.

(iii) My Department will be working with the Fishing Industry over the summer to help applicants formulate proposals. It is likely that the first applications will be processed and approved by the selection panel before the end of the year.

Local Fishing Fleet

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the reasons why she has not responded to the proposals submitted by the Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation, in relation to assistance for the Northern Ireland fishing fleet.

(AQW 5252/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I have written to Alan McCulla, Chief Executive of ANIFPO to explain that I wanted to consider fully all the implications of what ANIFPO had proposed and the various requests which have been made by or on behalf of the industry. I offered to meet with him to discuss these matters further but unfortunately that did not prove possible to arrange. ANIFPO representatives participated in a meeting with my officials on 28 March at which the ANIFPO and other proposals were discussed.

Fishery Harbours Authority

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the reasons why there have been above inflation increases for charges imposed at (i) Ardglass; (ii) Kilkeel; and (iii) Portavogie, by the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbours Authority over the last 3 years.

(AQW 5253/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The NI Fishery Harbour Authority (NIFHA) sets uniform dues and charges for vessels at the three local fishing harbours. Over the past three years landing dues which is the largest component of the charge paid by active vessels have not increased, remaining at 2.75% of the value of fish landed.

There have been increases in berthing dues and other charges. For example, for 15m vessels, annual berthing charges rose by £2 (1.83%) in 2006, by £3 (2.7%) in 2007 and by £16 (14%) in 2008.

The level of those charges were considered carefully following a benchmarking exercise by NIFHA which compared its charges with those of other fishery harbours in England, Scotland and Ireland. Charges at Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie remain competitive compared to other Irish Sea ports.

Increases have been necessary to ensure that NIFHA can deliver a good level of service to the local fishing fleet at all three harbours. Even with these increases the Authority is unlikely to fully cover its operating costs in 2008.

Dog Fish Catches

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the reasons why the quotas for catches of dog fish were so low after the Brussels meeting in December 2007.

(AQW 5273/08)

Ms M Gildernew: Assessments by the ICES Working Group on Elasmobranch Fishes indicate a decline in spurdog abundance which has resulted in the conclusion that the stock is depleted and may be in danger of collapse.

Until recently there was no individual Member State spurdog quota for the sea area that includes the Irish Sea last year and all countries fished off an EU quota. The EU quota was reduced by 41% for 2008 with member states given an individual allocation for the first time and a

bycatch limit of 5% was introduced. In Britain the allocation in 2008 is 739 tonnes compared to provisional landings in 2007 of 678 tonnes.

The bycatch limit is aimed at preventing spurdog becoming a target fishery. A bycatch limit results in spurdog being discarded at sea but this is regarded as a worthwhile conservation measure because spurdog have a good discard survival rate because of their robust physiology.

Spurdogs are slow growing, long lived species that reproduce at low levels compared to the main commercial fish species. They are therefore very susceptible to fishing pressure as they cannot recover quickly.

Dog Fish

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the action she is taking to increase the quotas for dog fish in the Irish Sea.

(AQW 5274/08)

Ms M Gildernew: Dogfish is a relatively minor fish stock for our fleet with provisional figures showing 82.4 tonnes landed in 2007 worth around £58,000. I will try to maintain all our quota opportunities and secure increases where there is good scientific evidence to support our arguments. However, most effort will necessarily be directed to our most economically important stocks such as Nephrops, haddock and herring. I am aware that the industry finds the by-catch limit for dogfish of 5% of landings restrictive and I have asked by officials to explore with the Commission the scope on alternative approach to the application of such conservation measures which would provide more flexibility for fishermen.

Local Fishing Fleet

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the action she is taking to provide financial assistance to the Northern Ireland Fishing Fleet, similar to that allocated by the Spanish Government to its fishing fleet.

(AQW 5275/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The EU Commission’s Regulation on "de minimus aid" which was adopted in July last year allows Member States to pay up to € 30 000 per three-year period, per beneficiary. De minimis aid is aid deemed not to distort competition. The Spanish Government has opted to pay such aid reportedly to maintain industry competitiveness.

I acknowledge that the catching sector is experiencing difficultly with high fuel prices and I applaud the initiatives being taken by the industry to reduce fuel costs. It is my view that a longer-term, strategic plan is needed to deal with the problems of spiralling fuel costs and low fish prices. I want to begin a dialogue about this with the industry - so that we can develop jointly a strategic plan for a profitable and sustainable fishing industry. In doing so we should together consider the scope for utilising the 36 million Euro of public investment that will be available under the European Fisheries Fund.

I have listened carefully to proposals made by and on behalf of the fishing industry. I will make a full statement to the Assembly in the near future when I have completed my consideration of the various representations which have been made to me.

Local Fishing Fleet

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the discussions she has had with (i) fishing organisations; and (ii) the European Union, in relation to the financial assistance that can be given to the local fishing fleet.

(AQW 5276/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I had a lengthy discussion with representatives from the North of Ireland Trawlermens’ Trading Company on fuel costs and other issues on 11 February. At my request officials met representatives of the local industry on 28 March to discuss their request for financial assistance.

I met with Commissioner Borg on 1^st April to impress on him the key challenges that faced our fishing fleet. Our agenda covered key stocks, the impact of effort restrictions, rising fuel costs and the subsidies offered by other European Countries.

Northern Ireland Produce

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the action her department is taking to better promote the origin and quality of Northern Ireland produce.

(AQW 5291/08)

Ms M Gildernew: There are very strict EU rules restricting the extent to which Government can support publicity campaigns which promote domestically produced goods in preference to similar goods from other parts of the EU. Consequently public funds cannot be used to endorse food produced on the basis of its origin except under the EU approved NI Regional Food Programme (NIRFP).

The NIRFP aims to promote quality regional food and increase its consumption within the North, the South and Britain. Under the Programme financial assistance is available to develop and expand profitable and sustainable markets by encouraging better co-operation and communication between all sectors of the food industry. In the last year activities funded under this Programme have included the new Food Pavilion at the Balmoral Show, the NI Food and Drink Awards, National Sausage Week, and a recipe book supported by a number of local producer groups. Applicants for the 2008/09 funding year will be advised, during April if their applications have been successful.

As an NDPB of my Department, the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) undertakes a range of marketing activities aimed at promoting locally produced Farm Quality Assured beef and lamb, at home and abroad.

You will also be aware of the EU Protected Food Names Scheme which the Department administers. This Scheme aims to promote the regional distinctiveness of food within Europe.

Additionally, a voluntary pilot scheme is currently being developed with key stakeholders, involving origin labelling of beef in a number of local restaurants. This pilot will be evaluated and will provide for the first time valuable information on consumer attitudes and preferences about origin labelling of beef in the food service sector.

Fishing Vessels Registered

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail (i) the number of fishing vessels registered in Northern Ireland; and (ii) how this figure has changed over the last 10 years.

(AQW 5292/08)

Ms M Gildernew: Vessels Registered in the North of Ireland 1998 to 2008

Year	Under 10m	Over 10m	Total
1998	161	190	351
1999	164	182	346
2000	167	179	346
2001	167	179	346
2002	167	152	319
2003	173	145	318
2004	185	128	313
2005	195	133	328
2006	194	132	326
2007	183	138	321
2008	183	138	321

Fishing Industry

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide an estimate of the number of people employed within the fishing industry; and to detail how this number has changed over the last 10 years.

(AQW 5294/08)

Ms M Gildernew: Estimated number of people employed in the fishing industry

Year	Part time	Full time	Total
1997	1879	403	2282
1998	1932	372	2304
1999	1878	374	2252
2000	1674	351	2025
2001	1530	305	1835
2002	1469	294	1763
2003	1325	228	1553
2004	1433	227	1660
2005	1401	268	1669
2006	1319	282	1601

The estimated number of people employed in the fishing industry in 2007 is not yet available.

Bulk Buying Fuel

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, in light of the fishing industry's initiative to reduce costs by bulk buying fuel, to detail the steps she is taking to assist the industry.

(AQW 5350/08)

Forest Parks

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail her plans to increase community involvement in forest parks.

(AQW 5355/08)

Ms M Gildernew: Forest Service already engages with a number of community organisations to facilitate public access and enjoyment of DARD’s forests. For example, walking and cycling trails were developed at Learmount Forest through a project led by Learmount Community Development Group Limited and recently a memorandum of understanding was signed between Fermanagh District Council and Forest Service on the expansion of the Marble Arch Caves Geopark to include forestry lands in Fermanagh.

The Forestry Strategy (DARD 2006) indicates that state forests will be primarily used for timber production and quiet enjoyment of people, however, in the context of providing better value from the forest estate, opportunities to enter into partnership agreements with other bodies, including community interests, will be considered, in order to develop specific activities within certain forests. In order to facilitate this, Forest Service intends to publish a strategy for the social use of its forests that will set out a framework for such activity.

In the context of preparing forest management plans for state forests, Forest Service consults a wide variety of stakeholders, including community groups and individuals. Consultation provides stakeholders with information about the proposed management plans, the likely effects of these plans on the forest and takes account of their resulting views when developing a final plan.

Farm Machinery Thefts

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the discussions she has had with her counterparts in other regions of the United Kingdom in relation to the increasing number of farm machinery thefts.

(AQW 5357/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I have not discussed the subject of farm machinery thefts with my counterparts. This is primarily a matter for the Police Service for NI (the Department is aware that the PSNI meet with groups of farmers in particular ‘hot spot areas’ to provide advice on protecting farm machinery assets).

National Grain Shortage

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the action she is taking to address the national grain shortage.

(AQW 5359/08)

Ms M Gildernew: As you may already know action has been taken at European Union (EU) level to address the grain shortage by fixing the set aside rate at zero to release more land into cereals production. In addition to this early predictions are that the amount of cereals planted has also risen for this harvest year. While the current market conditions continue the growing of cereals should remain attractive and this may help to stabilise the grain market.

In relation to the current grain shortage and the challenges it poses for the intensive sector I personally have engaged in a number of initiatives in recent months to address the issue.

I met with Ministers Ruane and McGimpsey with a view to developing and expanding local food sourcing initiatives in the Education and Health services. I have also discussed with my colleagues the question of increased public procurement of local produce.

I wrote to every supermarket in the North of Ireland expressing my concern about returns at producer level given the rising cost of feed prices and am aware that there has been a subsequent rise in some retail prices. This hopefully provides an opportunity for increased returns to work back through the supply chain to the farmgate price.

Specifically in terms of support for the pigs sector, following a meeting with pig sector representatives, including the Ulster Farmer’s Union, I wrote to the Defra Secretary of State to urge support for the re-introduction of export refunds for the pig sector. I have also written to Mary Coughlan TD on this issue. Under pressure from Member States export refunds were introduced.

My Department continues to support the intensive production sector in every way it can. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise provides a comprehensive range of education and training programmes for producers and processors. The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute supports the sector through research and development work, which provides an important science and expertise base to support industry development.

I will certainly consider any suggestions my colleagues have to offer which might ease the current situation.

National Grain Shortage

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the contact she has had with her counterparts in other regions of the United Kingdom in relation to addressing the national grain shortage.

(AQW 5360/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I have not contacted my British counterparts specifically on the issue of grain shortage. I have however referred to the issue when I wrote to the Defra Secretary of State and Mary Coughlan TD to gather support for the re-introduction of export refunds for the pig sector.

I have also discussed the problems caused by the grain shortage with the Assembly on 3 March 2008 in relation to the No Day Named Motion on Grain Scarcity.

I will be meeting with Jim Nicholson MEP in the next few weeks to discuss the issue of rising feed costs and the implications of the grain shortage will be raised in that context.

The issue shall receive further consideration at the next Devolved Agriculture Ministers meeting later this year.

Official Visits

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of occasions she has met with her counterparts in Scotland and Wales to discuss issues relevant to the 3 devolved institutions.

(AQW 5361/08)

Ms M Gildernew: To date, I have participated in nine meetings with either or both my Ministerial counterparts in Scotland and Wales.

Irish Cattle Breeds

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the action she is taking to ensure the continued existence of endangered traditional Irish cattle breeds.

(AQW 5381/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The Irish Moiled Cattle option was introduced to DARD’s agri-environment schemes in 2005, to encourage an increase in the population of breeding Irish Moiled female cattle by 50 per cent by 2016. The proposed NI Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS) will continue to support this aim.

Currently, 8 Countryside Management Scheme participants receive support under this option, for a total of 107 animals.

Potential also exists under the Special Environment Projects option in NICMS to support proposals to graze with other traditional breeds where environmental benefit can be shown.

Pig Farming

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the actions she is taking to secure the long term future of pig farmers.

(AQW 5385/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I am very aware of the difficulties being faced by pig farmers and share their concerns. Expanding demand for grain from a growing world population and for biofuels coupled with lower cereals production, has caused a reduction in stock levels and a rapid and significant rise in cereals prices. The losses in the pig sector are a direct consequence of these price rises and pigmeat production and prices have yet to respond to these increased input costs. The only long-term, sustainable solution to higher input costs is for European pigmeat production to fall leading to an EU-wide adjustment in pigmeat prices.

I am committed to the future of a sustainable pig industry here. I lobbied successfully for the re-introduction of export refunds for pigmeat to assist in restoring some balance and stability to the sector. I engaged with the retail sector and am aware that there has been a recent rise in some prices which hopefully will provide an opportunity for increased returns to work back through the supply chain to the farmgate price. I continue to work with colleagues to obtain increased public procurement of local produce and with farming representatives to see how together we can progress through the current difficulties.

DARD is putting in substantial resource at farm level to aid compliance with environmental restrictions and support is provided to producers under Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control legislation. There is a comprehensive range of education and training programmes for producers and processors. Meat technologists provide a wide range of technical support to the processing sector and Supply Chain Development Branch helps groups to work together and with industry partners to improve returns. Through AFBI, DARD continues to support the sector via research and development, providing an important science and expertise base. I am not in a position to provide significant direct financial support without Commission approval however EU funding will be available to develop and expand profitable and sustainable markets and to encourage better co-operation and communications between all sectors of the food industry.

I have concerns about encouraging producers to get into increasing debt using borrowed money at a reduced rate in order to subsidise continued production such as the de minimis subsidised loan scheme currently being operated in France. A meaningful state aid scheme cannot, however, be achieved within the short timeframe that would provide immediate relief to producers. It is more likely that a rebalancing of the market would have taken place before such a measure could achieve any significant impact.

Whilst I cannot provide any additional funding, my Department will continue to assist in whatever way it can to help producers develop new production systems with a view to satisfying the demands of, or need for, new market opportunities and I personally will continue to lend my support in whatever way I can.

Press Office

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, pursuant to her answer to AQW 4534/08, to detail the number of staff working in her department's press office, broken down by grade.

(AQW 5386/08)

Ms M Gildernew: There are currently five Press Officers employed within the Department, who provide support to the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development and Departmental officials on core press office activity.

The grading of the Press Officers is as follows: -

1 x Principal Press Officer, 2 x Senior Information Officers,

1 x Information Officer and 1 x Assistant Information Officer.

Fishing Industry

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to explain why light dues are forced upon the Northern Ireland fishing industry while other parts of Europe are exempt.

(AQW 5461/08)

Ms M Gildernew: Responsibility for the provision of navigational aids at sea and the collection of light dues is not a devolved matter but continues to live with the Department of Transport in London. Aids to navigation for shipping throughout Britain and Ireland are provided by the 3 General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs). They are Trinity House, The Northern Lighthouse Board and the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Light dues totalled £70.1m in 2006/07 with approximately £0.46m coming from UK fishing vessels over 10m in length. Vessels under 10m are exempt. The North’s vessels contribute around £50,000 per year in light dues. At current rates a 15m vessel would pay £290 per year and a 24m vessel £470 per year.

In 2004 a study of the impact of paying light dues by all British shipping, including fishing, was carried out for the Department of Transport (DTR). This concluded that paying light dues did not place British shipping at a disadvantage compared to other countries such as France and Germany where aids to navigation are paid for through general taxation.

The DTR have since reaffirmed their policy that the user should pay but have stated that they are determined to minimise the cost burden on the industry. Dues have been reduced since 2002.

Fishing Industry

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development why the Fishing Industry has to pay for maintenance of the Satellite Monitoring equipment.

(AQW 5462/08)

Ms M Gildernew: The Vessel Monitoring Systems fitted in all fishing vessels over 15m were provided with the assistance of a 100% grant for government which included a 3 year warranty.

There are currently 105 vessels with VMS terminals and the majority of these were fitted in early 2005. Some terminals have now the end of the original warranty and the company that supplies this equipment is contacting vessel owners to offer them a warranty extension for 2 years (which provides free replacement terminals and servicing) at a cost of £21 per month.

It is not compulsory to take up this offer but without a warranty there is a risk that fishermen could face expensive charges for servicing or replacement of the equipment and the possibility of having to remain in port until the terminal is functioning to the satisfaction of the Department.

I have asked my officials to examine the scope for meeting some of the costs associated with the operation of the satellite vessel monitoring system here

Local Fishing Fleet

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to confirm (i) that any grant given in relation to the fuel crisis will be based on the traditional returns made by the vessel agents to the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority; (ii) that other charges (e.g Slipping, Ice etc) will remain; and (iii) in the 12 months following the grant the department will work with the fishing industry to implement a plan using the European Fisheries Fund to address the fuel crisis in the long term.

(AQW 5487/08)

Rural Development Programme

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, following the announcement by the Minister for the Environment on the outworking of local government boundaries under the Review of Public Administration, to detail the impact this will this have on the delivery mechanisms for the Rural Development Programme.

(AQO 2925/08)

Ms M Gildernew: With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer question 6 and question 18 together.

On 20 September last I announced that the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 (RDP) would be delivered through self-formed clusters of at least three councils. Since then, progress in forming clusters and animating rural areas has been good. All councils have now joined clusters, seven in all, and local action groups will soon be in place to start developing the strategies that will allow programme funds to flow.

On 13 March, the Minister of the Environment announced the outcome of the Review of Public Administration, which will be implemented from 2011. Soon afterwards I wrote to the clusters to assure them that the seven-cluster model would remain.

The advanced stage of development of the delivery mechanisms and tight programme timetable mean that it is not possible to start afresh. To do so would lose substantial European funding to rural dwellers and the rural economy. Communities must be able to access rural development funding now, and operating this model will provide valuable experience for the councils that will deliver the RDP after 2011. Moreover, the new councils are several years away and will arrive at a time when I hope a large percentage of the RDP will already have been delivered.

Single Farm Payments

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of Single Farm Payments which are still outstanding for 2007/2008.

(AQO 2847/08)

Ms M Gildernew: With the Speaker’s permission, I will take Questions 8 and 10 together.

One of my priorities since coming to office has been to ensure that farmers receive timely subsidy payments. I am pleased to say that performance in both the Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances and Single Farm Payment schemes has improved compared to previous years.

By the end of March, 95% of those eligible for Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances have received their payment and 94.16% Single Farm Payment claims have been paid.

A further 173 Single Farm Payment claims were assessed as ineligible. This leaves 5.4 % cases outstanding for 2007 and means that 2,100 claims have still to be finalised. I know many farmers are dependent on these payments and my staff are making every effort to complete these as soon as possible.

Single Farm Payments

Mr F Molloy asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the progress on Single Farm Payments and Less Favoured Areas payments.

(AQO 2931/08)

Ms M Gildernew: One of my priorities since coming to office has been to ensure that farmers receive timely subsidy payments. I am pleased to say that performance in both the Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances and Single Farm Payment schemes has improved compared to previous years.

By the end of March, 95% of those eligible for Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances have received their payment and 94.16% Single Farm Payment claims have been paid.

Growing Biofuels

Mr L Cree asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the total amount of agricultural land which has been converted to growing biofuels in the last five years.

(AQO 2923/08)

Ms M Gildernew: As you will be aware, our agriculture is predominantly grass based, with only 3 per cent devoted to cereal and oilseed crops in 2006. However, areas of both cropping and oilseed rape have been considerably higher in the past than at present.

We have no historical data going back over the last 5 years. However, the last two Farm Census Surveys indicate that 470 hectares of oilseed rape was planted in June 2006 and this dropped slightly to 398 hectares in June 2007. A very small proportion of this crop will be used for the production of bio-fuel and used mainly to power on-farm vehicles.

Current market conditions are more attractive to the arable sector for the growing of cereal crops rather than energy crops. Therefore bio-fuel production in Northern Ireland remains a niche market for those who can easily produce good yields of oilseed rape for bio-fuel production as opposed to high value cereal crops.

In the absence of any significant change in land use patterns, the quantities of cereals and oilseeds grown in the North could not support significant biodiesel/bio-ethanol production.

Currently, the growth of crops for use as bio-fuels, is promoted by DARD under the EU Aid for Energy Crops Scheme. There are no further plans to support the growth of crops specifically for the purpose of bio-fuel production.

Organic Fruit and Vegetables

Mr B McCrea asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the strategies that have been put in place to promote the production and marketing of organic fruit and vegetables.

(AQO 2913/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I intend to offer increased levels of support under a new Organic Farming Scheme to assist farmers who wish to convert from conventional to organic production. The following payments are proposed on a ‘per hectare’ basis, and will be apportioned over five years:-

Horticulture (including top fruit) - £670

Arable - £570

Other Improved Land - £470

I also propose to offer an ongoing post-conversion payment of £30 per hectare per year for certified organic land under the proposed Organic Option in the new Countryside Management Scheme.

In December 2007 I launched the Agricultural and Forestry Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme providing up to 40% financial assistance towards capital costs for producers and processors involved or wishing to become involved in processing and marketing. In addition, the Agricultural and Forestry Marketing and Development Grant Scheme and the Supply Chain Development Programme, both due to be launched in 2008, will provide financial assistance to farmers and processors to enhance their marketing capability.

DARD has offered funding under the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme towards the set up of an organic guide and web facility for producers and consumers.

Supply Chain Development advisers provide advice and skills development to individual producers and groups of producers on market led activities. CAFRE (Greenmount Campus) continues to provide education, advice and ongoing support in relation to organic farming. It also develops and tests new technologies appropriate to the local organic sector.

DARD, through funding for the Organic Action Plan Group, sponsored an organic horticulture study visit to England for local producers in March 2008, and funded items including a consumer information leaflet, educational material for schools, an organic market study and an Organic Supply Chain Conference.

Sainsbury's Supermarket

Mr D McClarty asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the economic benefits to local farmers of Sainsbury's Supermarket announcement that they are going to source beef locally.

(AQO 2912/08)

Ms M Gildernew: I have engaged with multiple retailers in a number of meetings over the past few months, and have encouraged them to support the local agri food industry. Recently I welcomed the announcement made by Sainsbury’s Supermarket to sell only locally sourced beef in Northern Ireland. Sainsbury’s have committed that from the start of April, 100% of their fresh beef will be sourced, processed and packed locally. This includes all their brands of fresh beef.

The beef sourced and sold by Sainsbury’s in Northern Ireland is now worth in excess of £3.85 million per annum. Sainsbury’s anticipate that this commitment to local sourcing is likely to lead to an increase in sales. In addition Sainsbury’s recent announcement to open two new stores, through the purchase of the Curley’s group, will increase the number of outlets and volume of customers.

Two of the strands identified in taking forward the strategy developed by the Red Meat Task Force were ‘engaging with core customers’ and ‘building strong supply chain relationships’. I believe that the recent announcement from Sainsbury’s to source all their beef locally reflects the value of fully engaging with core customers and has achieved a positive outcome for our local famers and processors.

Bluetongue Disease

Mr D Ford asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to make a statement on the importation of bluetongue susceptible livestock.

(AQO 2901/08)

Ms M Gildernew: You are aware that the Executive agreed to suspend, with effect from 1 March 2008, the importation of certain breeding and production animals. This decision was taken in light or emerging science following the importation of an animal from the Netherlands to a farm in North Antrim that turned out to be infected.

This prompted Brussels to consider further the conditions under which susceptible animals are allowed to move out of Bluetongue zones. The Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) met in Brussels on 4 and 5 March and agreed to strengthen the Bluetongue regulation. The suspension of the importation of certain breeding and production animals remains in force and will do so until this SCoFCAH decision is published and comes into effect. The publication date for this decision remains uncertain as there are translation and printing delays. However, we continue to lobby Brussels for early publication.

Further SCoFCAH discussions regarding this regulation have, and will, take place. We will continue to monitor the situation in Brussels and will liaise with Dublin and London, and with stakeholders, about the steps necessary to minimise the risk of importing Bluetongue.

Bluetongue Disease

Mr B McElduff asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail how the all-Ireland strategy against the spread of Bluetongue disease will be developed as we enter the vector period.

(AQO 2930/08)

Ms M Gildernew: My officials regularly engage with their counterparts in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Dublin (DAFF) on a range of disease prevention and control matters. The increased threat of Bluetongue, which has spread across Northern Europe and into England, has also led to co-operation in this area to develop an strategic approach to reduce the risk of Bluetongue to the island of Ireland.

You are aware that the Executive agreed to suspend, with effect from 1 March 2008, the importation of certain breeding and production animals. This decision was taken in light or emerging science following the importation of an animal from the Netherlands to a farm in North Antrim that turned out to be infected. Similar action was taken by Mary Coughlan TD in the South.

Our action prompted Brussels to consider further the conditions under which susceptible animals are allowed to move out of Bluetongue zones. The Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) met in Brussels on 4 and 5 March and agreed to strengthen the Bluetongue regulation. The suspension of the importation of certain breeding and production animals remains in force and will do so until this SCoFCAH decision is published and comes into effect.

We continue to work closely with DAFF to ensure that the measures in place on the island of Ireland are proportionate to the increased risk of the vector activity. Regular formal, and informal, communication between our Departments at all levels allows this to happen. The disease risk will be kept under review and appropriate action taken as required.

Rural Development Plan

Mr I McCrea asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail why she has retained the seven cluster delivery model to proceed with the Rural Development Plan.

(AQO 2842/08)

Ms M Gildernew: On 20 September last I announced that the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 (RDP) would be delivered through self-formed clusters of at least three councils. Since then, progress in forming clusters and animating rural areas has been good. All councils have now joined clusters, seven in all, and local action groups will soon be in place to start developing the strategies that will allow programme funds to flow.

Bluetongue Disease

Mr S Neeson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps she has taken to provide for a bluetongue vaccination if required.

(AQO 2908/08)

Ms M Gildernew: EU rules do not allow for vaccination against Bluetongue in an area that is free from the disease, which is the case on the island of Ireland. In addition, there are no supplies of any approved vaccine yet available for the strain of Bluetongue currently affecting England and Northern Europe. However, it is expected that supplies of such vaccine will become available in May this year.

Defra have ordered 22.5 million doses of vaccine for use in those areas of England that are already affected by Bluetongue. Some of this order is available for Wales, if needed. Scotland is considering their position about ordering vaccine as it is expected that the disease will continue to spread northwards in Britain.

While the island of Ireland is a separate epidemiological unit and is currently free from bluetongue disease, we are considering the situation carefully with colleagues in the South and exploring the various options open to us to ensure that vaccine will be available if required.

My aim is to keep the disease out of our country and to retain our free status for as long as is possible. This will allow us to see how the vaccines that are presently being developed work in on-farm situations elsewhere. Meantime I continue to keep the veterinary risk under review and will order vaccine if that is considered necessary.

Locally Sourced Products

Rev Dr R Coulter asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail her policy on the use of locally sourced products.

(AQO 2914/08)

Ms M Gildernew: DFP is the Government Department with responsibility for public sector contracts and I met recently with Peter Robinson MP MLA to discuss how we can increase the use of locally sourced products. I am keen that we explore all opportunities to use local produce as much as possible whilst adhering to EU law, which requires that all public procurement is carried out in a way that is fair and transparent.

My officials are working alongside DFP’s Central Procurement Directorate to develop advice and guidance on public procurement of food through the Sustainable Procurement Action Plan.

In terms of departmental support, DARD’s Regional Food Programme provides financial assistance to promote quality regional food. In addition, our Processing and Marketing Scheme provides assistance to help improve the competitiveness of the agri-food sector. CAFRE also provides a comprehensive range of education and training programmes for producers and processors targeted at developing technical and business management skills.

CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE

Book Spending

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the amount spent on the purchase of new books in each library in the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

(AQW 5295/08)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr E Poots): The South Eastern Education and Library Board (SEELB) Public Library Service purchases stock centrally for all of its branch libraries. Stock is allocated on the basis of a formula dependant on the size of the library and the population served.

The actual book expenditure in SEELB Libraries in the last 5 years is as follows:

2007/08 £782,000

2006/07 £758,726

2005/06 £235,133

2004/05 £233,082

2003/04 £672,280

Arts and Culture Funding

Mr R Beggs asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the expenditure on publicly-funded arts and culture in 2007-08, broken down by constituency.

