I have consistently said that schools should be havens and that protests at, or attacks on, schools are totally unacceptable. The difficulty in north Belfast is a community issue in which local schoolchildren have unfortunately become embroiled. I have repeatedly urged politicians and community leaders, especially those who represent the local area, to engage in dialogue and work to reach an accommodation. It is only in that way that a resolution to the problem will be found and a normal educational environment restored.

As long as the situation continues, my officials and I will continue to monitor the problem and to provide support in all matters relating to the educational well-being of the children. My Department will continue to take an active role in the interdepartmental liaison group for north Belfast and to provide information and advice to the North Belfast Community Action Project.

The plight of the schoolchildren of north Belfast can be resolved through community dialogue - a willingness for all sides to come together and face up to their fears, concerns and perceptions. I ask people in north Belfast to look at the rest of the place and see people getting on with their lives. There are still some problems and difficulties, but people in north Belfast must consider what is happening elsewhere and be determined to live and work together to end the misery, which inflicts great hardship not just on themselves, but on their children.

If the Minister were to check the records for the past 30 years, he would see the amount of money that has been spent on Protestant kids from the Belfast Boys' Model School who were attacked. What criteria did he use to give money to these schools? Does the money that Mr Gerry Kelly referred to include the money used to fund police protection for the Protestant children attending Ballygolan and Cliftonville Primary Schools, the Belfast Boys' Model School and other schools across north Belfast?

The situation in north Belfast is exceptional and requires a response to meet the circumstances. The education and library boards will continue to provide support services to all schools in their respective areas that require assistance. I am fully aware of the problems being faced by schools, not only in north Belfast, but also in other areas. My Department and the relevant education authorities will continue to monitor closely the situations as they arise. Where difficulties present themselves, appropriate steps will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of pupils and the quality of the education they receive.

When I announced that my Department would be funding an extension of the Executive's support package to include a further 13 primary schools in the north Belfast area, I said that we had been faced with difficult decisions due to limited funding. After consultation with our education partners it was decided that the primary schools should be the main focus. However, the youth initiative is important, and all secondary schools in the area could benefit from participation in such a scheme. My Department will therefore be bidding at the earliest opportunity for additional funds to extend the programme to all secondary schools in north Belfast.

I am tempted to ask whether the funding includes the Abbots Cross, Whitehouse, and Rathcoole Primary Schools and, if not, why not.

Can the Minister tell me what assessment has been made of the effects of conflict on educational experience and attainment, not only in north Belfast but also in areas such as west Tyrone, which, as he knows, has suffered more than most from decades of Republican terrorist activity? Can he assure the Assembly that the military wing of Sinn Féin is not preparing to return to conflict?

As someone who has been at the heart of the peace process during the past 10 years -

Order. I must interrupt the Minister and ask him to respond in writing, as we have run out of time.

The Member was saved by the Speaker.

Order.

Health, Social Services and Public Safety

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Question 11, standing in the name of Mr Mick Murphy, has been transferred to the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and questions 8, 12, 16 and 17, standing in the names of Ms McWilliams, Dr Birnie, Mr McElduff and Mr Gallagher, respectively, have all been withdrawn and will receive written answers.

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1.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what steps she will take against hospital trusts who have withdrawn the availability of incontinence sheets, thereby reducing the dignity of bedridden patients.

(AQO 1151/01)

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Deirtear liom gur aistarraing dhá iontaobhas ospidéil, Green Park agus an tIúr agus an Mhorn braillíní neamhchoinneáltachta agus nach mbíonn siad in úsáid de ghnáth níos mó ag iontaobhais ar chúiseanna fheabhas caighdeáin. Tá éagsúlacht táirgí neamhchoinneálachta níos oiriúnaí ar nós pardóg agus brístíní ar fáil anois, a sholáthraíonn cosaint, compard agus dínit níos mó don duine aonair.

I am advised that incontinence sheets have been withdrawn by two hospital trusts - Green Park and Newry and Mourne - and are no longer routinely used by most trusts on quality improvement grounds. More appropriate incontinence products, such as pads and pants, are now available, and those provide greater protection, comfort and dignity for the individual.

Does the Minister agree that personal hygiene is a basic human right, particularly for people - young or old - who are confined to bed? Will she ensure that the suffering of those people is not added to by their constantly having to plead for disposable sheets of a size and number appropriate to their needs? Will she assure me that I will never again hear reports of disposable sheets being dried on radiators because fresh ones are restricted, unavailable in the appropriate size, or totally unavailable, as she has just said?