(AQW 5321/08)

Mr E Poots: Arts

Funding in support of the arts in Northern Ireland is disbursed through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Exchequer funding awarded by the Arts Council in 2007/08 broken down by constituency is shown in the table below:

Constituency	Award
Belfast East	£225,817
Belfast North	£1,643,890
Belfast South	£18,644,841
Belfast West	£881,141
East Antrim	£27,518
East Londonderry	£119,797.35
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	£92,294
Foyle	£5,168,672.50
Lagan Valley	£306,348
Mid Ulster	£33,390
Newry and Armagh	£299,045
North Antrim	£47,210
North Down	£162,351
South Antrim	£67,080
South Down	£75,850
Strangford	£50,345.70
Upper Bann	£41,188
West Tyrone	£2,500
Total	£27,889,278.55

Museums

The Northern Ireland Museums Council have a small grant programme which provides assistance to local Museums for the care of their collections and for improving the public's access to these collections. Grants claimed to date, broken down by constituency, are detailed in the table below:

Constituency	Award
Belfast South	£15,717.56
East Antrim	£34,900.40
East Londonderry	£45,097.09
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	£17,212.42
Foyle	£7,790
Lagan Valley	£13,417
Newry and Armagh	£12,551
North Antrim	£23,791
North Down	£117,715
South Down	£12,411
West Tyrone	£6,646.32
Total	£307,248.79

DCAL also funds Northern Ireland’s National Museums which incorporates the Ulster Museum in Belfast, the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra, the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, Armagh County Museum and W5 at the Odyssey. Total costs for National Museums Operations split by constituency area are as follows:

Constituency	Award
Belfast East (W5)	£2,100,000
Newry & Armagh	£186,000
North Down	£10,740,000
West Tyrone	£1,955,000
Total	£14,981,000

In addition, the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s total expenditure in 2007/08 was £1,978,000.

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity

With the exception of funding to the Gaeltacht Quarter (£182k), which is specifically targeted at West Belfast, other funding for cultural and linguistic diversity is not available by constituency.

Libraries

DCAL funds the five Education and Library Boards for the delivery of the public library service. The funding allocated for the last three years was provided in AQO2854/08. A breakdown is not available by parliamentary constituency.

DCAL also allocated £290k recurrent and £27k capital grant to the Linen Hall Library (Belfast) and £26k recurrent grant to the Cardinal O'Fiaich Library and Archive (Armagh).

Protestant Working Class Communities

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail all the projects he has funded as a result of the "Taskforce on Protestant Working Class Communities" and the United Kingdom Government's response paper.

(AQW 5364/08)

Mr E Poots: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has funded the following projects or programmes as a result of the Taskforce:

Project/Programme	Administered by
Marginalised Youth Interventions	Northern Ireland Screen Commission
Intergenerational Film Project	Northern Ireland Screen Commission
Building Community through Media	Northern Ireland Screen Commission
Local and Family History Workshops	Ulster Historical Foundation
Sound and Vision-Exploring Cultural Identity through Music, Film & Culture	W5
Place, Identity and Art (later redeveloped as STart UP)	Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Re-Imaging Communities	Arts Council of Northern Ireland

Twelfth of July Celebrations

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the assistance his department is providing to the Orange Institution to promote the Twelfth of July celebrations.[R]

(AQW 5384/08)

Mr E Poots: From 1 April 2008 the Community Festivals Fund of £450k is being devolved to local Government and it will be a matter for them to assess the merits of applications from event organisers, including the Orange Institution.

My Department is currently providing funding to the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland for an Education Officer. While this funding is not directly related to the promotion of the Twelfth of July celebrations, it does allow the Lodge to work extensively with the local community and the Good Relations Officers in local Councils to promote a greater understanding of the Lodge and its annual celebrations.

Northern Ireland Events Company

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail his plans to replace and manage grant applications formerly undertaken by the Northern Ireland Events Company.

(AQW 5392/08)

Mr E Poots: I am committed to having a facility in place to continue to provide grant funding to support world class events in Northern Ireland to showcase the best of what Northern Ireland has to offer. Recent examples of grant funding include the Tennis Legends in February 2008 and the FIM Trials World and European Championships 2008 in April 2008.

My Department has now established a DCAL Events Unit to undertake the events functions previously undertaken by the Northern Ireland Events Company.

An event grant funding programme was launched on 28^th March 2008 with public advertisements in the press on 28^th March 2008 and notification on the Department’s website www.dcalni.gov.uk. Applications have been invited for funding for 2008-2009, under the following two funding streams:

(a)Events Growth Fund (EGF); and

(b)Major Events Fund (MEF).

All events must secure Private Sector sponsorship to be eligible for funding.The closing date and deadline for receipt of applications isFriday 2^nd May 2008, no later than 5.00 pm. All applications will be assessed by the Department’s grant funding team against grant funding criterion. There have been 41 application packs issued up to 10 April 2008.

Although the NI Events Company will be dissolved, the function of promoting events in support of Northern Ireland’s image, tourism and economic development will continue. My Department is actively seeking to facilitate the transition to a new arrangement for delivering the events function. DCAL will on an interim basis, take on the management of the events function.

Bamford Report

Mr R Beggs asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to advise what action he (i) has taken; (ii) is planning to take, to progress the implementation of the 'inclusion' agenda as outlined in the Bamford Report.

(AQW 5415/08)

Mr E Poots: DCAL continues to maintain and develop policies consistent with the Bamford Review and recognises the need to progress the ‘inclusion’ agenda contained therein.

Initiatives in Arts, Culture and Sport have been taken to implement the ‘inclusion’ agenda and these initiatives will continue to be developed and progressed.

Armagh Observatory

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the reasons for the Armagh Observatory's financial difficulties, which threaten the existence of the Observatory.

(AQW 5456/08)

Mr E Poots: The reasons for the funding difficulties are increased salaries and associated pension contribution costs.

The Department recognised the funding difficulties faced and provided uplifts of 27% on baseline for each of the next 3 years.

Despite this, the Director of the Observatory has indicated in his Business Plan that this is not enough and he requires a further £160k.

The Department will continue to engage with the Board of Governors of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in support of their efforts to maintain sustainability.

Departmental Funding

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the bands that have successfully received funding through (i) the Ulster-Scots Agency; and (ii) the Arts Council, since May 2007.

(AQW 5473/08)

Mr E Poots: Details of the funding awarded to bands through the Ulster-Scots Agncy and the Arts Council since May 2007 are shown in the tables below:

Ulster-Scots Agency

Name	Project	Award
Tullywhisker Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£2,100
Drumlough Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£876.87
Crilly Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£755
William Kerr Mem Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,418
Dyan Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,157.50
Curlough Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£862.50
Trillick Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,025.50
Lavin Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£400
Aughintober Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,725
Benburb Mem Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,725
Brunswick Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£2,250
Hamilton Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£700
Moneymore Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£1,260
Mourne Young Defenders Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£1,800
Newtownbutler Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£1,062.50
Carricklongfield Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,763.12
Donemana Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,800
Drumnalough Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£916.50
Drumquin Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£675
Sir George White Mem Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£2,700
Mullagh Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£2,287
Lisnaskea Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£1,600
Dunloy Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£2,137.50
Markethill Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£937.50
Sylera Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,800
Kellswater Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£900
Ardress Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£1,672.50
Omagh True Blues Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£1,575
Grallagh Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£1,912.50
Knockloughrim Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£1,800
Knockinroe Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£1,822.50
Salterstown Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£900
Blossomhill Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£600
Anktell Moutray Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,800
Magheraboy Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£1,800
Upper Crossgare Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,500
Closkelt Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£900
Roden Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£2,100
Corbet Acc Band	Musical Tuition	£1,600
Kilcluney Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£825
Tamlaght O Crilly Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,200
Inver Flute Band	Musical Tuition	£915
O Neill Pipe Band	Musical Tuition	£1,612.50
Dunloy Acc Band	Musical Compositions	£7,200
Benburb Mem Pipe Band	Ulster Scots Night	£240
Doohat Acc Band	Ulster Scots Night	£250
Dunloy Acc Band	Ulster Scots Festival	£622.50
Mourne Young Defenders Flute Band	Ulster Scots Summer School	£1,219

Arts Council of Northern Ireland

Name	Project	Award
Ballymacall True Blues Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,300
Ballymaconnelly Sons of Conquerors	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,525
Ballymoughan Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£2,280
Blaris Accordion Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,688
Burntollet Sons of Ulster	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Carnagh Accordion Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£2,295
Coalisland Jubilee Accordion Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,688
Crumlin Young Loyalist Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£3,963
Cullybackey Pipe Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Curran Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Dromara Highland Pipe Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Drumconvis Young Defenders Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£3,795
Drumnaglough Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£3,775
Dyan Pipe Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,594
George A Dummigan Accordion Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,000
Gilnahirk Pipe Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£3,438
Gortagilly Musical Society	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Grallagh Unionist Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Hounds of Ulster	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Killycoogan Accordion Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Kilrea Pipe Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,999
Knockloughrim Accordion Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Lisnaskea Silver Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Maghera Sons of William	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£2,730
Magheraboy Flute Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£3,723
Muckamore Cultural Music Society	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Newmills Silver Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Pride of Ardoyne	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,605
Pride of the Maine	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£3,690
Pride of The Park Flute Band Armoy	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,013
Saint Patrick's Pipe Band, Drumquin	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£4,901
St Eugene's Band Omagh	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Tullywhisker Pipe Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Tyrone Ditches Pipe Band	Lottery – Musical Instruments	£5,000
Moneymore Accordion Band	Awards for All	£2,880
Letterbreen Silver Band	Awards for All	£5,795
Armagh Old Boys Silver Band (and Social Club)	Awards for All	£8,800
Magheraboy Flute Band	Awards for All	£3,600
Bawn Silver Band	Awards for All	£5,500
Aghavilly Accordion Band	Awards for All	£500
Upper Crossgare Pipe Band	Awards for All	£5,000
Belfast Women Drummers / Chidambaram Womens Samba Band	Awards for All	£3,870
Ardboe Central Youth Band	Awards for All	£5,000
Ballycoan Pipe Band	Awards for All	£5,970

Townland Names

Mr D Ford asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the action his department is taking to use townland names, where applicable, in view of the resolution passed by the first Assembly on 1 October 2001.

(AQW 5539/08)

Mr E Poots: My Department recognises the historic, cultural and linguistic value of townland names, and uses them where applicable in its documents and correspondence.

Sports Complex in Coleraine

Mr F Brolly asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail any proposals in relation to the creation of a sports complex in Coleraine.

(AQW 5649/08)

Mr E Poots: I attended meetings with representatives of Coleraine Borough Council on Monday 31^st March and Friday 4^th April 2008 at which the Council outlined their proposals regarding the future of Coleraine Showgrounds. One of the options presented was a new sports complex for Coleraine. It is however a matter for the Council to determine which option is best for the Coleraine Borough Council area.

Feile an Phobail Funding

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, pursuant to his answer to AQW 4427/08, if he would consider funding Feile an Phobail if it can demonstrate a greater self-reliance on box office receipts and private sector sponsorship.

(AQW 5680/08)

Mr E Poots: On a without prejudice basis, I would give consideration to a business case from an established community festival that can demonstrate, over time, a greater self-reliance on box office receipts and private sector sponsorship.

Northern Ireland Museums

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail his policy in relation to (i) the Northern Ireland Museums Council; (ii) development of a museums policy; and (iii) funding for local, independent and voluntary museums.

(AQW 5681/08)

Mr E Poots: The Review of Public Administration recommended that the functions of the Council be transferred to central and local government. The Department is considering options for implementing the RPA decision. In the meantime I have extended funding until March 2009.

In view of competing priorities my Department has no plans in the short term to develop a museums policy.

This Department is responsible for the funding of National Museums. The funding of local, independent and voluntary museums is not a matter for this Department.

Departmental Publications

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the number of publications he has produced in (i) Irish; (ii) Ulster Scots; and (iii) other languages.

(AQW 5682/08)

Mr E Poots: Since devolution the core branches in my Department have produced 10 formal publications in English and additional information has also been placed on the Departmental website. None of these documents have been produced in any other language; however translations will be arranged on request. To date I have not received any requests for publications in another language. These figures do not include publications produced by any of the bodies funded by my Department.

European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the steps he has taken to (i) implement the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; (ii) promote the Irish language; and (iii) promote Ulster Scots.

(AQW 5698/08)

Mr E Poots: My Department provides the secretariat to the Inter-departmental Charter Implementation Group responsible for over-seeing implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) in Northern Ireland. In addition DCAL provides advice and guidance on the ECRML to other Public Bodies.

My Department implements those provisions relevant to DCAL through a number of programmes and services such as the Irish Language Translation Service. The services provided by my Department to meet the obligations of the Charter are identified in the UK’s periodic reports to the Council of Europe, available on the Council’s website at: http://www.coe.int/t/e/legal_affairs/local_and_regional_democracy/regional_or_minority_languages/2_Monitoring/Monitoring_table.asp#TopOfPage

The next report detailing steps taken by all Departments operating in Northern Ireland is due to be published later in 2008.

The most recent report (2005) acknowledges and details how the Department is promoting the Irish Language and Ulster-Scots.

Ulster Scots

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the number of people who (i) can communicate verbally in Ulster Scots; (ii) can communicate in writing in Ulster Scots; and (iii) communicate in Ulster Scots on a daily basis.

(AQW 5713/08)

Mr E Poots: The last census did not include reference to the Ulster-Scots language and its speakers. As a result it is not possible to provide definitive answers to your specific questions. However I would refer you to the findings of The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (1999) which found that 2% of the population spoke Ulster-Scots: this would be around 35,000 people. The Ulster-Scots Language Society estimates that there are 100,000 speakers. In addition there are Ulster-Scots speakers in east Donegal and also up to two million Scots speakers in Scotland.

Crumlin Glen Project

Mr T Burns asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, pursuant to his answer to AQW 5278/08, to detail (i) the amount of funding his department provided to the Crumlin Glen Project; (ii) when this funding was provided; and (ii) to whom the funding was provided.

(AQW 5840/08)

Mr E Poots: My Department paid £20,000 grant - aid from its water recreation programme towards the total cost of Antrim Borough Council’s Crumlin Glen project. This grant - aid payment was made by cheque to Antrim Borough Council’s Finance Branch on 25 July 2007 and cashed on 3 August 2007.

British Olympics Association

Mr A Ross asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the discussions his department has had with (i) the British Olympics Association; and (ii) other sporting bodies, to ensure that athletes from Northern Ireland are able to compete for the Great Britain team.

(AQW 5857/08)

Mr E Poots: Responsibility for ensuring Northern Ireland athletes can compete for the Great Britain team rests, in the first instance, with the relevant sports governing bodies and the British Olympic Association.

Irish Hockey Union

Mr A Ross asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail his plans to hold discussions with the Irish Hockey Union in relation to exploring the possibility of establishing a Northern Ireland hockey team to compete in the Commonwealth Games.

(AQW 5858/08)

Mr E Poots: Representation and affiliation arrangements within any sport are determined by the respective governing bodies. The establishment of a Northern Ireland hockey team to compete in the Commonwealth Games should be addressed, in the first instance, by the Irish Hockey Union and the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council.

Olympic Elite Programme Projects

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to provide an update on the progress that has been made in relation to the Olympic Elite Programme projects.

(AQW 5912/08)

Mr E Poots: The Strategic Outline Business Case for the Elite Facilities Capital Programme has been approved and Sport Northern Ireland will begin work on the next stage of the competition. As part of this programme the Outline Business Case for the proposed 50m swimming pool in North Down Borough Council is under consideration.

Sports Grounds Legislation

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the reasons why the Safety of Sports Grounds legislation has not been fully implemented until now.

(AQW 5940/08)

Mr E Poots: Sport Northern Ireland (SNI) and other sports bodies have sought assurances from my Department that it would not proceed to full implementation of the safe sports grounds legislation prior to the establishment of an independent oversight function.

My officials are currently working with SNI on arrangements for the establishment of the function at SNI.

Northern Ireland Events Company

Mr F Molloy asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure when he will publish the forensic audit into the Northern Ireland Events Company.

(AQO 2887/08)

Mr E Poots: I understand from KPMG, the financial advisors appointed to undertake the review, that interviews with the Company’s former Chief Executive and the Board members have not yet been finalised. Under the circumstances I consider it essential that these interviews are conducted and the outcome reflected in the review. For this reason I recognised that there will be a delay in completing the report.

I have undertaken to report to the Assembly on the findings of this review. When the Department receives the KPMG review report, I will wish to consider the findings and may seek legal and other advice on any sensitive matters arising. It will be crucial that careful consideration is given to handling the findings in the report to avoid any public discussion that may be prejudicial to further investigations or the potential for legal proceedings.

I have issued a written statement on the current position regarding the Northern Ireland Events Company, which has been placed in the Assembly Library on 3^rd April 2008.

Olympic Centres of Excellence

Mrs M Bradley asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline if he is satisfied that (i) there is enough money in the budget to fund the building of 10 Olympic Centres of Excellence; and (ii) there is a geographical spread of proposed centres to ensure that all sub-regions of Northern Ireland will share in the Olympic legacy.

(AQO 2838/08)

Mr E Poots: The Elite Facilities Capital Programme is a competition being managed by Sport Northern Ireland on behalf of my Department.

In March 2006, the then Minister for Sport, David Hanson MP announced that approximately £50m had been provisionally allocated for high priority sports infrastructure projects.

However there is now a provisional allocation of c£281m for sport capital projects over the 10-year period covered by the Investment Strategy Northern Ireland 2008-2018. Allocations to the particular programmes, including the Elite Facilities Capital Programme, will be informed by the priorities set out within the draft Strategy for Sport and Physical Recreation.

Following the 2^nd Elite Facilities Capital Programme Competition, which was open to all governing bodies of sport, public bodies and private organisation including consortiums, 14 projects have met the criteria as set by Sport Northern Ireland and they will be invited to proceed to the next stage.

From these 14 projects a number will be invited to proceed to the construction stage again based on criteria set by Sport Northern Ireland on behalf of my Department with funding being drawn from the allocation of c£281m available for Sports Capital projects as part of ISNI II.

While it is desirable that there will be a geographical spread in the provision of elite facilities, the projects selected for funding will be determined following a competition and in these circumstances the applications will be assessed on merit.

Road Bowls

Mr C Boylan asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what steps he has taken to explore future funding and promotion of the sport of road bowls.

(AQO 2882/08)

Mr E Poots: Responsibility for the funding and promotion of road bowls rests, not with me, but with the Irish Road Bowling Association.

Library Spending

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail (i) the amount of per capita funding Belfast receives for libraries; and (ii) the amount of funding that will be spent on libraries from the additional £2 million the department received in the final budget allocation.

(AQO 2856/08)

Mr E Poots: In 2008/09 the Belfast Education and Library Board has received an initial allocation of £4.921m recurrent expenditure which is £18.41 per capita.

The Libraries budget received £500k of the additional £2m allocated to the Department in the final allocation for the 2008/09 financial year.

Theatre Access

Mr B McElduff asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what action he is taking to increase audiences for theatres and access to theatres for people living in rural areas.

(AQO 2890/08)

Mr E Poots: Over the last ten years the Arts Council has invested lottery funding in the development of regional theatres and venues across Northern Ireland. These include the Burnavon Arts Centre, Cookstown, the Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Market Place Theatre, Armagh, Flowerfield Arts Centre, Coleraine, Alley Arts Centre, Strabane, Strule Arts Centre, Omagh and Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena. Together with the Ardowen Theatre, Enniskillen and the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine, this has created a regional network of arts venues, most of which have performance facilities.

The majority of people in rural areas live within a 20 mile radius of at least one of these venues.

The Arts Council also provides financial support for certain theatre companies to tour to these venues, thereby increasing access to the product outside urban centres.

The Arts Council also supports Audiences Northern Ireland, the audience development agency which works with organisations to develop and diversify audiences for the arts. Many of the regional theatres are members of Audiences Northern Ireland and avail of marketing and audience development consultancy and training.

Audiences Northern Ireland is currently preparing a new business plan that will target smaller community and voluntary organisations to grow audiences and remove barriers to attendance.

Irish Language Broadcasting Fund

Mr F Brolly asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail his plans to secure future support and funding for an Irish Language Broadcasting Fund.

(AQO 2886/08)

Mr E Poots: My officials have been in recent contact with the Northern Ireland Office with a view to determining how the UK ensures compliance with the Council of Europe Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in respect of its agreed media provisions.

Broadcasting remains a reserved matter, therefore, it is planned to continue these discussions with officials in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Sport Funding

Lord Browne asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the amount of funding, both directly and through third parties, that the Irish Football Association, the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Ulster Rugby Branch have received from his department, over the last three years.

(AQO 2853/08)

Mr E Poots: Sport Northern Ireland is responsible for the development of sport including the distribution of funding. Over the last three financial years, Sport Northern Ireland has provided a total of £12,430,351 of Exchequer funding to the Irish Football Association, the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

Northern Ireland Screen Projects

Mr S Gardiner asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the projects that have been undertaken by Northern Ireland Screen in the last three years; and the amount spent on these projects.

(AQO 2825/08)

Mr E Poots: Over last three years the Northern Ireland Screen Commission has provided financial support for a number of feature films shot on location in Northern Ireland which include Closing the Ring, City of Ember, and The Mighty Celt. Television dramas supported include, Messiah, Fairy Tales and Desperados as well as children’s programmes Bel’s Boys, Lifeboat Luke and Sesame Tree. Film and Television production is funded primarily by Invest NI.

Projects funded by DCAL through the Irish Language Broadcast Fund include the feature film Kings and television programmes such as Na Dódaí, a pre school education/entertainment series and Imeall Geal, a studio based youth entertainment series, both of which have been broadcast on BBC NI. In addition, Seacht, a youth drama series and Scil, a studio based sports entertainment programme have been broadcast on TG4.

The Northern Ireland Screen Commission also supports a range of film exhibition activities including Queens Film Theatre, Belfast Film Festival, Foyle Film Festival, Cinemagic children’s film festival and Northern Visions community television. It also maintains a digital film archive.

In 2006/07 and 2007/08, Northern Ireland Screen administered funding secured by DCAL from the Children and Young Peoples Fund to support the work of the three Creative Learning Centres - the Nerve Centre, the AmmA Centre and Studio On. The centres provide a range of opportunities for children and young people, teachers, youth groups and youth workers in the creative use of digital technologies. In 2007/08, it also supported the Schools Film Club Pilot Project.

Northern Ireland Screen also supports the Northern Ireland Skillset Media Academy and provides financial support for the MA in Film and Television Management at the University of Ulster.

Expenditure for the key business areas in each of the last three years is as follows:

Key Area	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08*
Production and Development	£3,700,000	£4,200,000	£3,987,000
Education and Heritage	£156,000	£1,300,000	£1,094,000
Exhibition	£422,000	£441,000	£497,000
Irish Language Broadcast Fund	£2,800,000	£2,994,000	£2,889,000
Other Development Projects (skills development)	£97,000	£409,000	£611,000

* 2007/08 figures are provisional as year end expenditure is not yet available.

Figures rounded to nearest £000.

Library Services

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the amount allocated to each Education and Library Board for library services in each of the last three years.

(AQO 2854/08)

Mr E Poots: The attached table sets out details on the amounts allocated to Education and Library Boards for library services in each year from 2005/06 to 2007/08. I will place a copy of this answer in the Library.

Amount allocated to each Education and Library Board for library services in each of the last three years

		2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
		000s	000s	000s
BELB	Recurrent	5,541	5,774	5,734
BELB	Capital	1,082	865	840
NEELB	Recurrent	4,741	5,415	5569
	ELfNI	3,514	3,923	3,775
	Capital	316	1,193	306
SEELB	Recurrent	5,376	5,634	6,007
SEELB	Capital	243	515	2,439
SELB	Recurrent	4,533	4,996	5,273
SELB	Capital	559	656	199
WELB	Recurrent	4,088	4,535	5,299
WELB	Capital	327	183	261
TOTAL	Recurrent	24,279	26,354	27,882
	ELfNI	3,514	3,923	3,775
	Capital	2,527	3,412	4,045

Notes

1. The amounts shown above are final allocated figures and include additional allocations made following successful in year monitoring bids.

2. The Electronic Libraries for Northern Ireland project (ELfNI) is administered by the NEELB on behalf of all five Boards.

Prohibition Notices

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the number of sports organisations that have been served Prohibition Notices under the Safety of Sports Grounds (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

(AQO 2877/08)

Mr E Poots: I am unaware of any Prohibition Notices having been issued to sports organisations under the Safety of Sports Grounds (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

Upcoming Commemorations

Mr T Gallagher asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline the budget and departmental strategy in relation to events and infrastructure related to the upcoming commemorations of the plantation of Ulster.

(AQO 2874/08)

Mr E Poots: The Ulster-Scots Agency has confirmed that they are planning and supporting several projects and events commemorating the Plantation of Ulster. Plans are to be finalised on this issue by May 2008 and is likely to include educational DVDs and touring exhibitions throughout Northern Ireland. The Agency is in discussion with local stakeholders such as Dungannon, Derry City and Cookstown Councils.

The Irish Language Broadcast Fund has allocated funding of £60,000 to the Dissenting Voices series. This consists of four 30 minutes bilingual landmark documentary series to mark the 400th anniversary of the Plantation of Ulster.

EDUCATION

South Eastern Education and Library Board

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of Education to detail the members of the South Eastern Education and Library Board that will be attending the meeting with her on 8 April 2008.

(AQW 4788/08)

The Minister of Education (Ms C Ruane): Tá cuireadh tugtha agam do gach Ionadaí Polaitiúil ar BhOLOD chuig an gcruinniú.

I have invited all Political Representatives on the SEELB to the meeting.

South Eastern Education and Library Board

Mr P J Bradley asked the Minister of Education to confirm if the members of the South Eastern Education and Library Board, invited to the meeting arranged for 8 April 2008, will include those who have been promoting the reinstatement of the Board.

(AQW 4879/08)

Ms C Ruane: Tá cuireadh tugtha agam do gach Ionadaí Polaitiúil ar BhOLOD chuig an gcruinniú.

I have invited all Political Representatives on the SEELB to the meeting.

NJC Pay Increase

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Education to provide an update on the current status of the 2007 NJC pay increase of 2.475% (3.4% on spinal column 4) which was agreed in November 2007, in relation to education sector employees.

(AQW 5061/08)

Ms C Ruane: Education staff groups on NJC pay scales include: Education and Library Board (ELB) staff; the Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment (CCEA); the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS); and the Staff Commission for ELBs. In accordance with the agreed pay policy process business cases for the implementation of the pay award for these groups were submitted by DE to the Department of Finance of Finance and Personnel (DFP) for approval in late February/March.

Faoi láthair tá mo chuid oifigigh ag plé le líon ceisteanna i dtaobh na gcásanna seo a d’ardaigh an RAP agus déanfaidh siad dianiarracht a chinntiú go réiteofar iad seo ionas gur féidir an próiseas a chur chun críche go sásúil agus gan mhoill.

My officials are currently dealing with a number of queries concerning these cases which have been raised by DFP and will endeavour to ensure that these are resolved to enable the process to be brought to a speedy and satisfactory conclusion.

Christian Ethos in Schools

Miss M McIlveen asked the Minister of Education to detail the plans she has to protect the Christian ethos in schools attended by Protestant children, in light of the proposals being drafted for the Educational Skills Authority.

(AQW 5138/08)

Ms C Ruane: The three main Protestant Churches will maintain their right to nominate representatives to the Boards of Governors of those controlled primary schools that they originally owned even if those schools have since been replaced by new schools.

Tá sé de rún agam fosta an tÚdarás Oideachais agus Scileanna a chumasú ionas go mbeidh sé ábalta ionadaithe ó na hEaglaisí Protastúnacha a cheapadh mar bhaill de Bhoird Ghobharnóirí bunscoileanna rialaithe eile agus meánscoileanna rialaithe i gcás gur de bhunadh an phobail Phrotastúnaigh iad formhór na ndaltaí.

It is also my intention to enable the Education and Skills Authority to appoint representatives of the Protestant Churches to the Boards of Governors of other controlled primary schools and of controlled secondary schools where the majority of pupils enrolled at these schools are drawn from the Protestant community.

Educational Psychologists

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Education to detail the shortage of educational psychologists in each Education and Library Board area.

(AQW 5147/08)

Ms C Ruane: Chuir Príomhfheidhmeannaigh na mBord Oideachais agus Leabharlainne (BOL) in iúl dom gur mar seo a leanas atá líon na bhfolúntas coibhéis lánaimseartha i ngach rannóg síceolaíochta oideachais BOL, ag 31 Márta 2008:-

I have been advised by the Chief Executives of the Education and Library Boards (ELBs) that the number of full time equivalent vacancies in each ELB’s educational psychology section, as at 31 March 2008, is as follows:-

BELB - 2

NEELB - 5

SEELB - 3

SELB - 0

WELB - 4

Educational Psychologists

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of educational psychologists employed in each Education and Library Board area.

(AQW 5148/08)

Ms C Ruane: Tá an méid seo a leanas de shíceolaithe oideachais coibhéis lánaimseartha fostaithe ag na Boird Oideachais agus Leabharlainne.

The Education and Library Boards employ the following numbers of full time equivalent educational psychologists.

BELB - 23.94

NEELB - 22.54

SEELB - 25.94

SELB - 28.28

WELB - 23.60

Under Performing Schools

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of schools in each Education and Library Board area that are considered to be (i) low attaining; and (ii) under performing.

(AQW 5150/08)

Ms C Ruane: I have not sought to define thresholds below which schools will be described as low attaining or underperforming. Results, whether above or below the average, must take account of factors such as the context in which the school is operating and the profile of the pupils whose needs it seeks to serve. Judgements on the level of performance of individual schools therefore are based on inspection evidence and not solely on the basis of a school’s results. I believe that what is important is that every school improves year on year.

The new grading system introduced by the Education and Training Inspectorate Grades schools 1-6 and describes lower grades as:

Grade 5 - A few strengths, areas for improvement which require prompt action. Follow-up inspection required.

Grade 6 - Major shortcomings which require urgent action. Follow-up inspection within 12 months.

Details in each Board area for schools graded 5 or 6 in inspection since September 2006 to date:-

	Primary	Post-Primary	Special
WELB	4	1	-
SELB	2	1	-
SEELB	1	-	1
BELB	1	2	-
NEELB	-	1	1

Tá sé tábhachtach a thabhairt faoi deara mar sin féin nach bhfuil sna scoileanna a ndearnadh cigireacht orthu ach sampla de líon iomlán na scoileanna i dTuaisceart Éireann.

It is important to note however that the number of schools inspected is only a sample of the total number of schools in the North of Ireland.

Early Retirement

Mr A Ross asked the Minister of Education for her assessment of the impact on the ability of younger teachers to gain full time employment if older teachers are no longer able to take early retirement.

(AQW 5151/08)

Ms C Ruane: Teachers over the age of 50 (55 from April 2010) continue to be eligible for premature retirement benefits if they are made redundant or leave pensionable employment on the grounds of the efficient discharge of the employer’s function. Premature retirement compensation comprises:

(i) the immediate early payment of accrued pension benefits; and

(ii) at the employing authority’s discretion, an additional service credit of up to 6⅔ years.

My Department has taken action to ensure that those responsible for decisions to award the discretionary element ("added years") should also be accountable for the associated costs.

In addition, reform of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme effective from April 2007 provides that teachers over the age of 55 who voluntarily leave pensionable employment can, with their employer’s consent, obtain early access to their pension benefits, which will be actuarially reduced. Employers cannot withhold their consent for longer than six months.

I recognise that there are concerns about the possible effect any changes to the Premature Retirement Compensation Scheme (PRCS) may have on the employment prospects of younger teachers. However, it is difficult to gauge the impact, if any, such changes might have on younger teachers given that prematurely retired teachers are routinely re-employed as substitute teachers, in spite of guidance issued by the Department exhorting employers to give preference to newly qualified teachers.

Ina theannta sin, cáineadh flaithiúlacht an PRCS ag an gCoiste um Chuntais Phoiblí i dTeach na dTeachtaí, a dúirt nár mhodh éifeachtach é le hairgead an cháiníocóir a chaitheamh trí phacáistí iomarcaíochta costasacha a thabhairt do mhúinteoirí aosta le fostaíocht a ráthú do mhúinteoirí óga.

Furthermore, the generous nature of the PRCS has drawn criticism from the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, who observed that giving expensive redundancy packages to older teachers in order to guarantee employment for younger teachers is not an effective use of taxpayers’ money.

Class Sizes

Mr A Ross asked the Minister of Education to detail the average class size in primary schools, broken down by sector, in each of the last five years.

(AQW 5155/08)

Ms C Ruane: Is é seo a leanas an t-eolas a iarradh.

The information requested is as follows.

Average class size¹ in primary schools 2003/04 - 2007/08
Management type	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
Controlled	23	23	23	23	23
Voluntary	19	20	19	19	19
Catholic maintained	23	23	23	23	23
Other maintained	19	20	19	18	19
Controlled integrated	21	22	22	22	22
Grant maintained integrated	26	26	26	27	26
All schools	23	23	23	23	23

Source: NI school census

Note:

1. Data refers to Year 1 – 7 classes.

Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of Education to detail, during the 18 month period up to 31 March 2006, the number of applications for funding of home based Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) programmes that were (i) received; (ii) approved; and (iii) awarded as a result of a tribunal.

(AQW 5177/08)

Ms C Ruane: Chuir Príomhfheidhmeannaigh na mBord Oideachais agus Leabharlainne an chomhairle seo a leanas ar fáil dom:-

I am advised by the Chief Executives of the education and library boards as follows:-

Financial years 2001/02 - 2007/08	Number of applications	Number approved	Number awarded by tribunal
Belfast	19	8	0
North Eastern	5	2	0
South Eastern	11	11	1
Southern	5	0	0
Western	11	8	0

Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Lord Morrow asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of applications for funding of home based Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) programmes that were (i) received; (ii) approved; and (iii) awarded as a result of a tribunal, (a) during the 5 years up to 31 March 2006; and (b) since this date.

(AQW 5178/08)

Ms C Ruane: Chuir Príomhfheidhmeannaigh na mBord Oideachais agus Leabharlainne an chomhairle seo a leanas ar fáil dom:-

I am advised by the Chief Executives of the education and library boards as follows:-

Financial years 2001/02 - 2007/08	Number of applications	Number approved	Number awarded by tribunal
Belfast	19	8	0
North Eastern	5	2	0
South Eastern	11	11	1
Southern	5	0	0
Western	11	8	0

Commissioners Expenses

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Education to detail the remuneration and expenses paid to each of the Commissioners appointed to the South Eastern Education and Library Board, for each year since their appointment.

(AQW 5182/08)

Ms C Ruane: The South Eastern Education and Library Board has advised that the total cost of payments, including expenses, made to the commissioners since 6 July 2006 when they were first appointed, is as follows:

6 July 2006 – 31 March 2007 £75,406

1 April 2007 – 29 February 2008 £88,736

Is iad seo na suimeanna a íocadh ag na coimisinéirí aonair do na blianta faoi seach: £22,868, £19,099, £16,453, £16,986; agus £28,215, £21,616, £15,726, £23,179.

The breakdown of the amounts paid to individual commissioners for the respective years is: £22,868, £19,099, £16,453, £16,986; and £28,215, £21,616, £15,726, £23,179.

South Eastern Education and Library Board

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Education to provide an update on when she intends to restore powers to the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

(AQW 5191/08)

Ms C Ruane: In the interests of local accountability it would be appropriate that the members of the SEELB Board should resume their former responsibilities. However, it is essential to ensure that there would be no return to the difficulties which the Commissioners inherited when they were appointed in July 2006 and that the stability which has since been achieved is sustained.

On 8 April 2008 I had a very useful meeting with the Council nominees on the Board to discuss their readiness and willingness to take up their former responsibilities and to deliver those effectively. I plan now to meet with the other members of the South Eastern Education and Library Board to advise them of the outcome of these discussions and to seek their views. Collectively, they are the majority of the membership and their full participation will therefore be critical if the Board is to have a workable quorum.

Is é an sprioc ná bheith ábalta cinneadh deiridh a dhéanamh chomh luath agus is féidir; más féidir é a dhéanamh roimh an samhradh is amhlaidh is fearr é.

The objective is to be able to reach a final decision as soon as possible; preferably before the summer.

Teaching and Learning Resources

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of Education to give her assessment of the level of teaching and learning resources that are available to teachers and learners of Irish at (i) key stage 3; (ii) key stage 4; (iii) AS level; and (iv) A2 level, in English medium post-primary schools; and to outline the action she is taking to address this matter.

(AQW 5194/08)

Ms C Ruane: It is for schools to decide on the level of resources they use to deliver the curriculum and to provide for them.

My Department has allocated £67,000 to the Southern Education and Library Board, on behalf of all Boards, for the development of a suitable resource to support the teaching of Irish at Key Stage 3. This will be provided to schools later this year.

The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) provides a range of materials to support teachers and learners taking its GCSE and GCE A-Level Irish specifications, and has a dedicated micro-site for Irish. CCEA is currently developing additional materials to support its revised GCSE and GCE A-Level Irish specifications.

Tá treoirlínte curtha le chéile ag CCEA agus An Chomhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim & Measúnachta sa Deisceart do mhúinteoirí i dtaca le daltaí sárbhuacha, iléirimiúla a mhúineadh ón bhonnchéim tríd go hArd-Leibhéal. Mar pháirt de na treoirlínte sin, tá saintreoir le cuidiú le múinteoirí foghlaimeoirí a aithint atá níos cumasaí ó thaobh úsáid na Gaeilge de ag aois ar bith agus príomhthréithe na bhfoghlaimeoirí a bhfuil cumas teangeolaíoch acu.

CCEA, along with the National Council for Curriculum & Assessment in the South, has also produced guidelines for teachers on the education of gifted and talented pupils from foundation stage through to A-level. This includes specific guidance to assist teachers in identifying learners who are more able in the use of the Irish language at any age and key characteristics of learners with linguistic ability.

Bunscoil Bhaile an Chaistil

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of Education what action she is taking to ensure that pupils in Bunscoil Bhaile an Chaistil are taught in accommodation that meets the highest quality standards; and to outline a timeframe in which improvements to the current sub-standard accommodation will be made.

(AQW 5195/08)

Ms C Ruane: As the school has reached the minimum intake levels required to become eligible for capital funding, the Department has commenced the process to vest the site and premises in the school trustees and the department.

My department is currently awaiting the necessary documentation from the school trustees to take this matter forward. I have requested that officials have an urgent meeting with the school to obtain the necessary documentation and to facilitate the school.

Agus dílsiú déanta, beidh an Roinn sna míonna atá romhainn ag breathnú i gcomhar leis an scoil ar na ceisteanna cóiríochta gearrthéarmacha agus fadtéarmacha agus déanfar breithmheas eacnamaíochta ar na roghanna don scoil.

Following vesting the department will be considering with the school in the coming months the accommodation issues for the short and longer terms and conduct an economic appraisal of options for the school.

Irish Medium Schools

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of Education to detail (i) the amount of rent payments owed by her department to Irish medium schools, and other Irish medium groups, that will be paid; (ii) the amount owed to each school and group; and (ii) a timeframe within which this payment will be made.

(AQW 5196/08)

Ms C Ruane: Faoi láthair tá an Roinn ag comhoibriú le hIontaobhas na Gaelscolaíochta (InaG) maidir le theidhlíocht cíosa i leith chóiríocht fhaofa i scoileanna Gaeilge. Tá InaG ag soláthar eolais ar na háitribh ionas go bhféadfaí an gníomh a chur i gcrích agus beidh na hamscálaí ina leith seo ag brath ar an eolas cuí a bheith ar fáil.

The Department is currently liaising with Iontaobhas na Gaelscolaíochta (InaG) on the entitlement to rent for approved accommodation in Irish medium schools. The InaG are providing information on premises to help complete the exercise and the timescales for doing so will be dependent on having all of the necessary information.

Alcohol Abuse

Mr G Robinson asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of pupils excluded from schools in the East Londonderry constituency, where alcohol abuse played a part in their exclusion, in each of the last 5 years.

(AQW 5206/08)

Ms C Ruane: The reasons for pupil suspensions and expulsions were first collected from the education and library boards in the 2002/03 school year. The following table sets the number of pupils suspended for alcohol abuse from schools in the East Derry constituency:

School Year	Number of Pupils Suspended
2002/03¹	7
2003/04	1
2004/05	5
2005/06	5

1. Figure includes pupils suspended for substance or alcohol abuse

Statistics on pupil expulsions are broken down only by education and library board area and, therefore, it is not possible to provide these figures by constituency area.

Tá anailís á déanamh faoi láthair ar líon na ndaltaí a díbríodh nó a cuireadh ar fionraí le linn na scoilbhliana 2006/07 agus cuirfear na staitisticí sin ar láithreán gréasáin na Roinne Oideachais nuair a bheas an anailís ar fad déanta.

Statistics on expulsions and suspensions for the 2006/07 school year are currently being analysed and will be placed on the Department of Education website when this has been completed.

Milburn School

Mr G Robinson asked the Minister of Education to detail the costs involved in the repair and replacement of property at Milburn School, following the recent burglaries.

(AQW 5254/08)

Ms C Ruane: As a result of recent break-ins at the school the cost to replace seven broken windows, four laptop computers and repair of equipment was £1905.

Tá £6,500 caite ag Bord Oideachais agus Leabharlainne an Oirthuaiscirt fosta ar obair le feabhas a chur ar chúrsaí slándála ag an scoil.

The North Eastern Education and Library Board has also carried out work to improve security at the school at a cost of £6,500.

Breezemount School

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Education to detail her plans for a new primary school in the Breezemount area of Bangor.

(AQW 5256/08)

Ms C Ruane: The South Eastern Education and Library Board (SEELB) published a strategic review paper in December 2005, in which the Board examined the position of a number of schools in the Bangor town area.

Mhol an Bord nach bffuil sé fós sa chás go bhféadfadh sé moltaí daingne a dhéanamh faoin athbhreithniu a chlúdódh na ceithre scoil seo.

The Board has advised that it is not yet in a position to present firm proposals arising from that review which would cover these four schools.

Bloomfield Primary School

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Education to detail her plans for the future of Bloomfield Primary School, Bangor.

(AQW 5257/08)

Mhol an Bord nach bffuil sé fós sa chás go bhféadfadh sé moltaí daingne a dhéanamh faoin athbhreithniu a chlúdódh na ceithre scoil seo.

The Board has advised that it is not yet in a position to present firm proposals arising from that review which would cover these four schools.

Clandeboye Primary School

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Education to detail her plans for the future of Clandeboye Primary School, Bangor.

(AQW 5258/08)

Mhol an Bord nach bffuil sé fós sa chás go bhféadfadh sé moltaí daingne a dhéanamh faoin athbhreithniu a chlúdódh na ceithre scoil seo.

The Board has advised that it is not yet in a position to present firm proposals arising from that review which would cover these four schools.

Kilcooley Primary School

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Education to detail her plans for the future of Kilcooley Primary School, Bangor.

(AQW 5260/08)

Mhol an Bord nach bffuil sé fós sa chás go bhféadfadh sé moltaí daingne a dhéanamh faoin athbhreithniu a chlúdódh na ceithre scoil seo.

The Board has advised that it is not yet in a position to present firm proposals arising from that review which would cover these four schools.

GCSE and A-Level Grades

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of GCSE and A-Level grades that were (i) queried; and (ii) upgraded, for pupils in each of the last three academic years.

(AQW 5293/08)

Ms C Ruane: Tá an t-eolas atá á iarradh agat ar fáil ar an suíomh idirlín ag an Údarás um Cháilíocht agus Churaclam (QCA) -

The information that you request is available on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) website -http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_5778.aspx.

QCA publishes a report each year on the summer GCSE and A Level examinations series detailing enquiries about results and appeals made to the five awarding bodies in England, Wales and the north of Ireland. However there are no figures relating exclusively to the north of Ireland, and these could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Whilst the majority of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment’s (CCEA’s) exam candidates will be local, CCEA’s qualifications are available to pupils in England and Wales. Likewise, schools here are free to use any of the four awarding bodies in England and Wales if they so wish.

Non-Teaching Staff

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Education to detail the reasons for a delay in the payment of non-teaching staff in Education and Library Boards since April 2007.

(AQW 5305/08)

Ms C Ruane: All public sector bodies here must seek the Department of Finance and Personnel’s approval before any pay awards are implemented and, as part of that process, all bodies are required to submit a pay business case to their parent department. This procedure applies even if the public body follows a determined pay settlement in Britain.

Most non-teaching staff within the Education and Library Boards are contractually tied to the National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions and their pay awards are therefore determined by the NJC. Although the NJC pay award was agreed in Britain in November 2007, my Department was only able to seek DFP’s approval in late February 2008 after the receipt of the completed business case.

De réir mar a thuigim, tá cead tugtha ag DFP (RAP) anois i dtaca le gach ball foirne, nach múinteoirí iad, a íoctar ar scálaí tuarastail NJC laistigh de na Boird.

I understand that DFP approval has now been given in respect of all non-teaching staff paid on NJC salary scales within the Boards.

National Pay Agreements

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Education to detail the reasons why national pay agreements in Education and Library Boards require a business case.

(AQW 5307/08)

Ms C Ruane: In May 2007 the Executive agreed to adopt Treasury public sector pay policy. This policy requires all public sector bodies to seek approval from the Department of Finance and Personnel before any pay awards are implemented. Under this policy all public bodies, including the Education and Library Boards, are required to submit a pay business case to their parent department.

I gcás go bhfuil baill foirne ag obair laistigh den eagraíocht chéanna faor réir comhaontuithe pá nó próisis chinntiúcháin phá éagsúla, ní mór cás gnó pá ar leith a chur isteach do gach grúpa.

Where staff working within the same organisation are subject to different pay agreements, or pay determination processes, a separate pay business case must be submitted for each group. This procedure applies even if the public body follows a determined pay settlement.

Press Office

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of Education, pursuant to her answer to AQW 4531/08, to detail the number of staff working in her department's press office, broken down by grade.

(AQW 5388/08)

Ms C Ruane: Tá 4 Preasoifigeach ag obair i bPreasoifig RO – tá briseadh síos bunaithe ar ghrád na bPreasoifigeach mar seo a leanas:

There are currently 4 Press Officers working in DE’s Press Office - a breakdown by grade is as follows:

Grade	Number of staff
Grade 7 (Principal Information Officer)	1
Deputy Principal (Deputy Information Officer)	1
Information Officer (Staff Officer)	2

ICAN Speech and Language Facility

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Education to detail the action she has taken to ensure the ICAN Speech and Language Facility at Ballynahinch will be retained and funded to support the needs of children with speech and language difficulties.

(AQW 5498/08)

Ms C Ruane: The I Can Early Years Centre, which is attached to Ballynahinch Primary School, is funded jointly by the South Eastern Education and Library Board (SEELB) and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. The Department of Education provides no direct funding for the Centre and any decision on the future of the Centre lies with the SEELB.

Chuir Príomhfheidhmeannach BOLOD in iúl dom go bhfuair BOLOD maoiniú, de bharr plé le hIontaobhas Sláinte agus Cúraim Shóisialta an Oirdheiscirt, do I CAN don bhliain airgeadais 2008/09.

The Chief Executive of SEELB has informed me that the SEELB, as a result of discussions with the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, has secured funding for I CAN for the 2008/09 financial year.

Pupil Numbers

Mr G Campbell asked the Minister of Education to detail the change in pupil numbers enrolled in the Maintained and Controlled primary sectors over the last five years.

(AQW 5611/08)

Ms C Ruane: Tá an t-eolas a iarradh sa tábla thíos.

The information requested is detailed in the attached table.

Enrolments at Primary schools by management type 2003/04 – 2007/08

Management Type		2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
Controlled	No of pupils enrolled	83,507	82,182	80,877	79,450	78,108
Controlled	% change on previous year	-	-1.6	- 1.6	-1.8	- 1.7
Voluntary	No of pupils enrolled	2,203	2,190	2,165	2,120	2,127
Voluntary	% change on previous year	-	-0.6	-1.1	-2.1	0.3
Roman Catholic Maintained	No of pupils enrolled	79,993	78,699	77,678	77,044	76,480
Roman Catholic Maintained	% change on previous year	-	-1.6	-1.3	-0.8	-0.7
Other maintained	No of pupils enrolled	2,047	2,129	2,181	2,279	2,304
Other maintained	% change on previous year	-	4.0	2.4	4.5	1.1
Controlled Integrated	No of pupils enrolled	1,180	1,996	2,053	2,095	2,259
Controlled Integrated	% change on previous year	-	10.3	2.9	20.	7.8
Grant Maintained Integrated	No of pupils enrolled	4,607	4,802	4,992	5,196	5,361
Grant Maintained Integrated	% change on previous year	-	4.2	4.0	4.1	3.2
Total	No of pupils enrolled	174,167	171,998	169,946	168,184	166,639
Total	% change on previous year	-	-1.2	-1.2	-1.0	-0.9

Teaching Vacancies

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of teaching vacancies filled on a (i) full-time permanent basis; and (ii) full-time temporary basis, in each of the last three academic years at (a) primary; and (b) post-primary level.

(AQW 5653/08)

Ms C Ruane: Tá an t-eolas a iarradh sa tábla thíos.

The information requested is detailed in the attached table.

Academic Year 2004/2005

EMPLOYER	PRIMARY FULL-TIME PERMANENT	PRIMARY FULL-TIME TEMPORARY	POST PRIMARY FULL-TIME PERMANENT	POST PRIMARY FULL-TIME TEMPORARY
BELB	30	1	51	3
WELB	11	9	14	10
SELB	16	12	29	27
NEELB	33	18	43	18
SEELB	35	20	36	22
CCMS	120	84	180	62
TOTAL	245	144	353	142

Academic Year 2005/2006

EMPLOYER	PRIMARY FULL-TIME PERMANENT	PRIMARY FULL-TIME TEMPORARY	POST PRIMARY FULL-TIME PERMANENT	POST PRIMARY FULL-TIME TEMPORARY
BELB	25	0	42	0
WELB	5	5	14	21
SELB	7	3	32	14
NEELB	42	10	63	32
SEELB	30	11	40	15
CCMS	98	63	131	72
TOTAL	207	92	322	154

Academic Year 2006/2007

EMPLOYER	PRIMARY FULL-TIME PERMANENT	PRIMARY FULL-TIME TEMPORARY	POST PRIMARY FULL-TIME PERMANENT	POST PRIMARY FULL-TIME TEMPORARY
BELB	25	3	22	4
WELB	12	5	23	15
SELB	6	7	38	24
NEELB	42	14	79	54
SEELB	38	10	50	14
CCMS	81	72	131	77
TOTAL	204	111	323	188

Teacher Numbers

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of teachers on each point of the pay scale in (i) controlled; (ii) maintained; (iii) integrated; (iv) Irish Medium; and (v) special schools, at primary and post-primary level.

(AQW 5654/08)

Ms C Ruane: Tá an t-eolas a iarradh sa tábla thíos.

The information requested is detailed in the attached table.

		M1	M2	M3	M4	M5	M6	UPS1	UPS2	UPS3
Controlled	Primary	31	51	82	129	120	188	454	326	1507
	Post-Primary	51	100	114	104	143	153	415	269	1253
Maintained	Primary	13	39	58	72	97	121	356	312	1636
	Post-Primary	30	58	91	97	134	154	379	251	1427
Integrated	Primary	1	13	8	15	15	20	42	15	68
	Post- Primary	15	26	27	33	29	39	92	88	231
Irish Medium	Primary	7	14	8	7	15	11	14	11	9
	Post- Primary	4	4	2	1	2	0	10	3	5
Special	Primary	5	7	24	21	18	41	79	58	232
	Post-Primary	1	0	0	0	0	3	7	4	36

Employer Liability Cover

Mr P McGlone asked the Minister of Education to confirm (i) if all transport providers to Education and Library Boards retain Employer Liability Cover; and (ii) if such liability is specified within the terms and conditions of the tendering process.

(AQW 5884/08)

Ms C Ruane: I regret that the Planning Service’s current IT system does not record applications in sufficient detail to provide the information requested. Accurate figures for the years in question could only be provided through a manual exercise at a disproportionate cost.

EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING

Environmental Audit

Mr D McKay asked the Minister for Employment and Learning for his assessment of the call by the Union of Students in Ireland for an Environmental Audit to be drawn up for every college in Ireland, and if he has any plans to call for a similar audit on colleges in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 5249/08)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Sir Reg Empey): The Executive’s Programme for Government 2008-2011, identifies sustainability as a cross-cutting theme and states that building a sustainable future will be a key requirement for our economic, social and environmental policies and programmes. This includes a commitment to support the wider Public Sector in ensuring that sustainable development principles are taken into account when procuring works, supplies and services. A Sustainable Procurement Action Plan (2008-11) for the NI Public Sector is currently in draft and will be implemented as appropriate by the Department.

The Department has no plans for a formal Environmental Audit to be drawn up for Colleges in Northern Ireland though colleges must ensure that capital building projects are delivered to meet the aim and objectives of the Government’s "Achieving Excellence in Construction" agenda (i.e. the building should be environmentally efficient and sustainable in terms of where it is located, how it has been constructed and how it will be used.)

Each project is required to adopt the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). This assessment/audit sets the standards for best practice in sustainable development with four ratings from pass to excellent. All new projects are encouraged to aim for an excellent rating. BREEAM is independent in its licensing, quality assurance and certification.

Staff Reductions

Mr M Storey asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the arrangements his department has put in place to permit the reduction of staff numbers in Further Education colleges through agreed redundancies, which has been stalled by the withdrawal of funding by his department; and to give assurances that the current situation is not a crisis and will not hinder the development of infrastructures for the 6 'super colleges'.

(AQW 5328/08)

Sir Reg Empey: My Department is working with Further Education Colleges to agree a way forward which would allow redundancies under the Teachers’ Premature Retirement Compensation Scheme to proceed later in the current academic year. A business case has been prepared to support the substantial public expenditure required to fund some 240 such redundancies. The outcome of the business case is expected to be known by the end of April 2008.

Any delay in processing the proposed redundancies under the Scheme has not been through the withdrawal of funding from my Department; the redundancies could not be supported earlier in the year because of pressures on the Teachers’ Superannuation Fund. I am unable to give any assurances as to the way forward until the outcome of the business case is known.

Press Office

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Employment and Learning, pursuant to his answer to AQW 4758/08, to detail the number of staff working in his department's press office, broken down by grade.

(AQW 5390/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The Department for Employment and Learning currently employs seven staff in the press office, a Principal Information Officer (G7), a Senior Information Officer (DP), an Information Officer (SO) and an Assistant Information Officer (EO1), an Executive Officer (EO2) and 2 Administrative Officers (AO).

Drop Out Rates

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the action he is taking to reduce drop out rates.

(AQW 5467/08)

Sir Reg Empey: Empirical evidence suggests that attrition rates at universities are closely aligned with social background. Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds in particular, display, on average, an increased likelihood of drop out.

My Department, therefore, pays a widening participation premium to the Northern Ireland Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). One of the purposes of this funding is to recognise the extra costs involved in supporting and retaining students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

My Department also employs Careers Advisers who provide an all age advice and guidance service, to help young people and adults make informed choices about their future career paths, including their choice of course at university.

In addition, both Queen's University and the University of Ulster have in place a comprehensive range of measures which seek to ensure that all students optimise their potential and leave university with the best possible academic qualification.

Both institutions actively monitor student progression and attrition to identify particular trends and associated causes which, in turn, help to inform and identify specific actions to reduce the number of drop outs.

University Courses

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the number of (i) males; and (ii) females, who have dropped out of undergraduate university courses in each of the last five years.

(AQW 5468/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The numbers of (i) males; and (ii) females, undergraduate students at Northern Ireland Higher Education Institutions who left without gaining an award in each of the last five available years are given in the table below;

Academic Year	Number who left without gaining an award
Academic Year	Male	Female
2001/02	1,480	1,960
2002/03	1,340	1,630
2003/04	1,465	1,580
2004/05	1,725	1,825
2005/06	1,480	1,875

Source: HESA Student Record 2001/02 – 2005/06

University Courses

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the average drop out rate for undergraduate university students in each of the last five years.

(AQW 5469/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The percentages of undergraduate students at Northern Ireland Higher Education Institutions who left without gaining an award in each of the last five available years are given in the table below;

Academic Year	Percentage
2001/02	8.9%
2002/03	7.6%
2003/04	7.5%
2004/05	8.4%
2005/06	8.0%

Source: HESA Student Record 2001/02 – 2005/06

Labour Relations Agency

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to confirm if agreements facilitated by the Labour Relations Agency have any legal status.

(AQW 5496/08)

Sir Reg Empey: A major part of the Agency’s work is its involvement in trying to bring about agreed settlements to employment/workplace disputes. This includes both collective and individual disputes. Collective agreements facilitated by the Agency are not legally enforceable by an individual employee but would be taken into account by a court considering a breach of contract complaint.

The Labour Relations Agency itself has no enforcement role in relation to the implementation of collective agreements.

If the parties to an individual dispute agreed a conciliated settlement and then one party reneged on that agreement, the existence of the agreement would inevitably be taken into account by a court or tribunal which was then determining the original dispute. Again the Labour Relations Agency itself has no enforcement role in relation to the implementation of these agreements.

Bamford Report

Mr R Beggs asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the actions (i) he has taken; and (ii) he is planning to take, to progress the implementation of the inclusion agenda, as outlined in the Bamford Report.

(AQW 5521/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The Bamford Review and seven of its subsequent Reports include recommendations that have implications for the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL). DEL is concerned to ensure that it is doing everything possible within its remit to ensure that people with mental health problems and/or learning disabilities have access to the support and services they need to help them find and retain work. The Department has an extensive range of programmes designed to provide help and support towards this objective and many of the Bamford recommendations are already a feature of existing DEL policy and activity.

I met recently with Professor Roy McClelland, Chair of the Bamford Group, and discussed with him the measures that are already in place. The meeting was very positive and I have made the offer of further engagement between my officials and the Group.

DEL must engage with all eligible clients, regardless of the type of condition or disability, and within the context of available resources. However, in addition to the recent Strategic Review of the Disablement Advisory Service carried out by the sector, DEL is in the process of commissioning the Education and Training Inspectorate to review standards of provision and identify any actual gaps in provision for all people with disabilities in DEL’s client group across Further Education and Training.

Further Education colleges are required by legislation to make adjustments to allow people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to access their mainstream courses. The Department, in co-operation with the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges and the Education and Training Inspectorate, is also currently undertaking a review of the nature and extent of special needs provision throughout the further education network, to determine how best provision might be improved, within the terms of further education’s remit.

Townland Names

Mr D Ford asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the action his department is taking to use townland names, where applicable, in view of the resolution passed by the first Assembly on 1 October 2001.

(AQW 5541/08)

Sir Reg Empey: My officials reply to correspondence using the address supplied by the correspondent and townland names where appropriate. Townland names are a valuable element of our rich cultural and linguistic heritage and I welcome their use in addresses, along with the postcode and the road name as appropriate.

Teacher Training Places

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail the number of applicants there are for each teacher training place in (i) Stranmillis; and (ii) St. Mary's University Colleges, for the 2008-09 academic year.

(AQW 5587/08)

Sir Reg Empey: The respective University Colleges have provided the following statistics relating to the number of applicants for entry in the 2008-9 academic year:

(i) Stranmillis University College

	Available Places	Number of Applicants
BEd Primary	68	629
BEd Post-Primary	40	187

(ii) St Mary’s University College

	Available Places	Number of Applicants
BEd Primary	70	1040
BEd Post-Primary	39	311
PGCE Irish Medium Education	13	50

Return to Education

Mr M Brady asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail (i) the schemes funded by his department aimed at encouraging older people to return to education, both vocational and non-vocational; and (ii) the uptake on each of these schemes in each of the colleges to which they apply.