I hope that the Member has not misunderstood my answer. I said clearly that a range of incontinence products, which provide greater protection and comfort, and which may be more appropriate to the needs of the patient, is available. Such products may also provide other benefits, such as the prevention of pressure sores. I am advised that incontinence sheets have been withdrawn by two trusts, and I understand that that policy is continually reviewed. I stress that, in other trusts, they are no longer routinely used on quality improvement grounds.

Having said that, the needs of individual patients are determined case by case. The appropriate incontinence products are issued following a full assessment and the development of an appropriate treatment plan. If the Member wishes to draw my attention to a particular case, he may wish to write to me about it.

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2.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline (a) if there is a psychologist employed in the diabetes care team for the Foyle Community HSS Trust; and (b) any steps she will take, if necessary, to address this situation.

(AQO 1148/01)

Tá an fhoireann cúraim diaibéitis do limistéar an Fheabhail comhdhéanta d'fhoireann ó Iontaobhas Phobal an Fheabhail agus Iontaobhas Ospidéal Alt na nGealbhan. I láthair na huaire, níl aon síceolaí tiomanta d'fhoireann cúraim diaibéitis i limistéar an Fheabhail - tá teacht ag daoine le diaibéiteas ar thacaíocht síceolaíochta trí chúram príomhúil agus seirbhísí meabhairshláinte speisialtóra.

The diabetes team for the Foyle area is comprised of staff from Foyle Community HSS Trust and Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust. At present, no psychologist is dedicated to the diabetes care team in the Foyle area. Psychological support is accessible to people with diabetes through primary care and specialist mental health services.

The Western Health and Social Services Board is examining its priority developments for 2002-03 and hopes to be able to develop dedicated clinical psychology care for diabetics in Altnagelvin Hospital. However, that will depend on finalising investment plans and the availability of funding.

I am glad that that problem will be remedied in the near future. However, the consultant in charge is concerned that there is no psychologist at present. Diabetes is a killer. Many young and elderly people are affected. Some people go blind, and they and their families find it difficult to cope. They need psychological support immediately. I want the Minister to address that as soon as possible. I have written to the Western Health and Social Services Board. I doubt that there will be enough money in the current spending plans to make a psychologist available specifically to the diabetes care team.

Clinical psychology support is accessible to people with diabetes in all board areas through primary care and specialist mental health services. As I have said, the Western Board is currently examining its priority developments for 2002-03. When the plan is finalised and the amount of money available has also been analysed against the plan, the possibilities will become clear.

In relation to increasing the number of psychologists in order to have the necessary psychology input into different services, training at Queen's University Belfast involves a three-year course. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has traditionally provided funding to support an annual intake of six people. In the past two years I have allocated additional funds for education and training that have enabled the intake to be increased to nine places. The Department understands the importance of making psychologists available through primary care, mental health services or dedicated input such as that which the Western Health and Social Services Board is examining at present.

Can the Minister inform the House of the current level of expenditure on diabetes research, bearing in mind that the number of patients with the disease is on the increase?

Given the amount and the wide variety of work that has been taken on board - including that of the joint task force that has been set up by the Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team (CREST) and Diabetes UK, which includes representatives from the Department - it is not possible for me to provide an accurate figure today. However, I will write to the Member with it.

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3.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to give an update on her plans to introduce digital hearing aids.

(AQO 1183/01)

Tá rún daingean agam áiseanna éisteachta digiteacha a thabhairt isteach a luaithe a bhíonn maoiniú ar fáil dóibh.

Ós rud é go bhfuil an buiséad forbartha atá ar fáil do sheirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta teoranta agus go bhfuil brú leanúnach ar fud speictream iomlán na seirbhísí, ní féidir leithdháileadh a dhéanamh ag an tráth seo ar an mhaoiniú breise athfhillteach atá de dhíth le háiseanna éisteachta digiteacha a thabhairt isteach go háitiúil.

I am committed to introducing digital hearing aids as soon as funding permits. Given the limited development budget available to health and social services and the continuing pressures across the whole spectrum of services, it is not possible to allocate the additional recurrent funding that is required to introduce digital hearing aids locally at present. An Executive programme fund bid for that purpose was unsuccessful last year. However, the Department will continue to explore all possible funding avenues.