(AQW 5640/08)

Sir Reg Empey: (i) There are no specific schemes aimed at encouraging older people to return to education, because all courses, both vocational and non-vocational, offered at the six Further Education colleges in Northern Ireland are open to people of all ages.

(ii) During the 2006/07 academic year there were 23,749 enrolments throughout the FE sector by people over the age of 60. Of these enrolments, 6,443 were on courses that were vocational in nature and 17,306 were on non-vocational courses. The breakdown of these enrolments across the six colleges is as follows:

	Enrolments
College	Non Vocational	Vocational	Total
Belfast Metropolitan	6,354	2,229	8,583
Northern Regional	2,875	1,100	3,975
South Eastern Regional	1,468	1,502	2,970
Southern Regional	2,599	798	3,397
South West	2,371	365	2,736
North West Regional	1,639	449	2,088
Total	17,306	6,443	23,749

Source:FESR

ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT

St Patrick's Day Celebrations

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail (i) the strategies initiated by his department to promote the tourism potential of St Patrick's Day; and (ii) the number of tourists who visited during the St Patrick's Day celebrations.

(AQW 5363/08)

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Mr N Dodds): Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB)identified St Patrick/Christian Heritage as a signature project in 2004 due to the large number of authentic sites linked to the story of St Patrick across Northern Ireland, specifically in Armagh and Down. The project recognises the importance of St Patrick’s Day internationally to promote Northern Ireland specific products, and whilst local St Patrick events are part of this product the main emphasis is on developing a high quality tourism experience all year round.

In addition, NITB has produced an exhibition on the Life of St Patrick, which is currently being toured by TIL in the USA.

To support TIL’s ongoing marketing efforts, the NITB has over the last 3 years developed a range of products linked to the St Patrick/Christian Heritage theme. This includes, capital projects to upgrade the visitor experience linked to the key patrician sites in Armagh and Down as well as a new St Patrick’s Trail which is currently being developed to direct visitors arriving in Belfast and Dublin into Bangor, Downpatrick, Armagh and Newry. Other initiatives include the development of St Patrick themed websites and brochure material to reinforce the Northern Ireland message within TIL’s promotions and promote Northern Ireland as an all year round visitor destination.

It is not possible to identify visitor numbers on any one day, either those coming direct through Northern Ireland air and seaports or those coming across the border.

Lough Neagh Tourism

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the action taken by his department to promote tourism within each of the District Council areas that incorporate Lough Neagh.

(AQW 5365/08)

Mr N Dodds: The Lough Neagh area (defined as Antrim, Magherafelt, Craigavon, Cookstown, Lisburn and Dungannon & South Tyrone Council areas) has benefited in each of the last five years from funding provided by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) to the Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) and latterly through the Regional Tourism Partnerships (RTPs). In addition, substantial financial assistance has also been made available for product development in the area from both Invest NI and NITB;

Year	Financial Assistance
2003/04	£760,152
2004/05	£287,896
2005/06	£406,710
2006/07	£504,364
2007/08	30,072

Lough Neagh’s attractions are included in all the marketing strategies for which NITB is responsible, including websites, publications and targeted campaigns to promote tourism growth in Northern Ireland. Tourism Ireland Limited (TIL) features information on Lough Neagh and its hinterland in its suite of publications, and websites, which are available to potential visitors throughout the world.

District Council Funding

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail his funding plans for each District Council for each of the next two years.

(AQW 5366/08)

Mr N Dodds: Whilst the Department has no specific funding plans for District Councils, funding can be accessed through Departmental programmes such as the New ERDF Competitiveness Programme. This provides Councils with the opportunity to seek support for economic based projects which meet the Lisbon criteria of innovation, R&D and entrepreneurship. Councils may bid for support from the Programme which has a value of £50m over its lifetime, ending in 2013.

In addition, one District Council area has been shortlisted under the Energy from Waste competition. Precise funding for this is still to be finalised.

Invest NI does not allocate its budgets to particular geographical regions and, as such, it is not possible to outline accurate funding plans for each District Council.

A further £4.5m is available for the development of tourism amenities and attractions through the Tourism Development Scheme 2008-2011 (TDS), with assistance of up to £500,000 available per capital project. Applications for TDS funding closed on the 28 March 2008 and exact funding plans are still to be finalised

Lough Neagh Tourism

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the amount of money spent by his department in promoting Lough Neagh as a tourist destination.

(AQW 5367/08)

Mr N Dodds: It is not possible to quantify the amount spent promoting Lough Neagh as a tourist destination. However, substantial financial assistance has been made available for product development in the six District Council areas bordering Lough Neagh from both Invest NI and Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB);

Year	Financial Assistance
2003/04	£760,152
2004/05	£287,896
2005/06	£406,710
2006/07	£504,364
2007/08	£30,072

Lough Neagh’s main tourism strengths are recognised in activity products. The majority of marketing activity is driven through websites www.discovernorthernireland.com, Regional Tourism Partnerships’ websites and the Countryside Access & Activities Network’s (CAAN) dedicated activity websites, www.outdoorni.com, www.walkni.com and www.cycleni.com. NITB also engages with the Lough Neagh Partnership to develop the tourist and leisure potential of the Lough.

Tourism Ireland Limited (TIL) features information on Lough Neagh and its hinterland in its suite of publications, and websites, which are available to potential visitors throughout the world. The area features as a centre for watersports, coarse and game fishing, birdwatching, equestrian activities, golf and cycling as well as for more general leisure pursuits such as walking, boating and cruising and for accommodation, restaurants and things to do and see.

Lough Neagh also benefited from funding provided by NITB to the Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) and currently benefits from funding to the Regional Tourism Partnerships (RTPs). Lough Neagh and its attractions are included in all the marketing strategies for which the NITB is responsible, including websites, publications and targeted campaigns to promote tourism growth in Northern Ireland.

Incandescent Bulbs

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail his plans to introduce a ban on incandescent bulbs, similar to that introduced by his counterpart in the Republic of Ireland.

(AQW 5459/08)

Mr N Dodds: There are no current plans to introduce a ban on incandescent light bulbs. In September 2007, the UK Government launched a voluntary initiative with major retailers, the majority of whom are represented in Northern Ireland, to phase out inefficient light bulbs (including incandescent bulbs). The comprehensive programme which began in January 2008 will see all inefficient light bulbs disappear from shelves by the end of 2011. Some incandescent light bulbs will remain on sale, where suitable energy efficient alternatives do not exist.

Press Office

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, pursuant to his answer to AQW 4646/08, to detail the number of staff working in his department's press office, broken down by grade.

(AQW 5505/08)

Mr N Dodds: DETI employs:

1 x Principal Information Officer (Grade 7)

1 x Senior Information Officer (Deputy Principal)

1 x Information Officer (Staff Officer)

1 x Assistant Information Officer (Executive Officer 1)

In addition DETI has engaged a temporary Senior Information Officer until after the US/NI Investment conference to handle PR, co-ordination and press management for the lead up to and during the US/NI Investment Conference in May 2008.

Electricity and Gas Providers

Mr J Craig asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (i) to give a timescale within which customers will be able to choose their electricity and gas providers in the domestic market.

(AQW 5560/08)

Mr N Dodds: The domestic electricity market in Northern Ireland has been open to competition since 1 November 2007.

Gas supply competition has been open for domestic customers in the Phoenix Natural Gas licence area of Greater Belfast and Larne since 1 January 2007.

Firmus Energy, which is currently developing the gas supply market in the towns and cities on the route of the North-West and South-North gas transmission pipelines, has been granted an 8 year period of supply exclusivity for domestic consumers. This period begins when gas first becomes available in each of the 10 urban areas served by the pipelines.

Campbelltown to Ballycastle Ferry Service

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to outline the correspondence he has sent in relation to the reinstatement of the Campbelltown to Ballycastle ferry service.

(AQW 5577/08)

Mr N Dodds: Since becoming Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment I have corresponded with 6 people on 8 separate occasions in relation to the reinstatement of the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service

Reconnect Grants

Mr B Wilson asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the number of applications for Reconnect grants for each month from when they were first issued to 31 March 2008.

(AQW 5683/08)

Mr N Dodds: The number of applications received for Reconnect grants are detailed below on a per month basis.

2006/07

Month	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar
Number of Applications	38	461	388	299	211	120	130	154	151

2007/08

Month	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar
Number of Applications	143	193	166	144	159	169	261	305	226	585	1148	3710

Northern Ireland Science Park

Mr A Maginness asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to outline his plans for the further development of the Northern Ireland Science Park ; and how he intends to develop facilities throughout Northern Ireland, outside of Belfast.

(AQO 3011/08)

Mr N Dodds: DETI support to the Northern Ireland Science Park (NISP) from 2002 to 2007 represents a total investment of almost £22m at the Queen’s Island site, with an additional contribution of £2m from IFI. Currently DETI is supporting the third phase of NISP with further investment of £4.25m, matched by private funding of £2m. NISP’s current property portfolio is now self sustaining.

NISP is the beneficial owner of some 100,000 net sq ft in Belfast with a further 50,000 net sq ft under construction. Detailed planning permission has been granted for an additional 100,000 net sq ft at Queens Island.

Further development of the Science Park will be sought through wholly private sector investment, not from grant aid by my Department, reflecting NISP’s Mission Statement "To create a self-sustaining, internationally recognised Science Park which is both a commercially and research driven centre for knowledge-based industries."

It has always been intended that NISP would develop facilities outside Belfast and discussion is currently ongoing between NISP and the University of Ulster on the possibility of joint development of Science Park facilities in the North West.

You will wish to note that NISP’s business start-up programmes, halo and NISP CONNECT, funded by the department’s agents and others, including the private sector, operate across the province as a whole.

Construction Industry Deaths

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the number of people employed in the construction industry who have died in the workplace, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

(AQW 5756/08)

Mr N Dodds: Over the past five years 17 employees in the construction industry have died as a result of injuries sustained at work. The statistics are broken down in the following table.

Construction Employee Fatalities 2003-2008 by Year and Parliamentary Constituency
	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08	Total
1. Belfast East			1			1
2. Belfast North						0
3. Belfast South					1	1
4. Belfast West						0
5. East Antrim						0
6. East Londonderry				1	1	2
7. Fermanagh and South Tyrone		1				1
8. Foyle			1			1
9. Lagan Valley	1					1
10. Mid Ulster				1		1
11. Newry and Armagh	1			1		2
12. North Antrim						0
13. North Down		1		1		2
14. South Antrim		1		1		2
15. South Down						0
16. Strangford		1	1			2
17. Upper Bann						0
18. West Tyrone					1	1
Total	2	4	3	5	3	17

Departmental Land

Mr D O'Loan asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail (i) the reasons why land in Downpatrick was sold by Invest NI earlier this year for £32,500, given that it is now on the market for £300,000; and (ii) the mechanisms in place to prevent land being sold for less than the market price.

(AQW 5768/08)

Mr N Dodds: (i) The land at the Cloonagh Road, Downpatrick was sold by Invest NI in pursuance of a policy to dispose of the freehold interest in selected estates by transferring the interest to a Property Holding Company formed by a majority of leaseholders on the estate. This policy was established by Invest NI’s predecessor, the Industrial Development Board.

The sale price was not determined by placing the interest on the open market but by private treaty with the leaseholder representatives. An independent firm of commercial agents undertook the negotiations, working closely with Land and Property Services (LPS). LPS recommended that Invest NI accept the negotiated price of £32,500 in early 2006. This recommendation reflected the prevailing value of industrial land on this estate at the time and the state and circumstances of the undeveloped plot, which in its opinion is poorly located within the development. A number of legal title issues combined to make the legal process for this sale more complex and lengthy than would normally be expected.

The market value of industrial land has risen significantly in the intervening period. Land values peaked last summer but have since fallen back. It remains to be seen if the asking price of £300,000 for the land will be achieved. LPS has not detected evidence that this level of value has been achieved in this area to date.

(ii) In April 2007, due to market pressures on its landholding, Invest NI discontinued the policy of freehold disposal. At the time when this policy change occurred, a number of disposals were underway. Invest NI was able to withdraw from most of the negotiations but advice at the time from its legal and professional teams was that this transaction had progressed too far for it to withdraw without significant penalty.

Land and Property Services monitors land values closely and on a quarterly basis recommends that Invest NI adjust the prices which it charges client companies for serviced sites.

Departmental Land

Mr D O'Loan asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail, since 8 May 2007, the land belonging to (i) his department; and (ii) agencies sponsored by his department, that has been sold, or the sale is pending, at a price known by the department to be less than market value.

(AQW 5769/08)

Mr N Dodds: Before selling any land, the Department obtains an assessment of market value and a recommendation in respect of the terms of sale from Land and Property Services (LPS). The LPS recommendation is based on negotiations which it has undertaken on behalf of the Department or on the report of an independent commercial agent on which it has been consulted and which it has reviewed.

(i) There have been no sales of land by the Department or its NDPBs, with the exception of Invest NI, since 8 May 2007.

(ii) Since 8 May 2007, LPS has provided Invest NI with recommendations in respect of 53 sales of land. Invest NI has accepted the LPS recommendation in each of these sales. 43 transactions have completed and 10 are pending.

None of these transactions is considered to be at less than market value.

Ulster Weavers Apparel

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail the contact he had with Ulster Weavers Apparel Limited prior to the announcement that they were closing their Banbridge plant.

(AQW 5779/08)

Mr N Dodds: Invest NI has a long established working relationship with Ulster Weavers Apparel. As a result Invest NI has had regular ongoing contact with the company. In recent years, in the face of increasing international competition, Ulster Weavers Apparel has been forced to restructure in order to maintain its international competitiveness. This has resulted in the recent announcement to enter consultations with regards to the loss of 45 production jobs.

The company’s current plans are to continue to service its existing customers from the Banbridge factory where 26 jobs will provide sales, marketing, product development and design functions.

Invest NI officials have kept me informed of developments with Ulster Weavers Apparel. Invest NI will continue to work with the company and will keep me fully appraised of ongoing developments.

Ulster Weavers Apparel

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to detail all assistance provided by Invest NI to Ulster Weavers Apparel Ltd. in each of the last five years; and to confirm (i) whether Ulster Weavers Apparel was part of any Invest NI trade delegations to the People's Republic of China in the last five years; and (ii) whether Ulster Weavers Apparel was part of any Invest NI trade delegations to other overseas locations in the last five years

(AQW 5780/08)

Mr N Dodds: Ulster Weavers Apparel Ltd received revenue grants totalling £87,900 under a Financial Assistance Agreement dated 2^nd August 2004 and £2,500 under an incentive grant in June 2007.

Since 2003, the company has participated in 4 Trade Missions to Hong Kong and China. The company has participated in 10 events organised by Invest NI in the last 5 years for which it received the financial assistance detailed below.

01 APRIL 2003 TO 31 MARCH 2008
YEAR	EVENT	GRANT PAID

2003/04	Sectoral Trade Mission, ITMA, Birmingham, 2003	£520.62
	Trade Mission Hong Kong & China, Nov 03	Grant not claimed
	Trade Mission Qatar & UAE, Feb 04	Grant not claimed
	Sectoral Trade Mission Techtextil, Frankfurt, April 03	£757.90

2004/05	Trade Mission Hong Kong & China, Nov 04	£2,270

2005/06	Trade Mission Hong Kong & China, Nov 05	£745.50

2006/07	Trade Mission India, March 07	£773.60
	Trade Mission Gulf States, Jan 07	£690

2007/08	Trade Mission India, Sept 07	£677.46
	Trade Mission Hong Kong & China, Nov 07	Grant claim pending
	TOTAL	£6435.08

ENVIRONMENT

Flood Plains

Mr J McCallister asked the Minister of the Environment to detail (i) her policy in relation to planning applications for the development of new homes on flood plains or on land at high risk of flooding; (ii) the number of such applications that have been approved in each of the last three years; and (iii) the number of such applications that are currently under consideration.

(AQW 5172/08)

The Minister of the Environment (Mrs A Foster): My Department’s general policy approach to dealing with flooding is contained within Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 15 ‘Planning and Flood Risk’ which adopts a precautionary approach to decision making. PPS15 is one of many material considerations in the determination of a planning application to be weighed against the development plan, and other planning policy publications and other considerations including planning history.

My Department will consult DARD Rivers Agency on planning applications within flood plains where appropriate and have regard to what its advice is as part of the planning application assessment process. In those circumstances where new development within a flood plain would result in significant flood risk planning applications may be refused on these grounds.

My Department does not hold the statistical information you have requested as flood plains are not a search category within our current computer system.

I can advise the DARD Rivers Agency is currently preparing a National Flood Mapping Strategy and Climate Changes Maps for Northern Ireland which, when complete, will provide a strategic picture of the extent of flood plains in Northern Ireland.

Seat Belts

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of the Environment to detail any legislation she plans to introduce in relation to the lack of adequate seating and seat belts in the back of goods vehicles which have not been designed or manufactured for carrying passengers.

(AQW 5248/08)

Mrs A Foster: Article 71 of the Road Traffic (NI) Order 1995 provides, with certain exceptions, that no passenger can be carried on a goods vehicle except on a permanently attached seat placed beside the driver’s seat. This does not apply to any "authorised passenger", which is defined in the Article as any person in the employment of the owner or hirer who is carried on the vehicle in connection with such employment and with the consent of the owner or hirer.

However, Article 58 of the 1995 Order makes it an offence to contravene regulation 115 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (NI) 1999, which requires a motor vehicle and its passengers to be carried in such a manner as to be no danger to those passengers.

Similarly, Article 54(c) of the 1995 Order provides that a person is guilty of an offence if he causes or permits another to use a motor vehicle or trailer on a road when the number of passengers carried by it, or the manner in which they are carried, is such that the use of the motor vehicle or trailer involves danger of injury to any person.

In the light of these offence provisions, I have no plans at present to introduce further legislation on seating and seat belts in the rear of goods vehicles. However, I can advise that the PSNI plans to take forward an education campaign in association with my Department, leading to the deployment of an enforcement strategy if goods vehicle users fail to meet the legislative requirements.

Apartment Style Developments

Mr T Clarke asked the Minister of the Environment to detail her plans to curb apartment style developments in areas such as (i) Ballyrobert; and (ii) Knightswood, Templepatrick.

(AQW 5297/08)

Mrs A Foster: Planning Service assess applications for apartment development within the existing planning policy framework to ensure such development does not result in unacceptable damage to the character, environmental quality and amenity of established residential areas.

In the Assembly debate on Strategic Planning Policy motioned by Mr Roy Beggs MLA on 1^st October 2007, I gave a commitment to review the options available in relation to the issue of town cramming. That review of options is currently underway by officials and I am expecting their findings to be presented to me in the next few weeks.

Planning Applications

Mr T Clarke asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the number of planning applications received, and subsequently passed, for dwellings in rural areas in 2005; 2006; and 2007.

(AQW 5298/08)

Mrs A Foster: The number of planning applications received and approved from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 for single rural dwellings are:-

Applications received in 06/07 – 2335
Applications approved in 06/07 – 5138

The figures relate to full and outline applications for new builds or replacement single dwellings outside settlement limits. The figures for applications received and approved are not directly comparable as the approvals include applications received before 1 April 2006.

Data outside the 2006/07 period is not available at present due to the new statistical reporting system outlined in my letter to Members in December 2007. It is anticipated that this data will be available in October 2008.

Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of the Environment for her assessment of the impact of the introduction of a two tier system of housing forecasts on the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan's receipt of a certificate of conformity.

(AQW 5311/08)

Mrs A Foster: Potential housing yield in BMAP includes an estimate of the number of houses that will be built on sites zoned for housing and an allowance for windfall development. The estimate of potential yield on zoned sites is based on the density that is considered appropriate for the sites and is a forecast of the number of houses that may be built in the Plan Area.

The housing count is of the actual housing yield on all sites from the number of houses built and ready for occupation/occupied as measured, or counted, by the Department’s annual housing land availability survey. The 2007 annual housing land availability survey is due to be published in the next few weeks and work on the 2008 survey will commence during the summer months. In the context of BMAP, the windfall estimate relates to unzoned sites within the urban footprint and excludes any yield on greenfield sites outside this.

The reason for only taking into account houses that are built and ready for occupation/occupied is that prior to this there remains uncertainty as to their development and contribution to the overall housing supply. The terms ready for occupation/occupied are interchangeable and both are used to determine whether a housing unit contributes to the supply of housing.

Following the Public Inquiry into the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan the Planning Appeals Commission will be making recommendations to the Department on strategic housing issues and until such times as its report is received and considered I am unable to make any assessment regarding the issue of general conformity.

Larne Lough Water

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the improvements in the quality of water in Larne Lough since the installation of the new water treatment plant 2 years ago.

(AQW 5312/08)

Mrs A Foster: Environment and Heritage Service monitors the water quality of Larne Lough to meet the requirements of the EC Urban Waste Water Treatment, Shellfish Waters and Water Framework Directives.

I am pleased to report that the improvements carried out to Larne Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) by Northern Ireland Water have significantly improved the water quality within the Lough.

Since the installation of the new WWTW, reductions in nutrient concentrations have been observed. In addition, there has been an improvement in microbiological quality under the Shellfish Waters Directive.

In recent years (2004-6), Larne Lough has met all the quality standards in the Shellfish Waters Directive. In addition, Larne Lough meets the guideline standards for faecal indicator organisms in water and in general there has been an improving trend.

Monitoring of a range of water quality parameters under the EC Water Framework Directive within Larne Lough has shown that the values obtained during 2005-6 and 2006-7 are classed as good or high quality status.

Housing Potential

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of the Environment to confirm if she intends to apply the same criteria as for windfall potential gain figures, to other sources of housing potential, such as Greenfield potential.

(AQW 5313/08)

Housing Potential

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the reasons why windfall can only be counted when approved, built and occupied/ready for occupation.

(AQW 5314/08)

Carbon Footprints

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of the Environment if she will encourage other members of the Executive to measure their own carbon footprints.

(AQW 5317/08)

Mrs A Foster: I have consistently stated that government, organisations, communities and individuals all have a role in tackling the issue of climate change. It is up to each individual within the Executive to determine how best they can make a contribution within their government role and in their private lives.

The Executive itself is fully committed to lowering carbon levels. In the Programme for Government we have set a target to reduce Northern Ireland greenhouse gases by at least 25% by 2025.

Carbon Footprint

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of the Environment if she has measured her own carbon footprint since taking up office.

(AQW 5318/08)

Mrs A Foster: I have measured my own carbon footprint on the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website and I am taking action to see if my footprint reduces in time. I would encourage everyone to do all that they can to do likewise.

Endangered Species

Mr R Beggs asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the total number of registered endangered species in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 5320/08)

Mrs A Foster: There is no register of endangered species in Northern Ireland.

However, a list of 271 Northern Ireland ‘Priority Species’, which require conservation action, has been agreed by the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group.

The list has been published and can be viewed at: http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/biodiversity/sap_uk/priority_species.htm

Housing Potential

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the difference between a housing count and a housing forecast.

(AQW 5331/08)

Housing Potential

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to her answer to AQW 2575/08, in which she stated that windfalls 'can only be counted when approved, built and occupied', to detail the reasons why she stated, in a letter dated 11 February 2008 (COR/49/2008) to Mr Jim Wells MLA, that windfalls would be counted 'when approved, built and ready for occupation'; and to state which is the case.

(AQW 5332/08)

Planning Applications

Mrs D Kelly asked the Minister of the Environment to detail (i) the number of planning applications for (a) housing; and (b) commercial developments, currently awaiting a decision from the Southern division of the Planning Service; and (ii) the average length of time taken for a decision to be taken.

(AQW 5343/08)

Mrs A Foster: As at 4 April 2008, there were 2,841 residential and 212 commercial planning applications being processed by the Craigavon Divisional Planning Office. The average processing times for planning applications in this Division in 2006/2007 was 46 weeks.

Considerable progress has been made to reduce the number of outstanding applications in the Division. Over the last year, the vacant planning officer posts in the Craigavon Division have been filled as a result of a recruitment and promotion exercise. In addition, a Divisional Support Team comprised of 8 planning officers has been working in the Division on a temporary basis to assist in tackling the workload. These permanent and temporary teams have been successful in significantly reducing the number of applications awaiting determination.

I am pleased to state that Craigavon Divisional Office has issued over 5,200 decisions between 1 April 2007 and 29 February this year – approximately 1,200 more decisions issued than the number of applications received.

Housing Potential

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the action she is taking to update the figures that were provided in a paper to the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan Inquiry in January 2007 in relation to the count of windfall approvals achieved in the Belfast Metropolitan Area Urban and Belfast Metropolitan Area Rural areas over the period 1 April 2003 – 31 August 2006.

(AQW 5369/08)

Boundary Commission

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of the Environment if the Boundary Commission will have the powers to make changes to any new electoral area following changes to the number of councils, particularly in relation to Belfast City Council.

(AQW 5426/08)

Mrs A Foster: The remit of the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner will be to make recommendations regarding the boundaries and names of the 11 new local government districts and the number, boundaries and names of the wards into which each district is to be divided.

The 11 new local government districts will incorporate the whole or the major part of the current local government districts set out in the table below.

1	Antrim; Newtownabbey.
2	Ards; North Down
3	Armagh City and District; Banbridge; Craigavon.
4	Ballymena; Carrickfergus; Larne.
5	Ballymoney; Coleraine; Limavady; Moyle.
6	Belfast.
7	Castlereagh; Lisburn City.
8	Cookstown; Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough; Magherafelt.
9	Londonderry; Strabane.
10	Down; Newry and Mourne.
11	Fermanagh; Omagh.

Although Belfast is not amalgamating with any other local government district, its boundaries may be altered by the Commissioner acting in accordance with the rules.

The rules for the Commissioner are set out in Part III of Schedule 4 to the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 (as amended by the Local Government (Boundaries) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006). The Commissioner is required:

to have regard to the desirability of determining district and ward boundaries which are readily identifiable;
not to include a townland partly in one district or ward and partly in another, unless this is unavoidable;
to ensure, as far as practicable, that no district is wholly or substantially

severed by the boundary of another, or
encompassed within the boundary of another; and

in determining the number and boundaries of the wards within a district, to have regard to the size, population and physical diversity of a district and the desirability that there should be a proper representation of the rural and urban electorate within the district.

The district of Belfast will be divided into 60 wards, with each of the other 10 districts being divided into 40 wards, however, the Commissioner will have the discretion to increase or decrease the number of wards per district by up to 5, where the Commissioner considers it desirable in regard to the matters mentioned in (iv) above.

Northern Area Plan

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of the Environment to provide an update on the draft Northern Area Plan.

(AQW 5435/08)

Mrs A Foster: While the draft Northern Area Plan (DNAP) was published in May 2005, progress on taking it forward to an Independent Examination has been delayed because of a judicial challenge from Seaport Investments Ltd in relation to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which accompanied the Plan.

The final judgement of the Court, which was handed down on 13 November 2007, did not quash either the draft Plan or the 2004 Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations but made a number of declarations. Following careful consideration, my Department has lodged an appeal against certain of these declarations. The appeal is scheduled to take place on the 2nd and 3rd June 2008.

The Department also carried out a review of its decision to carry out an environmental assessment of DNAP under the terms of the relevant EC Directive and the 2004 Regulations. On 6 November 2007 the Department determined that it was not feasible to carry out such an assessment for DNAP. At the court hearing in November counsel representing Seaport indicated that his clients intended to challenge this determination.

In these circumstances, my Department is not yet in a position to indicate when it would be able to progress the draft Plan to an Independent Examination.

District Council Lending

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the current (i) capital loans; and (ii) financial lease agreements, for each District Council.

(AQW 5439/08)

Mrs A Foster: The figures requested relating to loans and financial lease agreements have been extracted from district councils’ 2006 / 2007 accounts and are set out in the table below. The data for capital loans represent "long term borrowings" and "borrowings repayable within 12 months".

District Council	Capital loans £	Financial lease agreements £
Antrim	21,463,047	1,635,543
Ards	15,736,108	621
Armagh	20,161,749	69,771
Ballymena	34,025,917	0
Ballymoney	8,327,623	0
Banbridge	12,944,711	48,743
Belfast	21,132,573	0
Carrickfergus	11,237,979	541,450
Castlereagh	19,862,343	1,158,832
Coleraine	27,199,696	0
Cookstown	1,777,695	0
Craigavon	8,285,181	0
Derry	21,108,714	0
Down	15,047,691	910,938
Dungannon & South Tyrone	1,995,999	687,730
Fermanagh	2,680,197	1,006,375
Larne	6,567,321	0
Limavady	8,975,699	0
Lisburn	20,380,663	0
Magherafelt	0	0
Moyle	7,843,152	0
Newry and Mourne	20,607,681	0
Newtownabbey	27,943,248	0
North Down	21,670,731	0
Omagh	9,474,237	406,585
Strabane	2,569,365	0
Totals	369,019,320	6,466,588

Tree Preservation Order

Mr B Wilson asked the Minister of the Environment if the trees at Myrtle Lodge, Newcastle which were recently felled were subject to a Tree Preservation Order.

(AQW 5446/08)

Mrs A Foster: The trees felled at Myrtle Lodge, Newcastle were subject to a Tree Preservation Order.

MLA Co-Option

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of the Environment to provide a timescale within which she will introduce legislation that will allow co-option in relation to MLAs who are also councillors.