Given that there are up to 100,000 hearing aid users in Northern Ireland, and that 70% of them could benefit from digital hearing aids, can the Minister confirm that a programme to introduce digital hearing aids here would cost £1·2 million? How does that figure compare to the amount of money that has already been spent on analogue hearing aids, which are of a bad standard? Digital hearing aids are better value for money in the long term.

I do not agree that analogue hearing aids are of a bad standard. I want digital hearing aids to be introduced, but that involves their assessment and fitting, which is a complex process requiring specialist equipment. Additional audiologists would have to be recruited to support provision.

It is estimated that provision of digital hearing aids to new users alone would cost around £1 million annually. Set-up costs, covering equipment, training and accommodation, would amount to around £300,000 each year. Roll-out of provision to existing users would take about eight years and cost a further £2 million each year. Set-up costs would be around £600,000. Therefore, in net terms, it is estimated that the additional cost of provision would be £750,000 a year to new users and £1·5 million a year to existing users over the roll-out period.

I have asked the Minister a series of questions on the costs of digital hearing aids. The answers have shown that the gap between the comparative costs of analogue and digital hearing aids has closed considerably. Has the Minister taken that into consideration? When digital hearing aids are introduced, will the Minister give an assurance that hospital departments will receive proper resourcing to ensure that the necessary internal infrastructure is in place to enable proper assessment and provision?

I have answered most of that already. I am aware that the gap in the costs of the aids themselves has closed considerably, as I said in answer to Ms Lewsley. However, assessment and fitting of digital hearing aids is more complex and requires additional audiologists, and that maintains a considerable gap in costs. The figures that I quoted are up to date.

As regards implementation costs, the additional 12 audiologists that are needed to support provision to new users alone would cost an extra £300,000 a year. An additional 24 audiologists to support provision to new and existing users would cost an extra £600,000 a year. The remainder of the implementation costs would cover the additional cost of the digital hearing aids, the average cost of which is estimated at £150 each - about £100 more than the current average cost of an analogue hearing aid.

The Department is examining the extra costs involved in the programme and looking specifically at what it would mean for the service - not merely for the aids themselves - to ensure that when they are introduced, it is for the maximum benefit of service users. I am committed to introducing them as soon as the money can be found.

Question 4 is in the name of Mr Molloy, but he is not in his place. I call Mr McCarthy.

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5.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail her policy on the use of townland names in departmental correspondence.

(AQO 1159/01)

Tacaím go hiomlán le húsáid a bhaint as ainmneacha bailte fearainn i gcaomhnú ár n-oidhreachta áitiúla, agus moltar don fhoireann i mo Roinn úsáid a bhaint as ainmneacha bailte fearainn agus iad ag freagairt do chomhfhreagras nuair a bhíonn na bailte fearainn curtha isteach ag comhfhreagraithe ina seoltaí.

I fully support the use of townland names in preserving our local heritage. Staff in my Department are encouraged to use townland names in replying to correspondence where correspondents have included them in their addresses.

Once again, I must express some disappointment with that response, which was similar to that of the Minister of Education. The Assembly took a clear decision some time ago that all Departments would use townland names.

As I said earlier, the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland has each townland name at its fingertips. We talk about so-called joined-up government. There does not seem to be much evidence of joined-up government in either the Department of Education or the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. It is time that the Executive carried out the wishes of the Assembly. Will the Minister go to the Ordnance Survey and get the information out to rural constituents?

A common address file project involving the Central Information Technology Unit is under way to establish a definitive index of addresses for use throughout the public and private sectors. One aim of the project is to ensure that the new system will include townland names for every address. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is supporting work to preserve and promote the use of place names.

As with the Department of Education, my Department has no means by which it could, on its own initiative, easily and accurately source townland names to include in its replies. However, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has input into common address file project. I expect that the Department will be allowed to have that file on its records and to install the automated systems.

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6.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the waiting time for patients awaiting infertility treatment in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board area and to make a statement.

(AQO 1160/01)

Tá réimse cóireálacha ar fáil do neamhthorthúlacht, lena n-áirítear cóireáil drugaí, máinliacht, inseamhnú saorga agus teicnící chúnamh ginte ar nós IVF. Beidh roinnt de na hothair atá ag feitheamh le cóireáil ar liostaí feithimh ginearálta, mar shampla gínéiceolaíocht agus ní féidir iad sin a dheighilt ó thaobh fáthmheas/faidhbe de.