(AQW 5458/08)

Mrs A Foster: Elections, in respect of the Northern Ireland Assembly and district councils, are an excepted matter, under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and responsibility for legislation relating to elections rests with the Secretary of State.

The procedure for filling vacancies on councils in the period between local government elections without requiring mid-term elections, sometimes referred to as co-option, is outlined in the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962.

As this arrangement constitutes part of electoral law, responsibility for any changes to this legislation lies with the Secretary of State.

Global Warming

Mr D Bradley asked the Minister of the Environment for her assessment of the value of the climate measurement carried out by the Armagh Observatory on a daily basis since 1795, in relation to measuring the progress of global warming.

(AQW 5478/08)

Mrs A Foster: In 2004 the Department published a report entitled ‘Climate Change Indicators for Northern Ireland.’ The report used climate measurements provided by Armagh Observatory relating to temperature, precipitation and snowfall. The time series used in the report for each of the climatic variables was based on advice provided by the Observatory, in the case of temperature from 1844 onwards, precipitation from 1932 onwards and snow days from 1960 onwards. The report analysed these historic climate records to look for trends and evidence for global warming in Northern Ireland’s climate. Using this data, the report was able to identify that mean annual temperatures have been increasing and have been consistently high from 1990 onwards, with the highest annual temperature in almost 170 years of climate data being seen in 1997.

The Department continues to maintain this database of climate change indicator statistics, some of which is based on the climate data provided by Armagh Observatory. This data is an important tool used by the Department in monitoring climate change in Northern Ireland. The Department maintains ongoing links with Armagh Observatory in updating these datasets, and at a future stage, may publish further editions of the Climate Change Indicators Report, as important trends in Northern Ireland’s climate become evident.

Plastic Carrier Bags

Ms C Ní Chuilín asked the Minister of the Environment to detail (i) any initiatives, either planned or in progress, to reduce and eliminate the use of plastic carrier bags, and (ii) any discussions with the major supermarket chains on this issue.

(AQW 5479/08)

Mrs A Foster: The current UK-wide voluntary agreement between Government, the Waste Resources Action Programme and retailers aims to reduce the overall environmental impact of all carrier bags by 25% by the end of 2008. Retailers are seeking to achieve this reduction by:

encouraging customers to significantly reduce the number of carrier bags they use;
reducing the impact of each carrier bag e.g. by using less material or incorporating recycled content; and
enabling the recycling of more carrier bags where appropriate.

In last month’s budget speech the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that legislation would be introduced to impose a charge on single-use carrier bags if we have not seen sufficient progress on a voluntary basis. This is obviously a very significant development and my officials are currently liaising with colleagues in GB to obtain more detailed information on initial legislative proposals and we are also considering any possible implications for Northern Ireland.

Following discussions last year major supermarket chains are already signed up to the current UK voluntary agreement and I am encouraged by the varied initiatives brought forward by supermarket chains to reduce usage of carrier bags. The Waste Resources Action Programme hosted a meeting with retailers in February 2008 to review progress on the voluntary agreement and reported that although there is now clear momentum from retailers more work needs to be done to bring about a substantial reduction in the environmental impact of free single-use carrier bags.

Back Garden Development

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of the Environment to provide a timescale within which new laws will be introduced to prevent back garden development.

(AQW 5480/08)

Mrs A Foster: I will shortly be considering whether policy on back garden development is needed.

Biodiversity Protection

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of the Environment to outline the measures she will be taking to help protect biodiversity.

(AQW 5481/08)

Mrs A Foster: There are several measures being taken by my department to help protect biodiversity and these are set out in the Recommendations of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy. The strategy, which is led by DoE, also includes actions for other Departments, with the overarching objective of halting biodiversity loss.

European Waste Directives & Regulations

Mr D McKay asked the Minister of the Environment (i) to outline the European Waste Directives & Regulations with which her department is required to comply; (ii) to detail whether she has complied with all these directives and regulations and is projected to meet all targets that have been set.

(AQW 5482/08)

Mrs A Foster: There are numerous European Waste Directives/Regulations, however, not all of these have a direct impact on my Department in terms of compliance issues. My Department is required to comply with the Waste Framework Directive and Directives on Hazardous Waste, End-of-Life Vehicles and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and I have every confidence that it is meeting its obligations in respect of those Directives as appropriate.

EU targets are generally set at Member State level and I remain determined to ensure that my Department continues do all it can to meet EU targets as appropriate.

Tree Protection Orders

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of the Environment to detail, for the last five years, (i) the number of incidents where trees with Tree Protection Orders (TPOs) have been felled illegally; (ii) the number of successful prosecutions the department has pursued against those who have felled trees subject to TPOs; and (iii) the amount of fines imposed on those prosecuted for breaching TPOs.

(AQW 5486/08)

Mrs A Foster: In the last five years my Department has investigated 61 cases where it was alleged that trees protected by a TPO had been damaged or destroyed without the required consent of my Department.

The felling of trees covered by a TPO is only illegal if it can be demonstrated to the court that the person or persons involved has wilfully destroyed or wilfully damaged a tree in a manner likely to destroy it.

My Department’s approach in such cases, however, is to attempt to reach a resolution, through negotiation, without the need for formal court action.

There has been only one successful prosecution in the last five years when the City of Derry Golf Club was convicted on 20 March 2003 of contravening a Tree Preservation Order by cutting and wilfully destroying trees. The Club was fined £200.

A developer was recently convicted for the removal of 39 trees within Ballycastle Conservation Area. Trees in a Conservation Area are afforded the same protection as if they were covered by a TPO. The developer was fined £5000 and £425 court costs and is also required to replant trees on the site.

Countryside Visitors

Mr D McNarry asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the strategies she has to increase the number of visitors to the countryside during the summer months.

(AQO 2916/08)

Mrs A Foster: My Department, through Environment and Heritage Service, provides public access to its sites, properties, historic buildings and monuments, the vast majority of which are located in the countryside. While most of these are open throughout the year they are promoted further during the summer through the EHS calendar of events, distribution of promotional materials, an advertising campaign and working in partnership with the tourism industry and local councils. EHS promotes the range of benefits to be gained by visiting these sites and other scenic areas in Northern Ireland’s wider countryside, particularly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Visitor numbers to EHS properties are weather dependent and the poor summer weather in 2007 resulted in fewer visitors at Country Parks and monuments than in previous years. That said, the number attending EHS events in 2007, for example the summer fair at Dunluce Castle, showed a marked increase, reflecting the benefits of effective marketing of the programme.

EHS also supports, through grant aid, a wide range of organisations that encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate our natural heritage through the provision and promotion of opportunities for sustainable access and countryside recreation. Key examples include the Countryside Access and Activities Network, the Belfast Hills Partnership, the Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, the National Trust, Lagan Valley Regional Park and district councils. The financial support provided assists such bodies to manage sites, provide access routes, organise events, develop and maintain networks of paths and promote access opportunities throughout the countryside. Some of these groups provide summer programmes of events including walks.

The Minister for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, has advised me that her Department will continue to promote access to and use of forest parks and forest recreation areas by continuing to invest in the maintenance of paths, toilet blocks and other visitor facilities.

Chicken Waste Incinerator Plant

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to her answer to AQW 4394/08 to give her assessment of the value of having (i) a chicken waste incinerator plant in an area of high scenic value; and (ii) a plant located close to Lough Neagh that would adversely affect the quality, character and features of interest in the area.

(AQW 5489/08)

Mrs A Foster: It would be inappropriate for me to offer any response since to do so would potentially prejudice the process of determining a planning application.

Planning Applications

Mrs D Kelly asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the progress being made in reducing the backlog of planning applications in the Craigavon Planning Office.

(AQW 5536/08)

Townland Names

Mr K McCarthy asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the action her department is taking to use townland names, where applicable, in view of the resolution passed by the first Assembly on 1 October 2001.

(AQW 5543/08)

Mrs A Foster: In dealing with general correspondence to my department, replies are posted to the address provided by the correspondent which, on occasions, includes the townland name. Where a townland name is included in a planning application, that name will be recorded and used thereafter in relation to the application.

Driver and Vehicle Agency employs systems which give the official postcode address and therefore do not include townland names.

Press Office

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to her answer to AQW 4677/08, to detail the number of staff working in her department's press office, broken down by grade.

(AQW 5591/08)

Mrs A Foster: The department’s Press Office has a staffing strength of 5 posts. The grade breakdown of the posts is: one Principal Information Officer (currently vacant); one Senior Information Officer; one Staff Officer; one Executive Officer Grade 2, and one Administrative Officer.

Genetically Modified Crops

Mr B Wilson asked the Minister of the Environment whether she will initiate legislation to protect the environment by the prevention of planting Genetically Modified crops.

(AQW 5610/08)

Mrs A Foster: I have no plans to initiate legislation to prevent the planting of genetically modified (GM) crops. My department consulted on co-existence measures and I am considering the way forward.

Relocation of Otters

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the action she is taking to ensure the relocation of otters that inhabit fish ponds and fisheries of home owners and businesses.

(AQW 5615/08)

Mrs A Foster: Otters are a European protected species and may only be legally relocated under the terms of a licence issued by my Department. My officials do not recommend the relocation of otters in these circumstances. Relocation would not solve the problem in the long term as experience shows that other otters would quickly fill the gap left by the removal of the original animals.

My officials are happy to advise owners of fish ponds and fisheries on how to exclude otters from sensitive areas. This provides a lasting solution and does not require a licence.

Planning Policy

Mr P McGlone asked the Minister of the Environment to confirm if the new draft rural planning policy will be comprehensively equality proofed to ensure that it does not discriminate against any section or individual in rural society.

(AQW 5626/08)

Mrs A Foster: I can confirm, as is the case for all Planning Policy Statements, the new draft PPS 14 will be subject to the statutory equality process as set out under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Ulster Farm By-Products

Mr T Burns asked the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to her answer to AQW 3222/08, to detail (i) the outcome of the latest proceedings brought against Ulster Farm By-Products; (ii) the charges that were heard in court; and (iii) the sanctions that were imposed.

(AQW 5739/08)

Mrs A Foster: My Department submitted a case file to the Public Prosecution Service under the Pollution Prevention and Control (NI) Regulations 2003, regarding failure to comply with Regulation 33(1)(b): "It is an offence for a person – to fail to comply with or contravene a condition of a permit." The conditions in question set out limits for polluting substances in the Company’s effluent discharge to the local river.

At Antrim Magistrate’s Court on 7 April 2008, Ulster Farm By-Products pleaded guilty to two offences that took place in January and February 2007 and was fined £5,000 plus costs.

FINANCE AND PERSONNEL

Sudden Unexpected Death In Epilepsy

Mr G Robinson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of deaths attributed to Sudden Unexpected Death In Epilepsy in each of the last 10 years.

(AQW 5270/08)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Mr P Robinson): The table attached gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland for each year between 1998 and 2007 where the primary cause of death was ‘Epilepsy’ or ‘Status Epilepticus’ and among those where "sudden unexpected death in epilepsy" was mentioned on the death certificate.

Registration Year	Deaths due to epilepsy¹	Of which - sudden unexpected mentioned²
1998	22	0
1999	17	0
2000	23	0
2001	23	1
2002	26	0
2003	27	1
2004	32	2
2005	31	0
2006	33	0
2007^P	35	2

¹International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision code G40 and G41 for years 2001-2007 and Ninth Revision code 345 for years 1998-2000.

²Deaths where "sudden unexpected death in epilepsy", or a similar phrase, was mentioned on the death certificate.

^PProvisional Data

Rates Collection Agency

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of people employed in the Rates Collection Agency dealing with (i) domestic; and (ii) commercial properties, (a) currently; and (b) in each of the last 5 years.

(AQW 5324/08)

Mr P Robinson: At 31^st March 2008 there were some 372 staff (297 permanent staff + 75 casuals) employed within Land & Property Services (LPS) operations dealing with both domestic and commercial property. LPS replaced the former Rate Collection Agency on 1 April 2008.

The numbers of staff employed in rate collection in each of the last five years are as follows-

267 staff
292 staff
301 staff (274 + 27 casuals)
308 staff (278 + 30 casuals)
324 staff (291 + 33 casuals)

Departmental Under Spending

Mr R Beggs asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel, in light of his department's forecasted under spend for the 2007-08 financial year, to detail the amount of funding that is at risk of being returned to the Treasury.

(AQW 5410/08)

Mr P Robinson: Under HM Treasury's End Year Flexibility mechanism, all underspend by Northern Ireland departments is carried forward for spending in subsequent years. In this context there is no risk of any funding being lost to the Treasury. However, as the draw down of our EYF stock has to be negotiated with the Treasury there is a risk that there may be a delay in accessing these funds.

Therefore, it is essential that departments seek to reduce the level of underspend in order that capital projects can be completed and improved services introduced as early as possible.

National Joint Council Pay Award

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of business cases that remain outstanding for the 2007 National Joint Council pay award for (i) seconded teachers; and (ii) those paid under Soulbury conditions, broken down by each Education and Library Board.

(AQW 5436/08)

Mr P Robinson: There are still a number of outstanding pay remits relating to staff in the education sector. The Department of Education has still to provide my officials with business cases for some Education and Library Board staff groups, including Chief Executive and Second Tier Officers, Foreign Language Assistants, Mechanics, Teacher Related and Youth and Community workers

Rates Cap

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to provide a timescale within which he will reduce the cap on rates from £500,000 to £400,000.

(AQW 5511/08)

Mr P Robinson: I have published a consultation paper seeking views on the reduction of the maximum capital value, from £500,000 to £400,000. The consultation process will last for 12 weeks, ending on 27 June 2008, and seeks the views of all interested parties.

Final decisions on the way forward can only be taken after completing the necessary impact assessments, considering the views expressed during consultation and liaising with the Finance and Personnel Committee. If the decision to reduce the maximum capital value is confirmed in light of the consultation, I intend to introduce the measure from April 2009, through subordinate legislation, which of course would be subject to Assembly approval.

Building Regulations

Mr B Wilson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to confirm if the price of oil was taken into consideration in relation to the decision to drop mandatory renewables from building regulations; and if so, to detail the price per oil barrel that was used in the calculations.

(AQW 5512/08)

Mr P Robinson: The cost of oil was taken into account in preparing the draft Regulatory Impact Assessment. At that time oil was £63.19/US barrel ($124.14/US barrel) as a cost to the domestic consumer.

The latest figures from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) price domestic heating oil at 3.17p/kWh or $115.75 per US Barrel. This makes microgeneration even less cost effective than when the figures in the draft Regulatory Impact Assessment were calculated.

Levels of Sick Leave

Mrs D Kelly asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline the steps he is taking to reduce the levels of sick leave across Government departments.

(AQW 5537/08)

Mr P Robinson: I continue to take a close and active interest in this matter and my concern about the unacceptably high levels of sickness absence across the Northern Ireland Departments has been well documented.

Last July I submitted a paper to the Executive, seeking their endorsement of a range of key actions which I believed would at least start to bring about the much needed improvement in the levels of absence.

I recently met with the Permanent Secretaries from each Department and took the opportunity to impress upon them the importance of senior level commitment to addressing the problem. Following my meeting with Permanent Secretaries, my officials have prepared an updated Action Plan which consolidates many of the key actions agreed previously by the Executive. A copy of the Action Plan and the outline of the approach adopted by the NICS in dealing with sickness absence have been placed in the Library.

I will continue to take a close interest in this matter and will review progress on a quarterly basis. Departmental officials will also be briefing their respective Ministers on a regular basis.

Townland Names

Mr K McCarthy asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the action his department is taking to use townland names, where applicable, in view of the resolution passed by the first Assembly on 1 October 2001.

(AQW 5544/08)

Mr P Robinson: The Department of Finance and Personnel recognises the historic, cultural and linguistic importance of townland names and uses them when it is appropriate to do so.

In addition, Land and Property Services maintain the Pointer product which is a definitive address database for Northern Ireland. Every address within Pointer is allocated to its appropriate townland and the system also records the history and alternative spellings of the name, based on information provided by the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project. The Pointer product is available to all Departments in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Northern Ireland Mapping Agreement and will also be accessible to the public through the Departments web site.

The latest editions of the 1:50 000 Discoverer Map series produced by my Department also include townlands.

Fuel Smuggling

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the annual cost to the economy from fuel smuggling.

(AQW 5561/08)

Mr P Robinson: Fuel smuggling in Northern Ireland imposes a revenue loss to the UK Exchequer and adversely affects local fuel retailers. HM Revenue and Customs estimated the revenue loss at £280 million in 2005. This reflects both the revenue loss resulting from fraud (rebated fuel fraud and smuggling) and that lost from legitimate cross-border purchases of fuel by Northern Ireland residents.

Government Departments

Mr S Moutray asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the analysis he has carried out on the effectiveness of financial administration, in relation to a reduction in the number of Government departments.

(AQW 5599/08)

Mr P Robinson: While the need to maximise efficiency is particularly important over the period to 2010-11, no specific analysis has yet been carried out on the effectiveness of financial administration in relation to a reduction in the number of Government departments.

Land Registry

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the reasons for the delay in processing the land registry application transfer DN146569.

(AQW 5614/08)

Mr P Robinson: The Registrar wrote to the applicant explaining the situation and apologising for the delay on 27 March.

Senior Civil Servants

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the (i) gender; and (ii) religious background, of senior civil servants in each Government department.

(AQW 5620/08)

Mr P Robinson: Monitoring of the Northern Ireland Civil Service workforce, including the most senior grades, is carried out at a corporate level. While in recent years most recruitment to the Senior Civil Service has been via singleton competitions to vacancies in individual departments, this group of staff are managed as a corporate resource. Outreach and positive action measures are also taken at a corporate level. Departments therefore have little or no scope to address gender or community background imbalances in their own workforces. For these reasons it is not appropriate to provide a breakdown by Department. It is also likely that, due to the relatively small number of staff at this level in many departments, we would be unable to provide this information in order to protect the confidentiality of individuals’ community background details. The table below shows the profile of the Senior Civil Service group in the 11 Northern Ireland Departments and their Executive Agencies at 1 January 2008.

Total	Male	Female	Protestant	Roman Catholic	Not Determined
206	153	53	119	74	13

Performance-Related Pay

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of members of staff in his department that have contracts providing for performance-related pay.

(AQW 5687/08)

Mr P Robinson: The number of DFP staff who have contracts providing for performance-related pay is 2889.

Performance-Related Pay

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail any plans he has to introduce performance-related pay in future staff contracts.

(AQW 5693/08)

Mr P Robinson: The Northern Ireland Civil Service already operates performance related pay systems for both the Senior Civil Service (SCS) cadre and for staff below SCS level.

Civil Service Disability

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel whether a permanent employee in the Northern Ireland Civil Service, diagnosed with a disability, can be transferred to a suitable position of similar grade within existing vacancies in another department.

(AQW 5711/08)

Mr P Robinson: An employee diagnosed with a disability can be transferred, within their existing grade, to a suitable post in another Department.

Vioxx

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of deaths attributed to Vioxx, in each year from 1999 to 2004 inclusive.

(AQO 2660/08)

Mr P Robinson: Rofecoxib, a drug used to treat arthritis and acute pain, was also marketed in the UK under the brand name Vioxx and Vioxx Acute. Between 1999 and 2004 no deaths were registered in Northern Ireland where the drugs, Vioxx, Vioxx Acute or Rofecoxib were mentioned on the death certificate.

HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Community and Voluntary Sector

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the groups within the community and voluntary sector that have been informed that funding will cease in March 2008; and to outline the services/programmes that will be affected.

(AQW 4275/08)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Mr M McGimpsey): My Department has been responsible for distributing ringfenced resources under the Children and Young People’s Funding Package, launched by Peter Hain in 2006. This included additional funding for a range of voluntary and community sector projects working with disadvantaged children and young people, including afterschool projects and projects previously supported by the Children’s Fund. These projects related to the work of a number of Departments. This central funding package ended on 31 March 2008 and it is for each Department to decide any further funding for projects for which they are responsible.

For my part, I have identified resources within my Budget to fund for another year, until March 2009, the projects whose activities support the objectives and functions of DHSSPS.

OFMDFM has advised me that additional central funding will be made available to support the remaining Children’s Fund projects for one further year and my Department has been asked to act as the distribution point for these funds. This funding does not cover some 55 afterschools projects funded through Playboard NI and providing play programmes, homework support, cross-community and cultural programmes.

Health and Social Care Trusts

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the cost associated with corporate branding of each of the new Health and Social Care Trusts.

(AQW 5217/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: It is not possible to identify separately, on a Trust by Trust basis, the costs associated with corporate branding, as this project is being taken forward on a regional basis. To date, the project has cost a total of £68,253.

Developing Better Services

Mr T Buchanan asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the purchase price and associated costs of the Developing Better Services building, situated in the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital grounds.

(AQW 5234/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Developing Better Services building situated in the grounds of the Tyrone & Fermanagh Hospital was tendered and constructed at a cost of £281,414. The running costs for the building are approximately £6,900 per annum.

The building provides accommodation for Trust staff who have been recruited to develop and implement the New Hospitals for the South West (NI) programme and manage the procurement of, inter alia, the new South West Hospital, north of Enniskillen and the Omagh enhanced local Hospital Complex at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital in Omagh.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Ms C Ní Chuilín asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail how Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) can be supported and retained in community and healthcare centres.

(AQW 5303/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I am anxious to increase access to a range of psychological therapies and psychosocial interventions, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

The additional funds allocated to mental health from the Comprehensive Spending Review will facilitate this, through, for example, the recruitment of additional Psychotherapists, with the aim that by 2011 there will be a 13 week maximum wait for psychotherapy.

My Department is also engaged in developing a strategy on psychotherapy. This will dictate how a co-ordinated approach to these services, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, can be best delivered, supported and retained by providers in both the statutory and independent sectors.

Foreign Nationals

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the number of foreign nationals employed as nurses in the Health Service.

(AQW 5326/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Information is not available in the form requested, however current numbers of qualified nursing staff recorded as being of non-EU origin (i.e. from a country outside the European Union) have been provided in the table below.

HSC Trust	Headcount	WTE
Belfast	618	496.55
Northern	153	151.95
Western	114	80.80
Southern	64	56.31
South Eastern	169	150.88

Notes: The whole time equivalent of staff is calculated by aggregating the total number of hours that staff in a grade are contracted to work, and dividing by the standard hours for that grade. In this way, part-time staff are converted into an equivalent number of ‘whole-time’ staff.

Agency Nurses

Mrs D Kelly asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the (i) number; and (ii) associated costs, of agency nurses in each psychiatric hospital.

(AQW 5344/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: A headcount figure for agency nurses is not available due to the variable nature of their working pattern. Their input is best measured on a whole-time equivalent (WTE) basis which will accurately reflect the overall contribution of potentially many individual agency nursing staff employed over the course of a year. This information, along with the associated costs of such staff employed in psychiatric facilities, is provided in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Agency nursing staff (WTE) and costs by Trust/Psychiatric Facility, 2007/08

HSC Trust	Site	Whole-time equivalent ¹	Costs
Belfast ²	Knockbracken	44.11	£1,113,607
	Mater	5.90	£148,955
	Belfast City	2.28	£57,524
Southern	Craigavon Area Hospital	0.29	£10,479
Northern ³	Holywell Hospital	0.40	£10,224
Northern ³	Whiteabbey	0.02	£482
South Eastern ⁴		2.00	£49,000
Western ⁵		0	£0

¹ The whole time equivalent of staff is calculated by aggregating the total number of hours that staff in a grade are contracted to work, and dividing by the standard hours for that grade.

² Whole-time equivalents have been estimated using costs divided by Band 5 nurse cost.

³ Figures represent 11 months of data to February 2008.

⁴Figures not available by hospital and costs are approximate.

⁵ The Mental Health department of the Western Trust does not use agency nursing staff.

Golden Handshakes

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the number of former staff from each Health Trust Board who received a golden handshake who have subsequently been re-employed by any of the Health and Social Care Trusts.

(AQW 5374/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Review of Public Administration implementation since the 2006/07 year has given rise to a number of staff being offered voluntary early retirement or voluntary redundancy. As part of those arrangements my Department instructed Health and Social Care employers that staff who received payments for voluntary early retirement or voluntary redundancy should not be re-engaged unless there is some special business reason for so doing. The records for such payments prior to 2006/07 are not held centrally and could only be obtained from individual HSC employers at a disproportionate cost. Accordingly, it is not possible to give details requested for the three years prior to that date.

Golden Handshakes

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, for each of the last 5 years, (i) the amount of money paid in golden handshakes in each Health Trust Board; and (ii) where these golden handshakes are recorded.

(AQW 5375/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: This information requested is only held centrally for the 2006/07 and 2007/08 years, information for the years from 2003 to 2006 could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. The information provided relates to voluntary early retirement and voluntary redundancy as a result of the Review of Public Administration as part of the process of securing large reductions in the number of managerial staff while minimising the risk of compulsory redundancies. (i) Belfast HSC Trust, 2006/07 - £681,654, 2007/08 - £4,439,840, Northern HSC Trust, 2006/07 - £nil, 2007/08 - £4,190,461, Southern HSC Trust, 2006/07 - £618,761, 2007/08 - £2,999,281, South Eastern Trust, 2006/07 - £nil, 2007/08 - £2,237,595 and Western Trust, 2006/07 - £nil, 2007/08 - £1,295,253. (ii) These payments have been recorded in the Trust’s accounts.

Golden Handshakes

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the number of former senior managers that received golden handshakes in each Health Trust Board.

(AQW 5376/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: This information requested is only held centrally for the 2006/07 and 2007/08 years, information for the years from 2003 to 2006 could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. The information provided relates to voluntary early retirement and voluntary redundancies as a result of the Review of Public Administration for staff down to the level immediately below an Assistant Director. Belfast HSC Trust, 2006/07 (3), 2007/08 (35), Northern HSC Trust, 2006/07 (nil), 2007/08 (40), Southern HSC Trust, 2006/07 (3), 2007/08 (25), South Eastern Trust, 2006/07 (nil), 2007/08 (16) and Western Trust, 2006/07 (nil) 2007/08 (11).

Blood Transfusion Service

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, for 2007, (i) the total number of units of blood donated through the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service; and (ii) the number of blood transfusions in hospitals.

(AQW 5382/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The total number of units of blood donated through the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) during 2007 was 58,629.

Information on the number of patients receiving a blood transfusion each year is not available. However, the number of units of red blood cells issued from the NIBTS to all hospitals in Northern Ireland during the year was 54,574.

The number of units transfused per patient varies widely but studies have indicated that the average transfusion episode involves approximately 3 units of red cells per patient.

Cancer Cases

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (i) the number of cases of (a) breast cancer; (b) prostate cancer; (c) lung cancer; and (d) colorectal cancer, that were confirmed in 2007; and (ii) how these compare with each of the last 5 years.

(AQW 5383/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Information on the number of new cases of cancer each year is held by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. The most recent information available relates to 2005. The table below details the number of new cases of breast cancer (ICD-10 C50), prostate cancer (ICD-10 C61), lung cancer (ICD-10 C33-C34) and colorectal cancer (ICD-10 C18-C21) in 2005 and the preceding five years.

Table: Incidence of selected cancers in Northern Ireland 2000-2005

Year of diagnosis	Cancer site (ICD-10 code)
	Breast (C50)	Prostate (C61)	Lung (C33-34)	Colorectal (C18-21)
2000	952	578	861	881
2001	932	559	888	954
2002	956	663	875	914
2003	1043	754	894	1011
2004	1142	781	969	979
2005	1080	747	872	970

Private Treatment

Ms S Ramsey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the annual costs incurred by his department in using private treatment in hospitals to meet NHS waiting time targets.

(AQW 5391/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: There has been a significant improvement in hospital waiting times over the last two years. At the beginning of April 2006, there were 110,000 people waiting more than 13 weeks for a first outpatient appointment, and nearly 10,000 waiting more than 21 weeks for inpatient or daycase treatment. Today, only a handful of patients are waiting longer than 13 weeks for an outpatient appointment or 21 weeks for treatment. This transformation has been achieved through the implementation of a comprehensive programme of reform together with investment in additional capacity, including the transfer of some patients to independent sector providers.

In 2006/07, a total of £22.9m was spent to have patients assessed and treated in the independent sector. Total expenditure for 2007/08 is not yet available, but £20.7m was spent during the period April to December 2007.

Bonuses Paid

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail, for each of the last 5 years, (i) the number of bonuses paid; and (ii) the value of the bonuses paid, to staff in each Health and Social Care Trust area; and to confirm if bonuses are reflected in the accounts of each Health and Social Care Trust.

(AQW 5416/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Bonuses paid to Health and Social Care Trust staff are reflected in note 5.1 within the Trust accounts. This note shows the total salaries and wages costs including performance pay or bonuses, overtime and allowances. The note does not separately identify bonuses. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide information on the number and value of such bonus payments as this information is not held centrally and could only be obtained from individual employers at a disproportionate cost.

Bonuses Paid

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to indicate where the payment of bonuses to staff are reflected in the accounts of each Health and Social Care Trust.

(AQW 5417/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The payment of bonuses to staff is contained within note 5.1 of the Trust accounts. This note shows the total staff costs of the Trust and is analysed between salaries and wages, social security costs and pension costs. Bonuses are included within salaries and wages, but are not separately identified within the note.

Bonuses Paid

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) the amount spent on staff bonuses in each Health and Social Care Trust in each of the past five years; (b) the range of such bonuses; and (c) the number of recipients of bonuses.