Infertility treatment includes drugs, surgery, artificial insemination and assisted conception techniques such as IVF. Some patients await treatment on general waiting lists - for example, in gynaecology - and it is not possible to disaggregate those by diagnosis or problem.

Waiting lists have been established for the interim fertility service that commenced on 17 December 2001. It is not possible to give waiting times for those lists. Recent figures indicate that 299 local couples have been assessed as eligible for Health Service treatment and they await that at the regional fertility centre of the Royal Group of Hospitals. Every effort is being made to provide treatment as quickly as possible for those waiting.

I tabled this question after many patients approached me about waiting times. I hope that the Minister agrees that this sensitive treatment should not be unnecessarily delayed, because that would further upset patients.

I agree that there should be no unnecessary delay. That is why I set up an interim service, rather than wait until all the work had been done to put the full service in place. I intend to publish a consultation document on subfertility services by the summer. The outcome of the consultation will inform the provision of a permanent service, but I implemented the interim service because I knew that to set up a permanent service would take time, and I was anxious that people in such sensitive circumstances should not have to wait.

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7.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to make a statement on the provision of nurses in special schools.

(AQO 1162/01)

Soláthraíonn iontaobhais seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta éagsúlacht tacaíochta altranais do scoileanna speisialta. San áireamh sa réimse soláthar, tá altraí tiomanta ag freastal ar scoileanna i rith am téarma, tacaíocht ó altraí péidiatracha pobail, altraí do mhíchumais foghlama agus altraí ceantair, agus oiliúint arna sholáthar ag foireann altranais do mhúinteoirí agus do fhreastalaithe seomra ranga le cóireálacha agus drugaí a riaradh.

Health and social services trusts provide a variety of nursing support to special schools. Provision includes dedicated nurses who attend individual schools during term time, support from community, paediatric, learning disability and district nurses, and training by nursing staff of teachers and classroom attendants to administer treatment and drugs.

The report of the review of nursing services to children in special schools that was commissioned by the Department and issued to health and social services boards in 2000 did not recommend a dedicated nurse for each special school. Instead, it recommended that NVQ- trained carers with nursing support could meet the healthcare needs of children with special needs.

To what extent do the Minister and her Department co-operate with the Minister of Education and his Department on the provision of such needs?

There is co-operation, co-ordination and discussion between officials from the two Departments, and between local health and social services board representatives and education and library board representatives. However, it is for local health and social services trusts to determine the nursing support that is required by children with special needs and to decide how that should be provided, taking into account the available resources. Given the increase in numbers, health and social services boards, together with colleagues from education and library boards, are reviewing the nursing and other support required and the ways in which that might be provided.

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9.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to provide data on the proportion of mothers who choose to breastfeed their babies.

(AQO 1186/01)

Léiríonn na torthaí tosaigh ó bheathú naíonán 2000 gur tharla méadú suntasach anseo ar mháithreacha a thug an chíoch dá leanbh idir 1995 agus 2000. Mhéadaigh an líon sin ó 45% i 1995 go dtí 54% i 2000. I measc na mban a bhí ina máithreacha den chéad uair in aois 25 go 29 bliana, mhéadaigh an beathú cíche ó 60% i 1995 go 69% i 2000.

Preliminary results from the 2000 infant feeding survey show that between 1995 and 2000 there was a significant increase in breastfeeding here - from 45% in 1995 to 54% in 2000. Among first-time mothers aged 25 to 29, breastfeeding increased from 60% in 1995 to 69% in 2000. Although I am pleased with those results, we could do better, especially in lower socio-economic groups. For that reason, we recently appointed a breastfeeding co-ordinator to further promote breastfeeding here.

I welcome the Minister's answer, especially her remarks about lower socio-economic groups. It is relevant that infants who are breastfed are less prone to allergies and the diseases to which infants are susceptible. Does the Minister intend to either promote or advertise the advantages of breastfeeding?

Several activities will be given impetus by the breastfeeding co-ordinator's appointment. Two hospitals and one community trust here have achieved World Health Organisation (WHO) baby-friendly status, which means that they satisfied the rigid criteria of WHO and UNICEF for actively implementing best practice in promoting breastfeeding. The appointment of the breastfeeding co-ordinator will give their work much greater impetus. In particular, the breastfeeding co-ordinator will develop a network of key individuals from boards and trusts, voluntary and community groups, and educational establishments in order to achieve the objectives of the strategy. I am delighted to say that Micheál Martin TD, the Minister for Health and Children in the South, has appointed the same co-ordinator to that Department's committee on breastfeeding. The co-ordinator's being a member of that committee provides an excellent opportunity to share ideas, to develop good practice on an all-island basis and to see what further work we can do to get the important message across.