(AQW 5418/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Bonuses paid to Health and Social Care Trust staff are recorded in the Trust accounts as part of the total salaries and wages costs which includes performance pay or bonuses, overtime and allowances. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide information on the amount, range or the number of recipients as this information is not held centrally and could only be obtained from individual employers at a disproportionate cost.

Medical Secretaries

Mr A Easton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the reasons why medical secretaries are still waiting for their pay bands to be sorted out under Agenda for Change.

(AQW 5428/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The process for implementing Agenda for Change for all staff groups including medical secretaries has been agreed with Health Service Trade Unions. This process is being implemented in partnership by Health and Social Care employers and local staff side representatives. Medical secretaries in a number of the Health and Social Care organisations have received their new rates of pay. I have instructed Health and Social Care employers that all staff must be on the Agenda for Change rates of pay by the end of June 2008 and I expect them to meet this target.

Community Pharmacy Contracts

Mr M Storey asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to provide an update on the new Community Pharmacy Contracts.

(AQW 5437/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Department’s community pharmacy contract negotiating team has been working with the Pharmaceutical Contractors’ Committee (PCC) since April 2004 on developing a new contract for community pharmacy.

So far the main developments have been a jointly agreed framework for the new contract, preparation by the departmental team of detailed service specifications and standards for the services to be provided, a survey commissioned jointly by the Department and PCC into the costs of running pharmacies in Northern Ireland and some discussion on introducing certain services as the first part of a phased approach to implementing the new contract.

I am disappointed by the lack of progress made over the last four years and had hoped that patients across Northern Ireland would, by now, be benefiting from services such as the enhanced Minor Ailments and Repeat Dispensing schemes. Officials have over a considerable period of time made a series of offers to PCC which attempted to meet PCC’s objections and which represented a step change in remuneration levels; but I am sorry to say that all of these have been rejected. Nevertheless the provision of high quality healthcare services to patients remains an imperative, and I am pleased to say that officials are currently looking at other more innovative ways to ensure that patients across the province are able to benefit from a wider range of community pharmacy-focussed services.

My guiding principle is that patients deserve the modern, patient-centred healthcare services from community pharmacies that we all agree are essential. The recent pace of negotiation is not acceptable and needs to be quickened. I will be looking to the profession to engage with officials to ensure rapid progress is made in the coming months. In any case I will be looking for the delivery of as many of these services as is practicable as soon as possible so that patients throughout Northern Ireland are able to enjoy the considerable benefits that will result.

Public Private Partnerships

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to list all Public Private partnerships commenced during the previous periods of devolution by his department, and to detail their cost.

(AQW 5452/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: During the previous period of devolution my Department did not commence any Public Private Partnerships.

Elder Abuse

Miss M McIlveen asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, further to his answer to AQW 4873/08, why is there an exceptionally large number of instances of elder abuse in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board area.

(AQW 5474/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: As stated in my response to AQW 4873/08 my Department does not collect information on the number of instances of elder abuse. To collect the data requested, Health and Social Services Boards, who routinely collect this information from their respective Health and Social Care Trusts, were asked to provide information on the number of instances of allegations of elder abuse reported in their areas. Unfortunately, I regret to inform the Hon member that the information provided to my Department by the Southern Health and Social Services Board was found by the Board to be incorrect when sources were re-checked. The table below reflects the true position in the Southern Board area. (The figures in italics are the incorrect figures given in my previous Answer.)

	02/03	03/04	04/05	05/06	06/07
NHSSB	39	28	41	49	51
SHSSB	43 (35)	44 (41)	39(42)	103(68)	118(76)
EHSSB	60	105	76	94	217
WHSSB^*	N/A	N/A	21	80	62

*Figures for the WHSSB are for adults of all ages

While the number of instances of elder abuse in the Eastern Board area is greater than elsewhere (48% of total reported incidents) it is largely reflective of the higher proportion of older people living in that area (42% of NI population).

The information provided cannot be broken down into the format requested by all four Health and Social Services Boards.

Elder Abuse

Miss M McIlveen asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, further to his answer to AQW 4873/08, to detail how these figures are broken down between hospitals, care homes and private residences.

(AQW 5475/08)

	02/03	03/04	04/05	05/06	06/07
NHSSB	39	28	41	49	51
SHSSB	43 (35)	44 (41)	39(42)	103(68)	118(76)
EHSSB	60	105	76	94	217
WHSSB^*	N/A	N/A	21	80	62

*Figures for the WHSSB are for adults of all ages

The information provided cannot be broken down into the format requested by all four Health and Social Services Boards.

Elder Abuse

Miss M McIlveen asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, further to his answer to AQW 4873/08, to detail how this data has been collected.

(AQW 5476/08)

	02/03	03/04	04/05	05/06	06/07
NHSSB	39	28	41	49	51
SHSSB	43 (35)	44 (41)	39(42)	103(68)	118(76)
EHSSB	60	105	76	94	217
WHSSB^*	N/A	N/A	21	80	62

*Figures for the WHSSB are for adults of all ages

The information provided cannot be broken down into the format requested by all four Health and Social Services Boards.

Medical Secretaries

Mr P Butler asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (i) his plans to address the concerns of medical secretaries in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust; (ii) the action his department has taken in relation to banding under Agenda for Change; and (iii) the reasons why medical secretaries in some Health and Social Care Trusts have been graded at band 4, while medical secretaries in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust are band 3.

(AQW 5477/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The process for implementing Agenda for Change for all staff groups including medical secretaries has been agreed with Health Service Trade Unions and is being implemented in partnership by Health and Social Care employers and local staff side representatives. (i) Medical secretaries in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust have gone through the matching process and are now at the consistency checking stage which must be completed before the Agenda for Change rates of pay can be put into payment; (ii) my Department has no part in the matching process this is completed by Health and Social Care employers and local staff side representatives, however, I have instructed Health and Social Care employers that all staff must be on the Agenda for Change rates of pay by the end of June 2008 and I expect them to meet this target.; (iii) Medical secretaries in all Health and Social Care organisations are graded depending on their job description and it is possible that this will be different in separate HSC organisations.

Press Office

Mr P Weir asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, pursuant to his answer to AQW 4676/08, to detail the number of staff working in his department's press office, broken down by grade.

(AQW 5507/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: There are currently 13 members of staff employed within the press office of my Department (12 full-time and 1 part-time). There are seven press officers who provide direct support to me and other departmental officials on core press office activity. Two staff are employed to work specifically on the print and publicity requirements for the Department, with a further four (3 full time and 1 part time) to provide administrative support. The positions are graded as follows:-

1 X Principal Information Officer – Grade 7

2 X Senior information Officers – Deputy Principal

3 X Information Officers – Staff Officers

2 X Assistant Information Officers – Executive Officer 1

1 X Executive Officer - EOII

2 X Administrative Officers - AO

1 X F/T Administrative Assistant – AA

1 X P/T Administrative Assistant - AA

Pregnant Women

Ms C Ní Chuilín asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the provision and support his department is providing for pregnant women who are experiencing (i) mental illness; and (ii) personality disorder.

(AQW 5510/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: Many pregnant women with ongoing mental illness or personality disorders will already be known to services and be receiving care, either at the primary care level or from specialist mental health services. These established care arrangements should continue throughout her pregnancy, and should be provided in co-operation with those delivering her maternity care.

For those women who, during their pregnancy, develop, or exhibit for the first time, a mental health problem, I would expect midwives and obstetricians to recognise that there is a potential mental health issue and that established liaison arrangements should be in place to enable them to quickly contact an appropriate source for advice, support and, where necessary, specialised treatment.

Mental Health Facility

Mr C Boylan asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of the impact a new mental health facility at Craigavon Area Hospital will have on the St. Luke's site in Armagh City.

(AQW 5549/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The immediate impact which the opening of the Crisis Resource Centre at Craigavon Area Hospital will have on the St. Luke's site in Armagh will be that two wards, which had been temporarily re-sited there for the last 6 years, will return to their original location in Craigavon.

St. Luke’s will continue to provide one general adult psychiatric ward, the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit for the whole of the Southern area, the Addictions unit for the whole of the Southern area, the Southern Dementia Assessment Unit and 4 long-stay/rehabilitation wards.

In the longer term, the Southern Trust and the Southern Board will be commencing a review to modernise and reform all mental health services in the Southern area, to ensure that the Trust continues to develop a range of services consistent with best practice, and in line with the Bamford Review. As part of this process, the enhancement of community-based treatment and care options should enable the further review of the number and location of in-patient psychiatric beds over time.

Craigavon Area Hospital

Mr C Boylan asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (i) the number of people refused admission to Craigavon Area Hospital in the last 12 months, due to lack of available beds; and (ii) the hospitals that these people were transferred to.

(AQW 5550/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: No patients have been refused admission to Craigavon Area hospital during the financial year 2007/2008 if it is deemed that the patient requires a period of acute inpatient care.

Ambulance Cover

Mr M Brady asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give his assessment of the level of ambulance cover in the south Armagh area.

(AQW 5641/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: The Southern Health and Social Services Board is responsible for commissioning ambulance services in the South Armagh area from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. The level of cover commissioned is determined on the same basis as for other parts of Northern Ireland and takes into account such factors as the rural nature of the area and local patterns of demand for emergency ambulances. Ambulance cover is provided primarily by resources operating from Armagh and Newry Ambulance Stations as follows:

Newry Ambulance Station

Monday to Sunday: 3 x A&E resources: 0800 to 2400hours

Monday to Sunday: 2 x A&E resources: 2400 to 0800hours

Armagh Ambulance Station

Monday to Sunday: 2 x A&E resources: 0800 to 2400hours

Monday to Sunday: 1 x A&E resources: 2400 to 0800hours

Friday only: 1 x A&E resource: 1600 to 2400hours

These resources are deployed on the basis of NIAS’s Tactical Deployment Plan for the Southern Board area which enables ambulance control to predict throughout the day, on the basis of historical data, where demand for ambulances is most likely to originate and deploy ambulances temporarily in certain areas to achieve better response times.

Dental Practices

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to list the dental practices in Omagh and Strabane that accept new Health Service patients without requiring them to pay fees.

(AQW 5661/08)

Mr M McGimpsey: I am aware that there is at present, a lack of dental practices in the Omagh and Strabane areas willing to actively accept new Health Service patients to their practice lists. The Department however is unable to detail exactly what practices in these areas are willing to accept new health service patients as this information can change daily.

Currently there are 10 dental practices in Omagh and 5 in Strabane who are all registered on the dental list of the Central Services Agency (CSA) to facilitate the undertaking of health service dentistry. The decision as to whether a dentist is willing to accept or discontinue health service work is a matter for the individual dentist, who is free to decide to increase or decrease the numbers of health service patients he or she is prepared to take at any given time.

There is no obligation on dentists to accept a patient for health service treatment, nor do current contractual arrangements permit Health and Social Services Boards to compel dentists to provide Health Service dental services. Dental practices in Omagh and Strabane are under no obligation to inform the Western Health Board of which patients they are treating under the Health Service or under a private contract.

Statistical data, however, shows that as at March 2008 all but one of the fifteen practices registered with the CSA to facilitate the undertaking of health service dentistry in the Omagh and Strabane areas had accepted new health service patients during 2007/08 and another practice, which had a small number of new registrations, was an orthodontic practice and would only treat patients on the Health Service on a referral basis for specialist treatments. Details of these registrations and the practices involved are detailed in the table below:

Dental Surgeries in Omagh and Strabane				HS Patients Accepted During 2007/08	No. of HS Patients Accepted During 2007/08
Surgery No	Address 1	Address 2	Postcode	HS Patients Accepted During 2007/08	No. of HS Patients Accepted During 2007/08
274	Riverview Dental Practice, Mountjoy Road	Omagh	BT79 7AA	Yes	160
328	6 New Brighton Terrace	Omagh	BT78 1LL	Yes	694
481	27 Campsie Road	Omagh	BT79 0AE	Yes	1,158
681	3 James Street	Omagh	BT78 1DH	Yes	827
753	8 Holmview Terrace, Campsie	Omagh	BT79 0AH	Yes	456
756	2 Carlisle Villas	Omagh	BT79 7DH	Yes	851
1191#	33 Campsie Road	Omagh	BT79 0AJ	Yes	2
1212	6 James Street	Omagh	BT78 IDH	No	0
1239	84 Oldmountfield Road	Omagh	BT79 7ET	Yes	715
1261	The Grange Dental Care, 2 Crevanagh Road	Omagh	BT79 0AL	Yes	375
109	30 Bridge Street	Strabane	BT82 9AE	Yes	1,857
451	9 Railway Street	Strabane	BT82 8EG	Yes	526
684	5 Castle Place	Strabane	BT82 8AW	Yes	1,697
717	Edenvale, 1 Eden Terrace	Strabane	BT82 8EN	Yes	661
838	39 Abercorn Square	Strabane	BT82 8AQ	Yes	159

Table Notes:

* A new Health Service patient is defined as a patient who is registered at a dental surgery at March 2008, but not in April 2007.

# This dental practice is an orthodontic practice and would therefore not have many registered patients as it treats the vast majority of its patients on referral.

Not all patients receiving health service dental treatment are exempt from paying dental fees. Those patients who aren’t automatically exempt will be required to pay 80% of the cost of the treatment, up to a maximum of £384. Unlike health service dentistry however, the charges for private dental treatment are not regulated by the Department and are generally speaking more expensive than health service charges.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Sanctuary Cove Roadway

Mr K McCarthy asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the action he is taking to expedite the completion date for the Sanctuary Cove roadway in Kircubbin.

(AQW 5197/08)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr C Murphy): My Department’s Roads Service has advised that while the roadways within Sanctuary Cove have been largely completed, it would not be appropriate to undertake final surfacing until the sewerage system within the development has been brought up to an acceptable standard for adoption by Northern Ireland Water (NIW). Both the roadways and the sewerage system within the development have not yet been adopted and remain the responsibility of the developer.

NIW has advised me that it has consulted extensively with the developer about the requirements to bring the sewerage system up to an adoptable standard, but has been awaiting information from the developer for some time to enable the process for formal adoption to proceed.

Parking Tickets

Mr G Savage asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail, for each month since the NCP scheme was introduced, the number of parking tickets issued in (i) Banbridge; (ii) Lurgan; (iii) Portadown; (iv) Lisburn; (v) Coleraine; (vi) Dungannon; (vii) Newry; (viii) Omagh; (ix) Ballymena; (x) Bangor; (xi) Newtownards; (xii) East Belfast; (xiii) South Belfast; (xiv) West Belfast; (xv) North Belfast; and (xvi) Belfast City Centre.

(AQW 5203/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised that the number of Penalty Charge Notices issued in each month since the introduction of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, for the towns requested, is as listed in the tables below.

Total Number of Parking Tickets issued since the NCP Scheme was introduced

	Nov 06	Dec 06	Jan 07	Feb 07	Mar 07	Apr 07	May 07	Jun 07
Banbridge	99	253	227	152	169	179	132	115
Lurgan	204	393	372	280	377	348	317	213
Portadown	215	536	491	433	516	534	447	365
Lisburn	514	591	396	342	399	324	341	529
Coleraine	437	489	476	384	332	374	340	372
Dungannon	71	109	150	297	430	318	244	272
Newry	507	631	718	552	538	508	497	448
Omagh	575	652	688	547	506	440	679	510
Ballymena	409	575	455	425	452	445	506	671
Bangor	228	251	249	313	319	304	350	522
Newtownards	87	151	266	215	243	286	293	397
Belfast	2167	3047	3208	2973	3345	3148	4268	3951

	Jul 07	Aug 07	Sept 07	Oct 07	Nov 07	Dec 07	Jan 08	Feb 08	March 08
Banbridge	172	228	176	123	149	88	78	120	128
Lurgan	296	326	211	282	159	152	141	125	121
Portadown	366	431	408	345	211	272	211	209	223
Lisburn	448	454	440	458	444	631	388	437	526
Coleraine	411	504	485	501	369	386	313	392	438
Dungannon	309	339	345	300	337	284	219	224	123
Newry	485	485	438	469	461	260	299	387	359
Omagh	518	537	416	455	571	442	431	406	421
Ballymena	500	622	471	436	416	528	346	324	314
Bangor	551	490	383	311	330	293	270	327	282
Newtownards	369	375	314	355	386	309	311	281	281
Belfast	3902	4027	3909	4464	4274	3329	3404	4700	4500

Please note that figures for Belfast are not collated on a regional basis.

Great Northern Road Junction

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail his plans to carry out a review of the traffic system in operation at the Urney Road and Great Northern Road junction in Strabane, with a view to enhancing motorist and pedestrian safety.

(AQW 5236/08)

Mr C Murphy: Officials from my Department’s Roads Service have advised that they have recently carried out a safety review at this junction, particularly in light of the five collisions that have occurred within the last three years.

As three of these collisions were due to rear end shunts Roads Service proposes to treat each of the approach roads with high friction anti-skid surfacing in an attempt to improve safety at the junction. This work is planned to be completed during the current financial year. Thereafter, the site will be kept under review.

Lough Road junction in Loughgiel

Mr D McKay asked the Minister for Regional Development if consideration will be given to improving footway links for pedestrians at the Corkey Road/ Lough Road junction in Loughgiel.

(AQW 5247/08)

Mr C Murphy: Officials from my Department’s Road Services have advised that they will carry out an initial assessment of your request, for consideration of a minor improvement scheme at the Corkey Road/ Lough Road junction in Loughgiel.

On completion of the initial assessment, Roads Service will write to you and inform you of the outcome.

Rowreagh Road, Kircubbin

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development, pursuant to his answer to AQW 4076/08, to confirm that his department liaised with the PSNI to ascertain whether a crash barrier would aid traffic management adjacent to 41 Rowreagh Road, Kircubbin.

(AQW 5277/08)

Mr C Murphy: The erection of a crash barrier is subject to certain criteria, which are assessed and determined by my Department’s Roads Service. I can advise that the PSNI are not consulted as to whether a crash barrier is required or is an appropriate treatment for any specified location.

Translink Advertising

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the amount of money spent by Translink on (i) television advertising; (ii) radio advertising; and (iii) newspaper advertising, in each of the last 5 years.

(AQW 5279/08)

Mr C Murphy: The amount of money spent by Translink on (i) television advertising; (ii) radio advertising; (iii) newspaper advertising; and (iv) outdoor advertising, in each of the last 5 years was:

	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
Television	£96,000	£28,650	£116,400	£189,500	£114,200
Radio	£31,697	£53,837	£54,670	£144,169	£159,585
Newspaper	£2,965	£70,696	£57,194	£188,805	£179,005
Outdoor	£84,068	£60,110	£99,975	£195,392	£215,071
Total	£214,730	£213,293	£328,239	£717,866	£667,861

Translink Spending on Fuel

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the amount of money spent by Translink on fuel for trains and buses, in each of the last 5 years.

(AQW 5280/08)

Mr C Murphy: The amount of money spent by Translink on fuel for trains and buses in each of the last 5 years was:

	2003/04 £m	2004/05 £m	2005/06 £m	2006/07 £m	2007/08* £m Period 1-11
Ulsterbus	11.6	12.2	12.2	15.7	15.1
Citybus	3.1	3.4	3.9	4.8	4.7
Flexibus	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
NI Railways	1.5	1.6	2.4	4.0	4.0
Total	16.3	17.3	18.6	24.6	23.9

*Figures for 2007/08 are provided up to period 11. Accounts for period 12 (the final period of the year) are not yet finalised and have therefore not been included. Initial estimates are that fuel costs have risen by 9% in 2007/08 compared to the previous year.

Irish Language Translation

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (i) the total number of documents that have been partially/fully translated into the Irish language; and (ii) the total cost of these translations.

(AQW 5285/08)

Mr C Murphy: (i)My Department has translated in full six documents into the Irish language.

(ii) The total cost of these translations was £749.84.

The Department is currently reviewing its policies towards the use and promotion of the Irish language.

Rapid Transport Scheme

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the procurement options that are being considered for the proposed Rapid Transport Scheme, for the Greater Belfast area.

(AQW 5296/08)

Mr C Murphy: The feasibility study for a pilot rapid transit system for Belfast, which was published on 8 April, looked at a range of procurement options, including various PPP/PFI solutions. It also identified the scope for contributions to be provided by private developers. I will be considering the findings of the study in this regard, and will be ensuring that all viable procurement options are fully explored before a final decision is made.

Car Parking Spaces

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of car parking spaces owned by the Roads Service which are currently allocated as disabled parking only.

(AQW 5306/08)

Mr C Murphy: Officials from my Department’s Roads Service have advised that they presently provide 712 disabled car parking spaces in off-street car parks either owned or leased by them. They also provide 1793 on-street disabled car parking places.

Disabled Persons Badge Scheme

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of people currently on the Disabled Persons Badge Scheme.

(AQW 5308/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised that, as at 31 March 2008, 90,912 individuals and 250 support organisations are registered with the Disabled Persons Badge Scheme (Blue Badges).

Disabled Persons Badge Scheme

Mr T Elliott asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the number of Blue Badges that have been withdrawn from drivers due to fraudulent use.

(AQW 5309/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised that, in the last five years, no Blue Badges have been withdrawn due to fraudulent use.

Departmental Work

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail any work being carried out by the Roads Service and Northern Ireland Water in Crumlin and the surrounding areas in April 2008.

(AQW 5334/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised that preparation for the traffic calming schemes at Glenavy Road and Main Street Crumlin is complete and that the road humps and markings will be completed during April 2008. Northern Ireland Water (NIW) has advised that it has no work planned in Crumlin or the surrounding area during April 2008.

Departmental Work

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail any work being carried out by the Roads Service and Northern Ireland Water in Randalstown and the surrounding areas in April 2008.

(AQW 5335/08)

Mr C Murphy: Roads Service officials and NIW have advised that no work is planned in the Randalstown and surrounding areas during April 2008.

Departmental Work

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail any work being carried out by the Roads Service and Northern Ireland Water in Mallusk and the surrounding areas in April 2008.

(AQW 5337/08)

Mr C Murphy: Roads Service officials have advised that during April, work will continue on the M2 Improvements Scheme between Sandyknowes and Greencastle junctions.

Following the demolition of the Hightown Bridge in early March, construction of the replacement structure will progress at this location. This will involve the construction of new bridge abutments on both the northern and southern sides of the motorway and a new bridge pier in the central reserve.

The other main elements of this scheme that will be undertaken during April include surfacing at Sandyknowes city-bound on-slip and the erection of a safety barrier in the motorway verge between Sandyknowes and Greencastle.

During April there will also be a change to the temporary traffic management arrangements on the M2, to allow the widening works to progress.

Routine maintenance work on the M2 motorway will involve emergency telephone and communications cabinet cleaning, weed control treatments and routine maintenance of structures.

NIW has no work planned for Mallusk or the surrounding area during April.

Vandalism Repairs

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the amount spent by Translink on repairing damage to (i) trains; and (ii) buses, caused by vandalism in each of the last five years.

(AQW 5338/08)

Mr C Murphy: Translink have advised me that the amount of money spent on repairing damage caused to buses by vandalism in each of the last five years was:

2003/04 £723k

2004/05 £720k

2005/06 £568k

2006/07 £744k

2007/08 £602k*

*The 2007/08 figure is for periods 1-11; firm figures for period 12 are not yet available.

The figures for the cost of vandalism to trains are currently being reviewed by Translink to ensure their accuracy. This process will take a number of weeks to complete, and Ports and Public Transport Division will write to you with the information at that stage.

Translink have taken various initiatives aimed at minimising vandalism, and the numbers of incidents are reducing. However, the cost of repairs is higher for new vehicles. For example, it costs £150 to replace a window on a new Wright’s Solar bus, as opposed to £24 for a similar repair to an older Leyland Tiger.

Road Repairs

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the amount of capital expenditure by his department on the repair and maintenance of existing roads in each of the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency and local government district.

(AQW 5341/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service does not maintain an analysis of its spend on a parliamentary constituency basis. It does, however, undertake an analysis of actual spend during the preceding financial year in each Council area.

In relation to AQW 5341/08, I should advise that repair and maintenance expenditure is classed as Resource spend rather than Capital spend. Roads Service expenditure on operation and maintenance, includes Structural Maintenance, Highways Structures, Routine Maintenance, Traffic Maintenance, Winter Maintenance, Street Lighting Maintenance, Car Parking Maintenance and EU schemes.

The table below details such spend in each Council area during the last five years for which figures are available.

District Council	02-03	03-04	04-05	05-06	06-07
	Operation & Maintenance Spend
District Council	£k	£k	£k	£k	£k
Antrim	3,863	4,976	3,913	4,218	3,251
Coleraine	3,740	5,167	3,960	3,960	4,139
Limavady	2,636	3,555	3,156	3,327	2,737
Moyle	1,448	1,808	1,835	2,111	1,860
Ballymoney	2,590	2,768	2,442	2,410	2,283
L'derry	7,290	6,067	5,655	5,324	5,281
Ballymena	4,011	5,354	5,020	5,493	4,432
Larne	2,205	2,432	2,316	2,632	2,754
Belfast	14,517	14,895	15,123	15,576	13,730
Castlereagh	2,183	2,327	2,179	3,149	3,029
Newtownabby	3,607	3,513	3,676	2,418	3,189
Carrickfergus	1,646	1,536	1,325	1,296	1,764
North Down	4,068	4,002	2,409	4,160	3,640
Lisburn	6,225	7,081	7,369	6,245	5,695
Ards	3,216	3,547	3,661	3,706	3,468
Armagh	4,542	5,482	5,863	6,011	5,477
Newry & Mourne	5,256	7,069	7,567	6,839	5,843
Banbridge	3,586	4,008	3,690	4,008	3,841
Craigavon	4,991	5,258	5,380	5,241	5,217
Down	4,641	5,089	5,042	4,914	4,503
Magherafelt	2,668	3,449	3,029	3,242	2,612
Omagh	5,779	7,048	6,173	6,004	5,587
Strabane	4,357	4,829	5,312	4,758	4,746
Cookstown	2,600	3,282	3,026	2,605	2,857
Fermanagh	5,822	7,461	6,809	6,142	6,737
Dungannon	4,985	7,038	5,397	5,395	5,477
Totals	112,472	129,041	121,327	121,184	114,149

Road Expenditure

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the amount of capital expenditure by his department on new roads in each of the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency and local government district.

(AQW 5342/08)

Mr C Murphy: The table below details capital spend in each Council area during the last five years for which figures are available.

District Council	Capital Spend
	02-03	03-04	04-05	05-06	06-07
	£k	£k	£k	£k	£k
Antrim	9,825	10,066	4,952	1,901	2,801
Coleraine	933	1,143	2,555	2,152	1,380
Limavady	9,553	3,490	2,615	1,390	1,145
Moyle	213	151	333	383	177
Ballymoney	354	264	948	3,753	1,223
L'derry	3,009	4,081	9,325	9,165	3,754
Ballymena	959	724	1,259	2,343	1,910
Larne	612	1,956	650	1,825	346
Belfast	9,875	8,443	20,160	7,246	26,628
Castlereagh	506	664	1,551	8,440	835
Newtownabby	2,380	4,572	5,694	3,476	1,578
Carrickfergus	392	441	721	1,712	2,566
North Down	947	568	1,310	1,892	1,916
Lisburn	1,308	2,209	3,097	3,855	3,673
Ards	2,879	3,685	1,859	1,790	1,725
Armagh	681	947	2,561	2,270	1,677
Newry & Mourne	1,185	7,780	19,922	17,692	62,010
Banbridge	1,251	3,845	4,018	2,262	2,221
Craigavon	1,410	1,944	3,973	4,879	1,803
Down	528	719	1,721	2,679	1,539
Magherafelt	661	637	1,964	1,344	966
Omagh	1,670	1,366	6,201	7,869	3,455
Strabane	7,828	2,056	2,274	3,006	2,067
Cookstown	537	673	948	975	1,078
Fermanagh	895	1,163	3,675	4,137	2,121
Dungannon	419	746	3,556	5,401	15,361
Totals	60,810	64,333	107,842	103,837	145,955

Capital spend includes Major Capital, Minor Capital, Street Lighting, Car Parks, Other Capital (including Ferry), Transportation Policy and Land.

I should also explain that Roads Service does not simply split its total budget for capital expenditure on roads across all the district council areas. Major road improvements are prioritised on a countrywide basis taking account of a broad range of criteria such as strategic planning policy, traffic flow, number of accidents, potential travel save times, environmental impact, accessibility and value for money. While the actual spend on a major works scheme may be within one district council area, the benefits of such schemes are not confined to the district council, constituency or county in which they are located.

Northern Ireland Water

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister for Regional Development to confirm whether Northern Ireland Water will make provisions to compensate the companies contracted to install water meters, that incurred set up costs, before the scheme was cancelled; and to detail these provisions.

(AQW 5372/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water (NIW) that work to install water meters is continuing, but at a reduced level to that originally envisaged following the deferral of domestic charging.

Enterprise plc is the sole contractor for implementation of the metering programme and NIW has no contractual liability to pay compensation for this reduced volume of work. However, set up costs to cover the establishment of offices and information technology requirements were paid to the contractor prior to the commencement of the contract.

NIW has no contractual relationship with companies subcontracted by Enterprise, and will not therefore be making provision to compensate them.

Northern Ireland Water

Dr A McDonnell asked the Minister for Regional Development to confirm if he is aware that as a result of the suspension of the contract established by Northern Ireland Water, to install 44,000 water meters, that a number of specialist organisations that were contracted to carry out the works have incurred financial loss.

(AQW 5373/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that the sole contractor for implementation of the metering programme is Enterprise plc and the contract has not been suspended.