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10.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what steps she has taken to address the overcapacity in adult centres.

(AQO 1170/01)

Éilíonn mo thosaíochtaí do ghníomhaíocht 2002-03 go leanfaidh na hiontaobhais agus na boird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta de bheith ag leathnú chúram lae agus cúram faoisimh do dhaoine faoi mhíchumas foghlama. Beidh cuid den mhaoiniú breise a leithdháil mé ar na boird le seirbhísí pobail a fhorbairt i 2002-03 ar fáil chun na críche seo.

Is faoi na hiontaobhais agus na boird sláinte agus seirbhísí sóisialta atá sé a chinntiú go mbíonn an réimse agus an méid seirbhísí chúram lae ann, lena n-áirítear áiteanna i lárionad lae do dhaoine fásta, le freastal ar an riachtanas áitiúil a aithníodh.

My priorities for action in 2002-03 require health and social services boards and trusts to continue to expand the provision of day care and respite care for people with a learning disability. Some of the additional funding that I have allocated to boards to develop community services in 2002-03 will be available for that purpose. It is for the health and social services boards and trusts to ensure that there is the range and volume of day care services, including places in adult day centres, to meet identified local need.

Some parents whose children attend Kilronan Special School in Mid Ulster have been informed that their children cannot be guaranteed places in local adult education centres when they move on. Does the Minister have proposals to deal with that? Has she discussed the problem with the Minister for Employment and Learning so that they can work in partnership to achieve a satisfactory outcome?

The Member may need to write to me with the details of that matter. The Northern Health and Social Services Board has reviewed its day care provision. Its plans to stimulate additional day care capacity include moving older service users to more age- appropriate settings. I am not sure whether that is what the Member is referring to. The board wishes to develop local small-scale projects with the voluntary sector that will offer alternatives to facility-based activities.

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13.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, in relation to her announcement of the creation of 1,000 new community care packages, what criteria are being used to allocate the distribution of the packages.

(AQO 1187/01)

Tá mé ag súil go gcuirfidh na boird a moltaí mionsonraithe do bhaint amach a scair chaipitlíochta den sprioc 1,000 faoi mo bhráid go gairid. Áireofar ar na moltaí mionsonraithe sin pleananna le leanúint le hinfheistíocht a dhéanamh i seirbhísí pobail, ag baint úsáide as an réimse chuí scileanna SSSP, le tacaíocht a thabhairt do dhaoine i suímh sa phobal a éascaíonn filleadh ar an neamhspleáchas agus laghdú a dhéanamh ar an ghá le cúram baile fadtréimhseach cónaitheach agus altranais.

I expect boards to provide me shortly with detailed proposals for achieving their capitation share of the 1,000 community care packages. The proposals will include plans to continue investment in community services, using the appropriate range of health and social services skills to support people in community settings which facilitate a return to independence and reduce the need for long- term residential and nursing-home care. Boards and trusts are also required to look at the good practices in service provision, identified in the first report on the review of community care that I published today. The aim is to reduce inappropriate hospital admissions and to set targets for reducing the number of people who remain in hospital after they are found to be medically fit for discharge.

I welcome the Minister's answer, and I acknowledge the fact that she has announced the review of community care today. Does she know what measures the boards will put in place to ensure that service users and their families are aware of the criteria they must meet to apply for a package?

From my knowledge of other work, I understand that one of our main aims is to make progress on the strategy for carers. That includes making carers aware of what provisions are available. Some of the good practice that is involved in the first stage of the community care review is concerned with ensuring that discussions take place when community care is being made available.

It is imperative that domiciliary care be one of the main planks of community care policy. I am aware that we must ensure that money is allocated to where it is most needed. The community care review has examined several projects, particularly those demonstrating innovation in the way that we deliver community care to older and more vulnerable people. We intend to take a further in-depth look at those projects in the second phase of the review so that the good practice may be replicated throughout the health and personal social services. Although the second phase of the review will take some time, I assure the Member that the work on good practice is ongoing.