I appreciate that, as a result of a reduced level of metering following the deferral of domestic charging, there are implications for companies subcontracted by Enterprise. However, Northern Ireland Water has no contractual relationship with these companies and therefore has no liability for any financial loss incurred by them.

Northern Ireland Water

Mr G Savage asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (i) the contracts; and (ii) the costs incurred by Northern Ireland Water for emptying slurry tanks.

(AQW 5379/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that it does not provide a slurry tank emptying service.

It does, however, provide a desludging service to customers whose household wastewater discharges to a septic tank, a domestic treatment plant or a cesspool. This service is contracted out at a cost of almost £1 million per year.

Northern Ireland Water

Mr G Savage asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (i) the consultancy firms used by Northern Ireland Water; and (ii) the expenditure on each firm in fees and other costs, since 1 April 2007.

(AQW 5380/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that the consultancy firms employed since 1 April 2007 and associated fees and other costs, are as detailed below. These costs relate to the period to the end of February 2008 and are split between capital consultancy, relating to the design and build of infrastructure projects, and other consultancy. They are exclusive of VAT.

CAPITAL CONSULTANCY

ADJUST PROCUREMENT SOLUTIONS LTD	£26,287
ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES LTD	£5,826
ATKINS LIMITED	£58,152
BHB FIRE AND SPECIALIST TRAINING CONSULTANTS	£255
BIWATER GRAHAM JOINT VENTURE	£123,206
BIWATER TREATMENT LTD	£216,925
BLACK & VEATCH LTD	£246,674
BSG CIVIL ENGINEERING LIMITED	£329,015
BUILDING DESIGN PARTNERSHIP LIMITED	£155,732
BUSINESS PUBLICATION COMPANY (N.I.)	£250
CAPITA SYMONDS LTD	£593,822
CHANDLERKBS	£31,741
CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY SERVICES	£452,085
CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISORY SERVICES LIMITED	£71,085
CONTRACTAUDITLINE	£1,397
DAWSON-WAM LTD	£116,916
DLA PIPER RUDNICK GRAY CARY UK LLP	£31,357
DORAN CONSULTANT	£384,739
EARTH TECH ENGINEERING LTD	£91,472
EC HARRIS & PARTNERS	£36,403
ENTEC	£11,223
EWAN GROUP PLC	£83,440
FABER MAUNSELL LTD	£352,819
GLOVER SITE INVESTIGATION	£2,444
HALCROW MANAGEMENT SCIENCES LIMITED	£81,855
HALCROW WATER SERVICES	£363,835
HYDER CONSULTING LIMITED	£254,476
I B M UNITED KINGDOM LTD	£1,199
INTAPEOPLE LTD	£5,880
INTRA CONSULTING	£15,540
IT PROJECT RECOVERY LIMITED	£67,965
JACOBS UK LTD	£580,470
JOHN GRAHAM (DROMORE) LTD	£36,091
MCADAM DESIGN	£1,938,394
MCAULEY & BROWNE	£17,000
MMC ASSOCIATES	£6,150
MOUCHEL LIMITED	£8,100
MULHOLLAND & DOHERTY	£1,196,391
MOUCHEL PARKMAN SERVICES LIMITED	£210,653
MWH UK LTD	£546,217
NICHOLAS O DWYER & PARTNERS	£240,609
OLLAVE LTD	£24,525
PETER J GRAHAM CONSULTANCY LTD	£17,363
PIPELINE SIMULATION LTD	£480
PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS LLP	£867,285
PURAC BRAND	£201,757
R ROBINSON AND SONS	£311,891
RPS KIRK MCCLURE & MORTON (RPS KMM)	£1,504,314
SAFETY ADVICE CENTRE	£850
SCOTT WILSON	£471,457
SERVICE & SYSTEM SOLUTIONS (SX3) LTD	£6,000
THE EVENT-FUL CONSULTANCY LTD	£300
WATERPEOPLE LIMITED	£4,575
WDR & RT TAGGART	£360,334
WHITE YOUNG GREEN	£637,307
WILLIAMS IND SERVICES LTD	£75,448
WJ MCDOWELL&PARTNERS	£301,282
WRC PLC	£34,422
WS ATKINS CONSULTANTS LTD	£2,759,590
XANSA	£125,281
	TOTAL £16,698,551

OTHER CONSULTANCY

ALVAREZ & MARSHALL EUROPE	£10,934
AUSTIN HUNTER	£800
A J MCCANN CONSULTANTS	£4,044
BCM SERVICES	£760
BDO STOY HAYWARD	£24,875
BEING COMMUNICATION LIMITED	£50,000
BESPOKE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT LIMITED	£24,071
BLACK & VEATCH	£31,000
BTW SHIELLS	£8,500
BUILDING DESIGN PARTNERSHIP LTD	£2,357
CHARLIE HARRIS (PRACTICAL PLANNING)	£61,360
CONSULT NB 1 LTD	£34,850
CONTRACTING OUT LLP	£154,759
DELOITTE	£35,000
DP CONTRACTING LTD	£9,360
DUNDAS & WILSON	£291,016
EMPATHY RATING SYNDICATED RESEARCH	£4,200
ERNST & YOUNG	£79,838
FRONTIER	£34,000
FUJITSU	£29,896
HALCROW	£72,736
HCL COMMUNICATIONS	£1,390
INDEPENDENT OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH LTD	£18,497
INSIDEDGE	£45,000
INTERIM MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENTS (NI) LTD	£179,847
JACOBS UK LTD	£2,136
JOHN SMITH	£77,241
KIRKWOOD MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY	£53,163
KPMG	£1,200
MERCER HUMAN RESOURCE CONSULTING	£53,622
MCADAM DESIGN	£175,729
MOTT MCDONALD GROUP	£891,922
NICK OWEN ASSOCIATES	£1,922
NTUITION LTD	£6,106
ODOUR ASSESSMENT	£6,700
PETER BRIENS	£4,550
PETER GRAHAM CONSULTANCY	£5,400
PRACTICAL PLANNING LIMITED	£121,108
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP	£4,783,885
ROBINSON CONSULTING	£31,926
ROSPA - HEALTH & SAFETY AUDIT	£56,000
SACKER & PARTNERS	£5,718
STRATEGIC PLANNING	£8,000
THE EVENT-FUL CONSULTANCY LTD	£11,143
THE HELM CORPORATION LTD	£556,537
WEBER SHANDWICK	£50,270
	TOTAL £8,113,368

Crawfordsburn Village

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the reasons why road calming measures were deemed suitable for Conlig village, but were not deemed suitable for Crawfordsburn village.

(AQW 5393/08)

Mr C Murphy: I can advise that traffic calming measures have been introduced by my Department’s Roads Service at both Conlig and Crawfordsburn villages.

Many factors are taken into account when considering the most appropriate measures to try to influence driver behaviour and the speed of vehicles. These include the type of road; the surrounding environment; existing road alignment; the type of features available; the most likely approach speed to the first traffic claming feature and the likely support for any proposed measures.

In the case of Conlig village, traffic must turn off the main dual carriageway from Bangor to Newtownards, at which point vehicles encounter the first traffic calming measure - namely village gateway signs. In turning off the main dual carriageway, vehicle speeds are automatically reduced to such an extent that the provision of road humps is appropriate.

The roads leading into Crawfordsburn village are of a rural nature and are subject to the national speed limit. On entering the village there are traffic calming features, in the form of village gateway signs, as well as carriageway markings. However, as there are no features in the road alignment that would significantly reduce the speed of vehicles, road humps are not considered appropriate at this location.

Car Ferry Service

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail his plans to create a car ferry service between Bangor and Carrickfergus.

(AQW 5394/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department has no plans to create a car ferry service between Bangor and Carrickfergus.

Water Pressure Problems

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to fix the water pressure problems for residents in Cootehall Road, Crawfordsburn.

(AQW 5429/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that it is aware that some residents of Cootehall Road, Crawfordsburn are experiencing low water pressure. The properties affected are on a shared supply pipe and previous investigations, including exploratory excavations, have been unsuccessful in identifying the cause of the problem.

Northern Ireland Water commenced further investigations on 17 April in a further attempt to identify the source of the low water pressure. This will involve investigatory work in private gardens, necessitating the co-operation of the residents. The Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Water will write to you when the investigations are complete.

Pay and Display Tickets

Mr G Savage asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will lobby NCP to ensure that pay and display tickets are provided with an adhesive surface to ensure they can be attached to car windscreens.

(AQW 5430/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised that there are a number of Pay and Display machines which do not operate satisfactorily with the current adhesive tickets. To rectify this problem, NCP Service's stationery supplier is currently conducting tests with a view to producing adhesive tickets compatible with all Roads Service's Pay and Display machines. Suitable adhesive tickets, will be rolled out to all Pay & Display machines when they become available.

In the interim, any customers issued with non-adhesive tickets should ensure that these are displayed on the dashboard of their vehicles.

Free Travel Passes

Mrs N Long asked the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to ensure that free travel passes for the over 60s are extended to cover the United Kingdom, as well as throughout Ireland.

(AQW 5434/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have no plans at present to seek reciprocity of free travel arrangements in England, Scotland and Wales. There are no plans to reduce the qualifying age for the free travel scheme in the south, so it would not be feasible to reduce the age for cross-border travel for residents of the north.

Sewers Provision

Mr M Storey asked the Minister for Regional Development to provide an update on (i) the provision of new sewers; and (ii) the enhancement of the existing network, in Rasharkin.

(AQW 5440/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that, following agreement with the relevant landowners for a suitable pipe-line route, a comprehensive construction contract has been awarded for improving the sewerage infrastructure in Rasharkin. This will involve:-

the provision of a relief sewer along Finvoy Road, through private land and back into the existing sewerage system on Finvoy Road, to provide additional hydraulic capacity within the system and reduce the risk of flooding;
the provision of a new combined sewer to the west of the town to Moneyleck Road;
the upgrading of the combined sewer on Moneyleck Road;
a new storm sewer, mostly routed parallel to the new combined sewer, discharging to the watercourse in the vicinity of the wastewater treatment works.

It is estimated that the work will cost in the region of £707,000 and construction is programmed to commence in June 2008.

Public Private Partnerships

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Regional Development to list all planned Public Private partnerships during the 2008-2011 Budget period for new roads.

(AQW 5450/08)

Mr C Murphy: The construction and operation of two packages already procured by my Department’s Roads Service, through the Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) form of Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract, will continue through the 2008-2011 Budget period. At this time, Roads Service has not identified any further PPP contracts where construction will commence during the 2008-2011 Budget period.

Public Private Partnerships

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Regional Development to list all planned new projects where there will be a contribution towards the construction by the private sector.

(AQW 5451/08)

Mr C Murphy: The Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland 2002 -2012 anticipates £100 million of investment from developer contributions. The RTS will be delivered through three ‘daughter’ documents: the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan 2015 (RSTN TP), the Sub-Regional Transport Plan 2015 (SRTP) and the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP). These documents identify schemes which will require proportionate funding from developers in order to realise RTS expectations. Examples include: the recently completed Skeoge Link and the A2 Buncrana Road in Derry, which have strategic importance to the North Western Corridor; the A20 Newtownards Southern Distributor; the North Lisburn Feeder Road which is already substantially completed, Winters Lane and the Strathroy Link Road in Omagh; the Cherrymount Link in Enniskillen; and the recently completed major road improvements on the A1 at Banbridge, which were constructed in association with a major retail development.

In addition, Roads Service receives a number of smaller contributions from developers to deliver road improvements, in order to mitigate the otherwise adverse impact the development schemes may have on the roads infrastructure.

These contributions are generally delivered through a legal agreement and are generally supported by a Traffic Impact Assessment which attempts to identify areas of the network which may be adversely affected by the proposed development and hence require some form of mitigation measures. It is normal for the agreement to specify a timescale for the delivery of these mitigation measures.

Northern Ireland Water has advised that it has no new projects where the private sector will contribute.

Water Booster

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development to provide a timescale within which his department will install a water booster to service homes in the Aghyaran Road Upper, Castlederg.

(AQW 5454/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water (NIW) that it has recently approved capital funding for the provision of a water booster station to service homes in Upper Aghyaran Road, Castlederg.

NIW aims to have the water booster station operational by the end of 2008, but this timing is subject to the acquisition of any land that may be needed and to the completion of all statutory processes including planning approval.

A5 Dual Carriageway

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development to provide a progress report on the A5 dual carriageway scheme.

(AQW 5455/08)

Mr C Murphy: In late 2007 my Department’s Roads Service appointed consultants, Mouchel, as client advisor for this project. Mouchel are currently gathering information to enable constraints on the project to be identified and preliminary design work to be carried out. They are currently on target to meet the first milestone for the project, which is identification of the preferred corridor, in late 2008.

I anticipate that subsequent work should enable the identification of a preferred route within that corridor by mid 2009 and publication of draft statutory orders associated with the Environmental Statement, Direction Order and Vesting Order, in 2010. However, it is not practical to set further milestones for the project at this stage, as the timing of the works will be dependent on the outcome of the statutory orders

You may also be interested to know that a series of public information days are planned over the next month and details will be published in local press.

Press Office

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Regional Development, pursuant to his answer to AQW 4680/08, to detail the number of staff working in his department's press office, broken down by grade.

(AQW 5504/08)

Mr C Murphy: Within the Department for Regional Development’s Press Office, the numbers and grades of staff are as follows:

Grade	Number
Principal Information Officer	1
Senior Information Officer	2
Assistant Information Officer	1
TOTAL	4

Traffic Congestion

Ms C Ní Chuilín asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the action he is taking to reduce traffic congestion in North Belfast, particularly at school opening and closing times.

(AQW 5508/08)

Mr C Murphy: The Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) is proposing a programme of up to 14 Quality Bus Corridors (QBC’s) focused on Belfast, which will build upon those implemented to date. These will include the M2 (City Express), Shore Road, Antrim Road and Crumlin Road corridors in North Belfast. The QBC network will be the backbone of the public transport system within Belfast and will feature improved bus frequencies, additional bus priority measures, better enforcement of bus lanes and improved access to bus stops.

Legislation is currently being developed for an additional 2.8 km. of bus lane on the Antrim Road and Selective Vehicle Detection, which detects late buses and adjusts the signal timings to assist them, is being provided at all the traffic signals in North Belfast.

Traffic levels are however continuing to grow and as such, improved bus speeds associated with QBC’s will be incremental and may not be fully delivered for some time.

The BMTP also includes proposals to encourage a modal shift from private car to public transport, walking and cycling which my Department is progressing through its Travelwise initiative. Over time these initiatives are expected to contribute to a reduction in private car travel for journeys to the city centre at peak times.

It is recognised that 'the school run' makes a significant contribution to traffic congestion at school openings and closing times. My Department's Travelwise initiative is also seeking to address this issue by encouraging more pupils, parents and teachers to walk, cycle, use public transport or car share the journey to school. All schools have been invited to participate in this initiative and Roads Service officials have been working with a number of schools in the North Belfast area to provide additional facilities such as enhanced road markings, signs and pedestrian crossings.

The BMTP also proposes several park-and-ride sites for each of the six main transport corridors into Belfast. In total my Department is planning to provide over 6000 park and ride spaces for the greater Belfast area by 2015.

A new rail halt, together with 650 Park & Ride spaces, is proposed at Templepatrick to attract longer distance motorists from the M2 motorway and the 750 space site at Fortwilliam will serve downstream motorists approaching Belfast on the M2 and M5 motorways. In addition, a 90 space site is proposed at Ballyhenry Rd, Sandyknowes served by existing bus services and other smaller facilities will be provided at existing rail halts. All these will help to reduce the volume of traffic travelling through North Belfast towards the city centre

The improvements works to the M2 motorway, which are currently under construction, include widening the Belfast-bound carriageway to 3 lanes between Sandyknowes and Greencastle junctions, widening the country-bound carriageway to 3 lanes over the Greencastle Interchange and replacing the Longlands, Hightown and Collin Bridges over this section of the M2. These significant improvements will provide additional carriageway capacity and reduce journey times on the M2 and on other parallel routes into Belfast from the north, particularly during peak hours.

As well as the above measures, Roads Service implements an ongoing programme of traffic management improvements throughout Belfast and this work will continue. The Roads Service Traffic Information and Control Centre monitors traffic movement at key junctions across Belfast, on an ongoing basis and adjusts signal timings to keep traffic moving as efficiently as possible.

Disability Discrimination Act

Mr M Storey asked the Minister for Regional Development, pursuant to his answer to AQW 5219/08, to detail the stations and halts on the Ballymena to Derry/Londonderry line to be included in Phase 2 of works to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

(AQW 5532/08)

Mr C Murphy: The stations and halts to be upgraded as part of phase 2 of this programme are Ballymena, Cullybackey, Ballymoney, University, Dhu Varren, Portrush, Castlerock and Derry.

Coleraine station has already been upgraded.

Townland Names

Mr K McCarthy asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the action his department is taking to use townland names, where applicable, in view of the resolution passed by the first Assembly on 1 October 2001.

(AQW 5546/08)

Mr C Murphy: I recognise the cultural, historic and linguistic importance of townland names. Staff in the Department have access to the "Pointer" address database which includes the townland name within its specification.

Eleventh Night Bonfires

Mr P Butler asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail his department's expenditure in relation to eleventh night bonfires in the last five years.

(AQW 5600/08)

Mr C Murphy: I would refer the Member to my response to his previous question concerning monitoring expenditure relating to Eleventh Night bonfires (AQW 2220/08).

My Department’s Roads Service does not monitor expenditure specifically related to Eleventh Night bonfires. However, the table below provides details of Roads Service’s estimated expenditure on attending/repairing bonfire sites in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Year	Estimated expenditure attending/repairing Eleventh Night bonfires
2003/04	£100k
2004/05	£80k
2005/06	£218k
2006/07	£63k
2007/08	£60k

Rail Passenger Numbers

Mr R Beggs asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (i) the rail passenger numbers on the (a) Belfast to Larne; (b) Belfast to Derry/Londonderry; (c) Belfast to Bangor; and (d) Belfast to Portadown lines for the 2007-08 financial year; and (ii) the percentage change for each line from the previous year.

(AQW 5637/08)

Mr C Murphy: Translink have informed me that rail passenger numbers for 2007-08 are not yet available. Translink expect to have final rail passenger numbers for 2007-08 within the next few weeks. Ports and Public Transport Division will write to you with the above information once they receive it from Translink.

Free Travel Fares

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Regional Development to provide an update on the timescale for implementing free fares for everyone aged 60 and over.

(AQW 5657/08)

Mr C Murphy: I would refer the Member to the reply I gave Mr Shannon, the Member for Strangford on 09 April 2008 (AQW 5463/08).

Fallagh Road, Gortin

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will immediately engage in the repair and upgrade of the Fallagh Road, Gortin, Omagh.

(AQW 5662/08)

Mr C Murphy: My Department’s Roads Service has advised that the Fallagh Road, Omagh, is a low traffic rural single lane road, serving the needs of 9 or 10 properties. It is considered to be in reasonable condition for the amount of traffic and general usage it receives. It has been maintained in accordance with the Department’s Maintenance Standards. Roads Service will consider it for inclusion in a Surface Dressing programme in 2009, but it will have to compete against other similar schemes for funding.

Water Mains Work

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development to give a timescale for the reinstatement of the Ballyeasborough Road, Kircubbin following water mains work, given the current state of disrepair of the road.

(AQW 5708/08)

Mr C Murphy: I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that the reinstatement of the pipe track on the Ballyeasborough Road, Kircubbin was completed on Friday 11 April 2008.

Road Works

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development to provide a timeframe for the completion of road works on Main Street, Gortin, County Tyrone.

(AQW 5781/08)

Mr C Murphy:I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that a water main has been replaced on Main Street, Gortin and work on the permanent reinstatement of the road is now underway with expected completion by the end of April 2008.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Shared Ownership Schemes

Mr T Burns asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm (i) if people who purchase their homes through shared ownership schemes do not pay stamp duty until they own 80% of the property; and (ii) that this criteria is applicable to buyers who purchase their homes (a) before; and (b) after, 6 April 2008.

(AQW 5281/08)

The Minister for Social Development (Ms M Ritchie): Shared ownership purchasers can elect to pay stamp duty at the outset on the market value of the property or can elect to make a non-market value election and have the option of paying stamp duty when they own 80 per cent of the equity in their property. This is the criteria applicable to shared ownership purchasers before and after 6 April 2008.

Housing Waiting Lists

Mr R Beggs asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of applicants registered on housing waiting lists in each local authority area.

(AQW 5420/08)

Ms M Ritchie: This information, as at 31 December 2007, is as follows:

District Council Area	Housing Applicants
Antrim	1037
Armagh	860
Ards	1626
Moyle	353
Ballymena	1540
Ballymoney	519
Banbridge	680
Belfast	9553
Carrickfergus	1032
Castlereagh	1356
Coleraine	1372
Cookstown	387
Craigavon	1949
Derry	2293
Down	1214
Dungannon	825
Fermanagh	1015
Larne	512
Limavady	546
Lisburn	2578
Magherafelt	488
Newry& Mourne	1763
Newtownabbey	1713
North Down	1858
Omagh	704
Strabane	559
Total	38332

Co-Ownership Housing

Mr G Robinson asked the Minister for Social Development for her assessment of the impact the withdrawal of the Co-Ownership Housing Scheme will have on first time buyers trying to join the property ladder.

(AQW 5472/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The Co-ownership scheme has not been withdrawn. The Northern Ireland Co-ownership Housing Association is starting the current year with a grant of £15m – almost 4 times that of its opening grant in 2007/2008. The Association will use this grant and external finance to achieve the Programme for Government target of helping 500 people this year.

Caravan Owners

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm if she has agreed a timetable with the Minister of the Environment to introduce legislation to protect caravan owners.

(AQW 5513/08)

Ms M Ritchie: While I will be considering issues for a housing policy consultation document which will lead to a Housing Bill later this year, the Bill will focus on my key housing priorities and I have no plans to introduce legislation on caravans.

Housing Executive

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the Northern Ireland Housing Executive schemes she has cancelled or delayed in the North Down constituency.

(AQW 5514/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I have not cancelled or delayed any schemes in the North Down constituency. The Housing Executive is responsible for operational matters in relation to its programme of works. These programmes are always drawn up subject to the availability of finance, acceptable tender prices and other statutory approvals. Estimated start dates may therefore be subject to change. On that basis all programmes are subject to continuous review.

Village Area of South Belfast

Mr J Spratt asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the assistance that will be given to residents in the Village area of South Belfast who, after vesting, wish to remain in the Donegall Road area.

(AQW 5516/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Following vesting each household affected will have its future housing requirements determined and efforts will be made to meet these requirements within the social sector in residents’ area of choice. In addition to the new housing that will be constructed within the redevelopment area, a number of adjacent sites in the locality will provide housing for people wishing to remain within the area.

Village Area of South Belfast

Mr J Spratt asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the assistance that will be given to homeowners in the Village area of South Belfast, who have their properties vested as a part of regeneration.

(AQW 5517/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Homeowners affected by vesting are entitled to the market value of their property at the date of vesting, plus Home Loss Payment and Disturbance Payment. Homeowners can appoint an agent to act on their behalf and appropriate fees are payable by the Housing Executive.

Homeowners who choose to be rehoused in social housing will be placed on the Social Housing Waiting List for their area(s) of choice and will be awarded priority status for rehousing, following vesting.

Village Area of South Belfast

Mr J Spratt asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the progress that has been made in relation to the regeneration of the Village area of South Belfast, since her announcement on 26 February 2008.

(AQW 5518/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Since my announcement of 26 February 2008, formal approval for the economic appraisal of the Village Urban Renewal project has been secured from the Department of Finance and Personnel. My officials and officials from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive have been working on the ground to advance the first stages of the regeneration project.

Incapacity Benefit

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail (i) the number of people in receipt of Incapacity Benefit in each of the first 3 months of 2008; and (ii) how this compares for the same periods in 2006 and 2007.

(AQW 5526/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The information requested is set out in the table below. The figures show the number of claims where an amount of Incapacity Benefit was in payment at the date of extract. It is not possible to provide the requested information for March 2008 as data is extracted every six weeks and a scan was not scheduled for completion in this month. A scan has been completed for April 2008 but the results are not yet available.

Customers in receipt of Incapacity Benefit in January, February and March each year from 2006 to 2008.

	2006	2007	2008
January	72,442*	70,318	69,183
February	72,572	70,329	69,004
March	71,918	70,013	Not yet available

* No data is available specifically for January 2006 as samples are only taken every six weeks. The figure supplied is for the number of customers in receipt of Incapacity Benefit at the data extract of 23 December 2005.

Disability Living Allowance

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail (i) the number of (a) successful; and (b) unsuccessful applications for Disability Living Allowance that were considered in January; February; and March 2008; and (ii) how these figures compare with the same periods in 2006 and 2007.

(AQW 5527/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The information requested is set out in the tables below.

Disability Living Allowance – Result of Applications

Year	Month	Successful	Unsuccessful
2006	January	1335	925
	February	819	553
	March	1310	1058
2007	January	1176	998
	February	873	942
	March	989	1002
2008	January	845	920
	February	925	1137
	March	751	938

Housing Executive

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm if she will be seeking voluntary redundancies first, in relation to the potential job losses within the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

(AQW 5528/08)

Ms M Ritchie: This is an operational matter for the Housing Executive. The Housing Executive’s policies provide for a number of mechanisms to manage staff reductions. In line with best practice, these include the termination of temporary contracts, the release of agency staff and seeking volunteers for early retirement and/or redundancy.

Housing Executive

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the discussions she has had with trade unions and staff in relation to the potential job losses within the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

(AQW 5529/08)

Ms M Ritchie: This is an operational matter for the Housing Executive. I understand however that there have been ongoing discussions between the Housing Executive and the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, through the agreed internal industrial relations mechanisms, over the need to manage manpower budgets, as is the case for all Government Departments.

Townland Names

Mr K McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the action her department is taking to use townland names, where applicable, in view of the resolution passed by the first Assembly on 1 October 2001.

(AQW 5547/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Where a correspondent specifies their townland when providing their address to my Department, the townland name will, where possible, be included in the Department’s written correspondence to them.

House Numbers

Miss M McIlveen asked the Minister for Social Development, pursuant to her answer to AQW 4720/08, to detail the number of these houses that were in the Strangford constituency.

(AQW 5554/08)

Ms M Ritchie: This information is not available in the precise form requested. However, within the Housing Executive’s District Offices covering Newtownards, Castlereagh and Downpatrick, a total of 1203 dwellings were visited.

Co-Ownership Scheme

Mr J Craig asked the Minister for Social Development (i) to outline the mechanisms the co-ownership scheme has to regulate expenditure throughout the financial year; and (ii) to explain why this scheme has run out of funds for three months.

(AQW 5556/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I have given Co-ownership at the start of this year, a grant of £15m, which will help 500 people onto the first rung of the housing ladder. Since I came into office, funding for Co-ownership has increased significantly. Responsibility for day to day financial management, including the rate at which applications are processed, rests with the Northern Ireland Co-ownership Housing Association.

Co-Ownership Scheme

Mr J Craig asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the budget allocation for the co-ownership scheme in the 2007-2008 financial year.

(AQW 5557/08)

Ms M Ritchie: In the 2007/2008 year £4.2m was initially allocated to the Co-ownership scheme and I was able to increase it by an additional £14.6m to £18.8m.

Co-Ownership Scheme

Mr J Craig asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the budget allocation for the co-ownership scheme in the 2006-2007 financial year and any additional funding allocated for the same period.

(AQW 5558/08)

Ms M Ritchie: In the 2006/07 year £4.2m was allocated to the Co-ownership scheme.

Co-Ownership Scheme

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the steps she intends to take to alleviate the shortage in funding for co-ownership.

(AQW 5563/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The Co-ownership scheme is starting this year with a grant of £15m, which will help 500 people onto the first rung of the housing ladder. The Co-ownership scheme has already received more than enough applications to use up this year’s overall funding and achieve the targets set out in the Programme for Government.

There are limits to public spending yet there have been no cutbacks in funding for Co-ownership. I have delivered very substantial increases in funding for Co-ownership and I am very much on course to achieve the goals set out in my New Housing Agenda

No Drinking Areas

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Social Development to give a timescale within which she will introduce new laws to allow councils to designate whole council areas as No Drinking areas.

(AQW 5564/08)

Ms M Ritchie: New powers relating to the public consumption of alcohol have been included in the draft Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 which Minister of State Paul Goggins has laid before Parliament. The measures in the draft Order, which will replace the drinking in public bye-laws, are intended to ensure that problematic drinking can be tackled on the spot in a focused and targeted way. Only those public areas where nuisance, annoyance or disorder is associated with public drinking may be designated by councils. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the draft legislation, the new provisions will come into effect when councils next designate areas that are a source of problematic drinking.

Housing Executive

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of people currently on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive waiting list, for housing in (i) Portavogie; (ii) Greyabbey; (iii) Carrowdore; (iv) Ballyhalbert; (v) Ballywalter; (vi) Kircubbin; and (vii) Portaferry.

(AQW 5565/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The waiting list for social housing at 31 March 2008 is as follows.

	(a) Total number of applicants	(b) Applicants at (a) with 30 or more points
Portavogie	40	20
Greyabbey	16	7
Carrowdore	21	13
Ballyhalbert	11	2
Ballywalter	45	21
Kircubbin	48	21
Portaferry	81	41

Housing Associations

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of properties owned by Housing Associations in (i) Portavogie; (ii) Greyabbey; (iii) Carrowdore; (iv) Ballyhalbert; (v) Ballywalter; (vi) Kircubbin; and (vii) Portaferry.