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14.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what steps have been taken, or are planned to be taken, in relation to all-Ireland co-ordination of data collection for health databases.

(AQO 1185/01)

Cé nach bhfuil aon chóras comhordaithe tiomsaithe sonraí ar bhonn uile-Éireann do bhunachar sonraí sláinte ann go fóill, bunaíodh dlúthnasc oibre idir eagraíochtaí éagsúla anseo agus sa Deisceart le tiomsú agus taifeadadh sonraí a thabhairt le chéile. Sampla amháin de sin is é obair na Clárlainne Ailse anseo agus obair na Clárlainne Náisiúnta Ailse i gCorcaigh i mbunachar sonraí staitisticí ailse uile-Éireann a chruthú.

Although there is not yet any systematic all-Ireland co-ordination of health data, close working links have been established between organisations here and in the South to harmonise the collection and recording of such information. For example, the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry and the National Cancer Registry of Ireland, which is in Cork, are creating an all-Ireland database of cancer statistics.

The Minister said that there are no operational databases. Have there been moves to create databases relating to child abuse offenders, North and South?

Yes. The North/South Ministerial Council, in its education sectoral format, is dealing with that matter; therefore, it would be more appropriate to direct that question to the Minister of Education. There have been practical difficulties in creating other types of databases, due to differences in how data are defined and collected, and how services are organised, funded, and delivered. We will be examining all those issues.

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15.

asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the current position in discussions on the increase of contract prices for the care of residents in nursing homes.

(AQO 1161/01)

Mar aitheantas ar an ardú ghéar i gcostais san earnáil chónaitheach agus tithe altranais, tá 3·6 mhilliún breise curtha ar fáil agam in éineacht leis an ghnáthardú bhliantúil le méadú a dhéanamh ar na táillí a íoctar ar áiteanna sna tithe seo.

In recognition of the steep increase in residential and nursing home costs, I provided a further £3·6 million on top of the normal annual uplift to increase the fees paid for places in those homes. Fees will increase this year by approximately 5·5%.

Finance and Personnel

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Question 1, in the name of Mr McElduff, and question 9, in the name of Mr Gallagher, have been withdrawn and will receive written answers.

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2.

asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail (a) the names of all private hire firms used by the Executive to supply ministerial limousines and transport for Ministers; and (b) the costs associated with the hire of such services and transport.

(AQO 1191/01)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Dr Farren): Crown Chauffeur Drive, Belfast, and W&N Services, Bangor, provide official transport for Ministers. In the 12 months ending 28 February 2002, Crown Chauffeur Drive was paid £101,000 for the service, and W&N Services was paid £260,000.

The Minister said that the estimated cost of an in-house official transport service for Ministers and senior officials is £637,000, as opposed to £937,000 for a contracted-out service. Subsequent to that answer, he embargoed his reply as to which Ministers were using which service. He excluded details on the transport of the Minister of Education and the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, which are the responsibility of his Department. Will the Minister explain why those Ministers were excluded, which Department pays for their transport, which contracted-out services they use, how much that costs for each Minister, whether the arrangements were subject to the normal tendering procedures, and how much cheaper their transport would have been if it had been carried out by an in-house service?

Questions about services that are contracted by other Departments, rather than through the central service for which my Department is responsible, must be directed to the Departments concerned. The services for which my Department is responsible, and which are reflected in the costs that I gave, include Ministers and one junior Minister, but not the Ministers who are specified in the Member's question.

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3.

asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to make a statement on discussions regarding Northern Ireland's allocation in the UK spending review.

(AQO 1196/01)

The First Minister and the Deputy First Minister have written to the Chancellor on behalf of the Executive, stating that they expect to receive a share of public expenditure in the 2002 spending review that will enable us to match the standard of public services that is affordable, and afforded, in England. Discussions are taking place at official level on a range of spending review issues. Those will be followed shortly by further ministerial engagement with the Treasury.

Dr Farren has said that the funds allocated from the Chancellor in his Budget speech will not adequately meet the needs of our Health Service or other public services. That shows the deficiencies of the Barnett formula. What steps is the Minister taking to increase the allocation for Northern Ireland?

Public expenditure allocations to, and consequent spending in, Northern Ireland should be based on a fair and objective analysis of need. The key issue is the extent to which the Barnett formula addresses this. As I have said on several occasions, we have undertaken detailed and rigorous scrutiny of the Barnett formula. We have been looking carefully to see whether it meets our needs sufficiently both now and, more importantly in future. It is clear that we cannot continue to accept inadequate funding of the priority services that we have identified in health, education and transport. We cannot accept a situation where they are markedly less favourably treated than in England. That appears to be the consequence of Barnett.

The allocation that we will receive from the Budget statement shows how the Barnett formula will impact to our detriment in Northern Ireland. For example, in last Wednesday's Budget the Chancellor announced that spending in England would rise by 43% over the next five years, even allowing for inflation. Our share of this new funding amounts to almost £2·7 billion; if we translate that into percentage increases, the increase in England will be around 10% over the same period, whereas here it will be only 7%. We must continue to highlight the scale of need here and the inadequacy of the consequentials from the Barnett formula as far as our budgetary needs are concerned.

I want to take this opportunity again to reassure the Assembly that we are determined to seek a fair and appropriate outcome to this year's spending review, and that we will continue to press our needs vigorously with the Treasury.

The Minister has referred to some of the difficulties with the Barnett formula. Does he not agree that in the compilation of the Barnett formula, perhaps the greatest difficulty now lies in the comparability of Northern Ireland with England, Scotland and Wales? If so, is it not now time to freeze the amount of funding that we get through the block grant at its current level, and then add on the increases that are applicable to England, for example? Therefore where the Minister refers to a 10% increase for health in England, the read-across would be a 10% increase for Northern Ireland.

The Member will be aware that over the short period since devolution, the Executive have on several occasions taken the opportunity to add considerably to the Barnett consequentials, particularly in allocations to health.

I will make a statement later this afternoon that will highlight in more detail some of the difficulties that we continue to encounter with respect to the Barnett formula and its consequentials. We will base our case on the scale of our need and will press that case as vigorously as possible. At present, there is a degree of reluctance in the Treasury - to put it no stronger - to a wholesale opening up of all the issues concerning Barnett allocations to the devolved Administrations.

Nonetheless, that objective must be pursued, and the only basis on which it can be pursued effectively is a clear and detailed analysis of our needs.

All Members of the Assembly will wish the Minister and the Executive well in their ongoing discussions. To counteract the effect of the diminishment of our Barnett allocation and consequential allocations and to redress years of capital underinvestment during the years of direct rule will the Minister state whether he or his officials came under any pressure about our own internal revenue receipts?

On several occasions my predecessor and I made it clear that addressing the Barnett issue and attempting to open up the issue in a fundamental way is not a no-risk option. It raises questions that relate to the few, but significant, revenue streams over which we have control. We must address the fairness and adequacy of those revenue streams. If we do not take those initiatives ourselves, the Treasury will put pressure on us to do so.

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4.

asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the progress made on the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) 'Human Resources Action Plan 2002-03'.

(AQO 1190/01)

The plan underpins the corporate high-level strategy for the human resources management of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, which seeks to ensure a more open, diverse and professional Civil Service that will continue to put the public interest first and serve the whole community.

The Northern Ireland Civil Service 'Human Resources Action Plan 2002-03' has been agreed with Departments and made available to the Committee for Finance and Personnel. It takes account of corporate business objectives and priorities. From 1 April 2002 it will be monitored and evaluated regularly.

Will the review of Civil Service accommodation impact on the 'Human Resources Action Plan 2002-03'?

The review of Civil Service accommodation has made progress. We are anxious to ensure that we have not only the most appropriate form of accommodation to meet the needs of different Civil Service Departments but also to take action where required with regard to location. It is my understanding that the Member's question relates to that aspect of the accommodation review. If I am incorrect in my interpretation, he can advise me afterwards, and I will ensure that I address the question in the terms that he intended.

How is the Northern Ireland Civil Service 'Human Resources Action Plan 2002-03' dealing with the unacceptably high levels of absenteeism in certain Departments? What percentage improvement does the Minister expect to achieve over the current financial year?

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) has developed robust statistics to help Departments to identify underlying trends and areas for further in-depth analysis. Its most recent report is available in the Assembly Library. My Department is also helping Departments to reduce absenteeism through corporate initiatives such as the development of a web site called 'Attendance Matters', the production of a leaflet for GPs on the support and early return mechanisms available to the staff of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, and service-wide seminars and workshops on managing attendance.

I do not believe that it would be appropriate at this point to have an overall target, because levels of absenteeism vary between Departments. That requires us to address the circumstances that may be associated with absenteeism in each Department.

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