(AQW 5566/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The current number of Housing Association properties in these areas are as follows:

(i) Portavogie 0, (ii) Greyabbey 6, (iii) Carrowdore 20, (iv) Ballyhalbert 8, (v) Ballywalter 33, (vi) Kircubbin 3, (vii) Portaferry 43

Housing Executive

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of properties owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in (i) Portavogie; (ii) Greyabbey; (iii) Carrowdore; (iv) Ballyhalbert; (v) Ballywalter; (vi) Kircubbin; and (vii) Portaferry.

(AQW 5567/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The stock remaining in Housing Executive ownership at 31 March 2008 in each area is as follows:

	Bungalows	Flats	Houses	Cottages	Total
Portavogie	47	7	14	13	81
Greyabbey	32	0	25	16	73
Carrowdore	41	0	32	9	82
Ballyhalbert	6	0	2	3	11
Ballywalter	49	6	58	21	134
Kircubbin	49	0	52	16	117
Portaferry	103	8	62	12	185

Housing Executive

Mr S Hamilton asked the Minister for Social Development to detail, for each of the last 3 years, the number of Northern Ireland Housing Executive allocations in (i) Portavogie; (ii) Greyabbey; (iii) Carrowdore; (iv) Ballyhalbert; (v) Ballywalter; (vi) Kircubbin; and (vii) Portaferry.

(AQW 5568/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Allocations by both the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Housing Associations are set out in the following table:

	2005	2006	2007
Portavogie	3	5	4
Greyabbey	1	3	4
Carrowdore	5	3	5
Ballyhalbert	0	0	1
Ballywalter	5	5	17
Kircubbin	4	5	8
Portaferry	11	7	11

Housing Executive

Mr J Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm if 400 workers will lose their jobs within the Housing Executive in the next year.

(AQW 5579/08)

Ms M Ritchie: This is an operational matter for the Housing Executive. All Government Departments and their Non Departmental Public Bodies are required to achieve a 5% efficiency saving in running costs each year for the next three years commencing 08/09. In order to achieve this saving the Housing Executive estimates that around 450 posts will be lost over the three year period.

House Numbers

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Social Development, pursuant to her answer to AQW 4720/08, to detail the number of those houses that were located in the North Down constituency.

(AQW 5589/08)

Ms M Ritchie: This information is not available in the precise form requested. However, within the Housing Executive’s District Offices covering Newtownards and Bangor, a total of 907 dwellings were visited.

Urban Regeneration

Mr P Weir asked the Minister for Social Development to detail, for each of the last 5 years, the amount of money spent by her department on urban regeneration, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

(AQW 5593/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The figures requested are as follows –

Table 1. Urban Regeneration spend from 2002 to 2007

	2002/03 £m	2003/04 £m	2004/05 £m	2005/06 £m	2006/07 £m
Belfast	13.21	10.54	12.69	11.91	18.6
North West	2.91	14.06	16.81	2.66	4.14
Regional Cities & Towns	2.70	2.17	0.51	2.15	3.61
Total	18.82	26.77	30.01	16.72	26.35

Urban regeneration expenditure is not recorded by parliamentary constituencies. The above information identifies expenditure across the three main development areas.

Travelling Community

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the contact her department has had with representatives of the travelling community in relation to unacceptable behaviour by members of that community at travellers' sites.

(AQW 5607/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Any reports of unacceptable behaviour on Traveller sites are investigated at local Housing Executive District Office level in accordance with established housing management and antisocial behaviour policies and procedures. The Housing Executive also works closely with Traveller Support organisations in the resolution of such incidents and in working towards avoiding future occurrences.

Energy Efficient Homes

Mr B Armstrong asked the Minister for Social Development to outline the assistance available to those householders who wish to make their homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, including those who wish to install solar panels.

(AQW 5627/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The Low Carbon Building Programme Phase 1, a UK wide Scheme, managed by the Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) allows householders to access grant assistance to install solar panels. The maximum assistance available is £400 or 30% of the relevant eligible cost, whichever is lower. The Warm Homes Scheme also offers a range of energy efficient measures such as insulation, draught proofing and advice to homeowners and private sector tenants in receipt of certain benefits. As well as the insulation measures offered as part of Warm Homes, those over 60 and who are in receipt of one of the necessary benefits may also be eligible for heating measures.

Travelling Community

Mr D Simpson asked the Minister for Social Development, pursuant to her answer to AQW 5079/08, what is her assessment of the impact this is having on (i) the geographical spread of travelling community sites throughout Northern Ireland; and (b) community relations between the travelling and settled communities.

(AQW 5636/08)

Ms M Ritchie: There is currently a good geographical spread of sites across Northern Ireland namely in Belfast, Craigavon, Derry, Strabane, Omagh and Dungannon. An assessment of Traveller accommodation needs is currently being undertaken by the Housing Executive and the findings of this will inform their rolling programme of Traveller accommodation provision subject to land availability and planning issues.

The Housing Executive’s Community Cohesion unit works to promote good relations between the settled and Traveller communities across Northern Ireland consulting directly with community representatives with regard to the proposed development of Traveller accommodation within an area.

Community Houses

Mr A Easton asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the assistance she can provide to establish a community house or flat in the Strand area of Holywood, similar to other community houses in other areas of the North Down area.

(AQW 5643/08)

Ms M Ritchie: There is high demand and low turnover of stock in the Strand area. Between January and December 2007 only 5 allocations were made to social housing applicants. Given this level of demand it would be difficult to justify leasing accommodation to a Community Association at the present time.

House Fires

Mr F Brolly asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the support she is providing to those made homeless as a result of recent home fires in Limavady.

(AQW 5645/08)

Ms M Ritchie: Housing Executive staff were on site to provide assistance to those affected by the incidents in question and a contractor was appointed to carry out emergency repairs to all the affected properties.

Those residents presenting to the Housing Executive as homeless were provided with the full range of available advice and assistance, including the provision of furniture storage and temporary accommodation facilities as required. Some residents chose to make their own temporary accommodation arrangements.

Neighbourhood Renewal Programme

Ms J McCann asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the criteria a project, currently funded under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme until August 2008, would have to meet to secure future funding.

(AQW 5715/08)

Ms M Ritchie: I have consistently identified the need for the Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund to be targeted at actions which most effectively address the priority needs of Neighbourhood Renewal areas. These needs have been determined and agreed by local communities led by the Neighbourhood Partnerships and are set out in the Action Plans.

Funding for projects and activities that are key to delivering Neighbourhood Renewal priorities can receive funding up to March 2011, subject to necessary economic appraisals. Where projects are delivering activities which address priorities and are the core responsibility of another statutory body, my Department will continue to provide funding, subject to the necessary appraisals, to March 2009. This will allow time to reach agreement with the relevant statutory body on how best these needs will be met in the future.

Belfast Regeneration Office

Ms J McCann asked the Minister for Social Development to give a timescale within which projects, currently funded by the Belfast Regeneration Office up to August 2008, will be informed if they will be given funding beyond that date.

(AQW 5716/08)

Ms M Ritchie: My press statement of 10 March 2008 outlined the basis on which future funding commitments from the Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund will be made. Belfast Regeneration Office officials are currently working through a process to determine which projects or services currently funded through to the end August 2008 will: receive assistance through to March 2011; receive assistance through to March 2009 (where statutory responsibility rests with another Government Department) and; those for whom funding will cease from 31 August 2008 in line with current contracts for funding. Communication with the project promoters concerned and the respective Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships will commence in the coming weeks. It is impossible to be definitive in terms of timescale at this stage given that all commitments will be subject to the necessary appraisal and approval process.

Renewing Communities Funding

Ms J McCann asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm if Renewing Communities funding has ended, and if so, can projects that were funded under this initiative access funding from her department.

(AQW 5717/08)

Ms M Ritchie: My Department had responsibility for co-ordinating and monitoring the implementation of Renewing Communities Action Plan. However as this was a cross departmental iniative each participating Department was and remains responsible for the management and delivery of actions they brought forward. Renewing Communities ended on 31 March 2008 as there was no centrally designated budget available to continue after that date. The continuation of actions funded under Renewing Communities rests with each sponsoring Department and they have either sought to continue supporting the actions by consolidating these into their mainstream programmes, or decided not to continue funding individual actions. Questions on specific actions need to be addressed to the relevant lead Department.

Housing Executive

Mr P Butler asked the Minister for Social Development to detail, for each of the last 3 years, (i) the estimated damage caused to open space and green areas, maintained by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, by off-road bikes such as quads and scramblers; and (ii) the financial costs incurred by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to repair such damage.

(AQW 5829/08)

Ms M Ritchie: The information requested is not readily available. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive cannot disaggregate its figures on anti social behaviour to include only those involving off-road vehicles.

ASSEMBLY COMMISSION

Assembly Jobs

Mr A Attwood asked the Assembly Commission to confirm (i) that it has complied with the published job specifications and process for the post of Clerk, particularly that 'following testing candidates will be interviewed, as required in test score order', and if it has not, to detail the reasons why; and (ii) if it has taken independent legal advice to determine if it is in breach of legal requirements relating to the published job specification and process.

(AQW 5265/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): In response:

(I) I can confirm that the Assembly Commission has complied with the published job specification and process for the post of Assembly Clerk.

The job specification for Assembly Clerk set out at paragraph 6 the selection process to be followed for the recruitment competition. Paragraph 6.1 stated that candidates ‘may be required to undertake a written test or tests that will cover general management/supervisory skills and editing skills including grammar and punctuation’. Applicants were also informed that such tests could take place before an eligibility check was carried out. Paragraph 6.2 of the job specification stated that ‘should testing take place, candidates will be interviewed, as required, in test score order’.

Candidates for the Assembly Clerk competition undertook a written test (comprising three elements: critical thinking; verbal application; and numerical analysis) on 24 and 25 October and 16 November 2007. The relevant sections of the application forms for all candidates who reached the required standard in the test were checked, in test score order, against the eligibility criteria set out in the job specification. All 25 applicants considered eligible from the information provided in the application forms were invited to interview.

(ii) The Commission seeks its legal advice, in the first instance, from its in-house counsel, the Assembly’s Legal Services office. The Commission does not propose to release, or comment on, any legal advice that it may have taken. But I am glad to assure you that the Commission is content that the published job specification and the competition process, comply with all legal requirements.

Assembly Jobs

Mrs D Kelly asked the Assembly Commission to confirm if (i) the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency was asked to, and subsequently provided, dedicated job related tests in relation to the posts of Assembly Clerk and Assistant Assembly Clerk; (ii) 'off the shelf' tests were used; and to detail (a) the independent, external validation that has been sought by the Commission on the relevance of the tests; and (b) the experience, expertise and authority that the Implementation Group has to validate and sign off on the tests.

(AQW 5266/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): The job specifications for the competitions for Assembly Clerk and Assistant Assembly Clerk set out, at paragraph 6, the selection process to be followed for each of the recruitment competitions. Paragraph 6.1 of the job specification for Assistant Assembly Clerk stated that ‘a job-related skills test may be used to decide which applicants will be invited to interview. Invitation to interview will be determined at test, with those who achieve the highest scores being invited first’. Paragraph 6.1 of the job specification for Assembly Clerk stated that ‘candidates may be required to undertake a test or tests that will cover general management/supervisory skills and editing skills including grammar and punctuation’. Paragraph 6.2 of the job specification for Assembly Clerk stated that ‘should testing take place, candidates will be interviewed, as required, in test score order’.

Both job specifications informed applicants that such tests could take place before eligibility checks were carried out.

(i) & (ii) The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, was subsequently commissioned by the Assembly Commission and, following detailed analysis of job descriptions supplied by the Assembly, selected appropriate papers from a group of commercially available tests, widely used across the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the public sector.

(ii)(a) The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency validated the tests in terms of both relevance to the posts and in terms of compliance with equality requirements.

The table at Annex A illustrates how the three elements of the test for Assembly Clerk (critical thinking, verbal application and numerical analysis) are consistent with the main duties and responsibilities outlined in the job specification for the Assembly Clerk competition.

The table at Annex B illustrates how the three elements of the test for Assistant Assembly Clerk (legal interpretation, verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning) are consistent with the main duties and responsibilities outlined in the job specification for the Assistant Assembly Clerk competition.

(ii)(b) The Implementation Group was not involved in either the selection or validation of the tests.

Assembly Jobs

Mrs D Kelly asked the Assembly Commission to detail how the tests undertaken by applicants for the posts of (i) Assembly Clerk and (ii) Assistant Assembly Clerk, are consistent with the job specification outlined to applicants.

(AQW 5267/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): The decision to hold open Assembly Clerk and Assistant Assembly Clerk recruitment competitions was taken by senior management in 2006, during the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly and were to run as soon as possible after restoration.

The competition for Assistant Assembly Clerk was advertised on 10/11 May 2007, with a closing date of 1 June 2007. The competition for Assembly Clerk was advertised on 17/18 May 2007, with a closing date of 15 June 2007.

The job specifications for the competitions set out at paragraph 6, the selection process to be followed for each of the recruitment competitions. Paragraph 6.1 of the job specification for Assistant Assembly Clerk stated that ‘a job-related skills test may be used to decide which applicants will be invited to interview. Invitation to interview will be determined at test, with those who achieve the highest scores being invited first’. Paragraph 6.1 of the job specification for Assembly Clerk stated that ‘candidates may be required to undertake a test or tests that will cover general management/supervisory skills and editing skills including grammar and punctuation’. Paragraph 6.2 of the job specification for Assembly Clerk stated that stated that ‘should testing take place, candidates will be interviewed, as required, in test score order’.

Both job specifications informed applicants that such tests could take place before eligibility checks were carried out.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, was subsequently commissioned by the Assembly Commission and, following detailed analysis of job descriptions supplied by the Assembly, selected appropriate papers from a group of commercially available tests, widely used across the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the public sector. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency validated the tests in terms of both relevance to the posts and in terms of compliance with equality requirements.

Assembly Jobs

Mrs D Kelly asked the Assembly Commission to detail the reasons why tests addressing 'general management/supervisory skills and editing skills', as stated in the job specification for the Assembly Clerk position, included a mathematics test on a company profit and loss scenario.

(AQW 5268/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): The job specification for the Assembly Clerk competition, advertised on 17/18 May 2007, stated (at paragraph 6.1) that ‘Candidates may be required to undertake a written test or tests that will cover general management/supervisory skills and editing skills including grammar and punctuation’.

The test comprised three elements – critical thinking, verbal application and numerical analysis.

The numerical analysis element of the test consisted of short problems and measured the ability to understand the relationships between pieces of numerical information. The items were drawn from a variety of contexts to ensure their relevance to a range of managerial jobs and they required no specific knowledge of profit and loss accounts. This element of the test is designed specifically to measure the numerical abilities needed to perform effectively in middle to senior management positions and is particularly relevant in respect of the eligibility criterion ‘applying strong analytical and interpretative skills and the ability to produce well-judged decisions/ solutions within deadlines’

Assembly Jobs

Mrs D Kelly asked the Assembly Commission to confirm if the decision was taken to introduce a test to filter applicants before conducting an application sift based on the criteria outlined in the job specification, for the posts of Assembly Clerk and Assistant Assembly Clerk, due to the high number of applicants.

(AQW 5269/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter):

Both job specifications informed applicants that such tests could take place before eligibility checks were carried out.

662 applications were received for the Assistant Assembly Clerk competition and 354 applications were received for the Assembly Clerk competition. While it was decided that job related skills tests would be used before any eligibility sift of applications was carried out, as a means of short listing, the tests used were relevant for each of the positions.

Assembly Jobs

Mrs D Kelly asked the Assembly Commission if the introduction of tests went beyond the published specifications, requirements and process around the Assembly Clerk and Assistant Assembly Clerk competitions; and whether the Commission has taken independent legal advice on the validity of this approach.

(AQW 5310/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): The decision to hold open Assembly Clerk and Assistant Assembly Clerk recruitment competitions was taken by senior management in 2006, during the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and were to run as soon as possible after restoration.

The job specifications for the competitions set out, at paragraph 6, the selection process to be followed for each of the recruitment competitions. Paragraph 6.1 of the job specification for Assistant Assembly Clerk stated that ‘a job-related skills test may be used to decide which applicants will be invited to interview. Invitation to interview will be determined at test, with those who achieve the highest scores being invited first’. Paragraph 6.1 of the job specification for Assembly Clerk stated that ‘candidates may be required to undertake a test or tests that will cover general management/supervisory skills and editing skills including grammar and punctuation’. Paragraph 6.2 of the job specification for Assembly Clerk stated that stated that ‘should testing take place, candidates will be interviewed, as required, in test score order’.

Both job specifications informed applicants that such tests could take place before eligibility checks were carried out.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, was subsequently employed by the Assembly Commission and, following detailed analysis of job descriptions supplied by the Assembly, selected appropriate papers from a group of commercially available tests, widely used across the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the public sector. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency validated the tests in terms of both relevance to the posts and in terms of compliance with equality requirements.

As outlined above the possible introduction of tests did not go beyond the published specifications, requirements and processes for the Assembly Clerk and Assistant Assembly Clerk competitions.

No legal advice on the validity of the approach was sought as there had been no deviation from the information provided in the job specifications.

Yours sincerely

Stephen Moutray, MLA

(on behalf of the Assembly Commission)

Annex A

Assembly Clerk

Exercise	About the exercise	What are the skills assessed?	Relevant sections of Job Specification
Critical Thinking Test(40 mins)	This test requires consideration of a series of propositions (either an inference, an assumption, a conclusion or an argument) relating to a given statement. The candidate's task is to study each statement and to evaluate how appropriate or valid these propositions are.	Measures higher level verbal reasoning abilities across five areas: Drawing Inferences Ability to judge the validity of inferences that have been made by others. Recognising Assumptions Ability to recognise presuppositions and assumptions that are implicit in statements made by others. Argument Evaluation Ability to recognise whether particular conclusions necessarily follow from the evidence given by particular statements and premises. Deductive Reasoning Ability to weigh evidence and decide if generalisations or conclusions based on given evidence are actually warranted. Logical Interpretation Ability to distinguish between arguments that are strong and relevant and those that are weak and irrelevant to a particular question.	Applying strong analytical and interpretative skills and the ability to produce well-judged decisions/ solutions within deadlines. Attending plenary sessions of the Assembly to support the Speaker and Committee Chairpersons by providing advice and factual information in response to questions.
Verbal Application (20 mins)	These are a collection of tests designed specifically to measure the verbal and numerical abilities to perform effectively in middle to senior management positions.	Measures the ability to understand the meaning of words, logic within sentences and the use of grammar. One use of this test would be to assess a candidate’s ability to understand, complete or correct high level written text.	Applying strong analytical and interpretative skills and the ability to produce well-judged decisions/ solutions within deadlines; Undertaking research and providing timely and accurate briefs; Preparing draft Committee Reports; Attending plenary sessions of the Assembly to support the Speaker and Committee Chairpersons by providing advice and factual information in response to questions; Preparation of draft speeches, speaking notes, and press releases for the Speaker, Committee Chairpersons and others, as necessary; Leading, managing and influencing people through motivation, effective written and oral communication, and recognition of individuals’ development needs.
Numerical Analysis (35 mins)		Measures the ability to interpret and use complex business-related numerical information. This test would be particularly useful in assessing a manager’s ability to identify trends across a wide range of data or combine statistics from different sources to establish new information patterns.

Annex B

Assistant Assembly Clerk

Exercise	About the exercise	What are the skills assessed?	Relevant sections of Job Specification
Legal Interpretation	Candidates are required to read and interpret part of a fictional health and safety code, and then assess a variety of organisations for compliance with this code.	Ability to understand regulatory concepts documentation; Information seeking and logical reasoning in a legal context; Intellectual flexibility, adaptability, ability and rigour; Problem-solving and analytical skills; Concern for order and accuracy; Decision-making in a legal context; Verbal and numerical reasoning.	Providing advice on the content and effect of draft legislation and on legislative procedures; Analysing complex information to support and influence decision-making; Developing policy strategy and office procedures in accordance with current legislation.
Verbal reasoning	Candidates are required to reason with, and evaluate the logic of written information. The task is to decide whether a statement, made in connection with a piece of text or information is – True or False or You Cannot Say.	Ability to understand and critically evaluate the meaning of written material.	Undertaking research and investigatory work, and providing timely and accurate analysis, recommendations and briefs; Analysing complex information to support and influence decision-making; Assisting in the preparation of draft speeches, speaking notes, and press releases as necessary.
Numerical reasoning	Candidates are required to reason with, and draw appropriate conclusions from, numerical information. The data is presented in the form of a range of different tables, charts and graphs which summarise basic business information.	- Ability to analyse and manipulate numerical data. (Note: Candidates are allowed to use calculators, as the emphasis is on understanding and evaluation, rather than simple computation).

Paintings and Statues

Mr D McKay asked the Assembly Commission to provide a list of all paintings and statues which are displayed in Parliament Buildings and its precincts.

(AQW 5316/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter):

Description	Location
46 Rowel Friers drawings of Members of the Northern Ireland Parliament 1972	Members bar
Portrait of Mr Seamus Mallon MP by Rita Duffy unveiled 25 March 2003	Members dining room
"The Assembly in Session" by Noel Murphy February 2003	Room 41
"The House will divide" by Noel Murphy unveiled 10th February 2003	Senate
Portrait of Lord Alderdice by Carol Graham unveiled on 11 March 2005	Members dining room
State opening of N.I Parliament small version by William Conor	Room 41
State opening of NI. Parliament large version by William Conor	Senate
Reconciliation Monument by Josefina de Vasconcellos. These are also at Berlin, Coventry, and Hiroshima. The sculpture was unveiled in November 2000.	At Massey Avenue close to Parliament Buildings
Print of Irish House of Commons	Speaker's Office
Oil painting, said to show William III, the Duke of Schomberg and the Pope	Speaker's Office By Pieter van der Meulen
Stone statue of a woman engraved 'Thrift is the gleaner behind all human effort' by John Knox dated 1951	At Massey Avenue
Bronze statue of Lord Craigavon by L.S Merrifield of Chelsea, commissioned in 1938 but due to the war not installed until 1945	Ceremonial Stairs Great Hall
Statue of Lord Carson in bronze by L.S Merrifield	Roundabout at top of Prince of Wales
Somme Memorial, large piece of granite with an engraved plague	At Massey Avenue
Large Granite stone with an inscription in memory of Mo Mowlam	Entrance to children’s play park.

There are also several paintings on display in offices which are on loan from the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Paper Correspondence

Mr D McKay asked the Assembly Commission if it will contact (i) charities; (ii) non-governmental organisations; (iii) trade unions; and (iv) lobby groups, to request that they provide MLAs with the option of receiving correspondence by e-mail rather than letter, to prevent paper from being wasted.

(AQW 5457/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): The Assembly Commission is keen to develop mechanisms which assist in the reduction of paper posted to Parliament Buildings. To this end, the Commission will consider the inclusion of a statement within the Members’ pages of the Northern Ireland Assembly Website encouraging both individuals and organisations to request whether or not a Member would like to receive their correspondence by email rather than in letter form.

Events in Parliament Buildings

Ms C Ní Chuilín asked the Assembly Commission to detail (i) the advice given to the Speaker; (ii) how this advice was delivered; and (iii) the reasons why the advice was not put out to consultation, in relation to the introduction of the interim criteria on events in Parliament Buildings.

(AQW 5515/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): In response:

(i) the advice given to the Speaker;

At a meeting of the Assembly Commission (the Commission) on Monday 25 February 2008 members discussed a range of issues relating to the holding of events at Parliament Buildings that were already, or had the potential to become, politically sensitive in nature. An initial paper outlining the handling of such events on previous occasions was presented by Assembly officials to all members of the Commission, including the Speaker. Members agreed to adjourn the meeting in order to consider the issues set out in that paper and to consult with their party groups.

Following that meeting, and acting in his capacity as Chairperson of the Commission the Speaker met with each Commission Member to discuss the issues surrounding proposed events. Following these discussions the Speaker asked Assembly officials to prepare a draft paper to include a number of options for revising and reviewing the criteria upon which events may be organised at Parliament Buildings, within the context of the Commission’s obligation to develop good relations.

Following further consultation on that draft paper with individual Commission members the paper was tabled at a meeting of the Commission on Wednesday 5 March, and discussed at that meeting and a subsequent meeting on Thursday 6 March. Legal advice was sought by officials when drafting that paper. A verbal report on that advice was given to all members of the Commission, including the Speaker, at the meeting on Wednesday 5 March and a written copy of the advice was presented by the Assembly’s acting Director of Legal Services at the meeting on Thursday 6 March. He also responded to specific questions from Commission members.

(ii) how this advice was delivered;

The Speaker received verbal advice from Assembly officials in advance of each meeting of the Commission, and written advice in the form of the two papers that were presented to all members of the Commission. All members of the Commission, including the Speaker, received both verbal and written reports of legal advice, as detailed in response to part i. above.

and (iii) the reasons why the advice was not put out to consultation, in relation to the introduction of the interim criteria on events in Parliament Buildings.

In advance of the second paper being tabled the Speaker consulted with each member of the Commission. Once tabled, it was for the Commission to consider how to proceed in relation to the options presented.

The Commission agreed the following:

To request officials to bring forward a paper on the establishment of a Good Relations Working Group, including recommendations on composition, procedures and remit;
That the remit of a Good Relations Working Group would include a review of the policy on events at Parliament Buildings, including arrangements and criteria for sponsorship;
That pending consideration of any recommendations arising from the work of that Working Group, interim criteria would be put in place for the organisation and sponsorship of events at Parliament Buildings.

It is envisaged that in fulfilling its remit, including a review of policy on events at Parliament Buildings, any Good Relations Working Group will wish to consult widely.

Booking Procedure

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Assembly Commission, pursuant to the answer to AQW 5068/08, for a copy of the legal advice given to the Commission in relation to the term 'cross community' in its new booking procedure.

(AQW 5570/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): As stated in the Commission’s response to your previous Assembly Question, when officials were preparing the paper entitled 'Events at Parliament Buildings' dated 4 March 2008, they discussed the paper and its content with the Assembly's acting Director of Legal Services. Written and verbal advice on the powers of the Commission in relation to events and accommodation was then provided to the Commission on 6 March.

In the interests of protecting the ability of the Commission to freely discuss matters with and take advice from its legal advisers, we do not propose to release a copy of any legal advice given.

Good Relations Working Group

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Assembly Commission, pursuant to the answer to AQW 5069/08, to provide a timescale within which the remit for the Good Relations Working Group will be available; and to detail the basis on which it is consulting with the Community Relations Council in relation to the proposed remit.

(AQW 5573/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): A paper is currently being prepared for submission to an Assembly Commission meeting on the 24 April 2008. This paper will set out the key issues in relation to the Assembly Commission’s statutory obligation to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations.

Following the Commission’s consideration of this paper, decisions may be taken on the Group’s remit and on any further consultation to be undertaken.

Sponsor Events

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Assembly Commission, pursuant to the answer to AQW 5068/08, to confirm if it (i) allows MLAs to sponsor events for members of the public; and (ii) fully implements the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 when dealing with (a) the public; (b) sponsors; and (c) agents.

(AQW 5574/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter):

In response:

(i) The Commission can confirm that it permits MLAs to sponsor events by members of the public or organisations who want to hold events in Parliament Buildings. The Member must satisfy themselves of the nature of the event to be organised, obtain necessary information and follow the procedures to book the event via the Events Office. As long as the event being booked meets the Assembly Commission’s policy on events and functions, the event can be confirmed and held.

(ii) It is not the task of the Commission to implement the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, but I am glad to assure you that the Commission complies fully with all the statutory duties imposed by the Order.

Section 75

Mr J O'Dowd asked the Assembly Commission, further to AQW 5072/08, (i) on what basis was Duncan Morrow chosen to deliver Section 75 briefing to the Speaker and senior officials; (ii) what payment was made for this briefing; and (iii) has the Commission any plans to provide training on all aspects of Section 75 to members of the Commission by the Equality Commission.

(AQW 5575/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter): In response:

(i) on what basis was Duncan Morrow chosen to deliver Section 75 briefing to the Speaker and senior officials;

The briefing to which the reply to AQW 5072/08 referred was focused on the duty placed upon the Assembly Commission to "have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations" as set out in Section 75(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Mr Morrow was chosen to deliver that briefing on the basis of his position as Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council and his experience as a member of the Good Relations Steering Panel of Belfast City Council.

(ii) what payment was made for this briefing;

No payment was made for this briefing.

and (iii) has the Commission any plans to provide training on all aspects of Section 75 to members of the Commission by the Equality Commission.

The Equality Commission as an organisation does not deliver Section 75 training externally, however we will shortly be going out to tender to secure the services of a training provider who can deliver Section 75 and other equality training to all secretariat staff. It is also envisaged that the training provider will be asked to deliver training to Members of the Assembly Commission.

Information Booklets

Mr D McKay asked the Assembly Commission if information booklets on the Assembly are available in a range of different languages, and if so how many languages are catered for.

(AQW 5578/08)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Rev Dr R Coulter):

The Assembly does not currently publish information booklets in any language other than English. However one of the objectives contained within the Assembly’s Business Plans for the current year is to carry out a review of all public information literature. This will include an assessment of the need for this literature to be published in other languages.

You may be interested to know that an electronic translation of the Draft Equality Scheme was produced in Irish. Braille and large print copies of the Disability Action Plan were also produced.