Friday 30 June 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to comment on the findings of the Horisk Report on the pay of lecturers in further education colleges; what finance the Department will make available to colleges in this financial year to fund salaries for further education lecturers; and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 638/99)

The Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (Dr Farren): The terms and conditions of service, including salaries, of lecturers in further education colleges are a matter for the colleges. It is therefore for Colleges to decide if they wish to take forward the recommendations in the Horisk Report and to consider the funding implications of doing so.

The block grant to colleges for 2000-01 is £97 million. This includes provision for lecturers’ salaries.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail for the period since devolution (i) the district councils he has visited; (ii) the dates of the visits; (iii) the subjects discussed.

(AQW 715/99)

Dr Farren: I visited Omagh District Council on 10 December 1999 and met with the Chief Executive, John McKinney, to discuss New Deal.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development to give a full breakdown of all known contaminants in the fluoride used artificially to fluoridate the drinking water in Tandragee.

(AQW 625/99)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr P Robinson): I am replying as this is a matter for the Department for Regional Development.

The public water supply in Tandragee is no longer fluoridated.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development what is the current position in regard to financial provision for the Comber bypass, and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 636/99)

Mr P Robinson: The Comber bypass scheme is included in my departmental spending plans which are currently under consideration as part of the Government ‘Spending Review 2000’ for the period 2001-04.

Currently the design of the scheme has been completed and the preparatory work is advanced, with clearance being given to the commencement of land vesting early next year. Following determination within the next few weeks by the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the level of funding for the Northern Ireland block, allocations to Northern Ireland Departments will be determined by the Executive Committee later this year.

Subject to a favourable outcome to this process, I hope that funding will be available to enable the Comber bypass to begin no later than 2003-04.

Mr Byrne asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail what plans he has to promote practical co-operation between the Department’s Roads Service and the National Roads Authority in the Irish Republic to improve the standard of cross-border roads, and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 656/99)

Mr P Robinson: Senior officials from my Department’s Roads Service have regular meetings with their counterparts from the National Roads Authority through the Roads Cross-Border Steering Group. I am satisfied that these meetings, together with the ongoing dialogue between staff from Roads Service divisions, the National Roads Authority and appropriate county councils in the Republic of Ireland, provide the necessary practical co-operation to improve the standard of cross-border roads.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development to provide a chemical breakdown for the drinking water currently found in the Newry and Mourne, Banbridge, North Down and Ards council areas.

(AQW 685/99)

Mr P Robinson: The Water Service publishes each June a comprehensive report on the quality of drinking water supplied to the public during the preceding year. It also provides each district council with a report giving details of the quality of drinking water supplied in the council area.

The 1999 drinking water quality report has been published today. Copies of the report and the reports for all district council areas have been placed in the Assembly Library.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development to indicate the take-up rates of income support by pensioners.

(AQW 701/99)

The Minister for Social Development (Mr Dodds): At 31 March 2000, approximately 73,000 pensioners in Northern Ireland were receiving income support (minimum income guarantee).

At 23 June 2000, a total of 2,579 pensioners in Northern Ireland had contacted the national freephone claim line number, or their local social security offices, to obtain a claim form for the minimum income guarantee.

The Social Security Agency is writing to 40,000 pensioners inviting a claim to minimum income guarantee. The issue of these mailshots is in three stages. It commenced on 29 May 2000, with the second stage July 2000 and third stage September 2000.

In addition, a national TV advertising campaign (including Northern Ireland) began on 30 May 2000 and will run in conjunction with the mailshots. The Social Security Agency is also working closely with voluntary groups, such as Age Concern and Help the Aged, to ensure the maximum take-up of the minimum income guarantee.

Mr Kane asked the Minister for Social Development to outline the arrangements for supervision of ongoing contracts in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

(AQW 716/99)

Mr Dodds: For capital and planned revenue contract work, the executive employs 21 consultants to design and supervise work on site in the five Housing Executive areas. These consultants, together with the in-house practice groups in each area, are responsible for all such work. Each Consultant has a contract with the Executive that requires it to attend sites and to manage contracts in terms of quality, timeliness and costs.

A professional client team monitors these consultants monthly, through the provision of written returns, including site minutes. The executive also employs clerks of works and mechanical and electrical inspectors to inspect contract work on its behalf.

With regard to response maintenance contract work, the executive supervises this directly through its district offices.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Social Development to detail for the period since devolution (i) the district councils he has visited; (ii) the dates of the visits; (iii) the subjects discussed.

(AQW 727/99)

Mr Dodds: I have made a number of visits to district council areas across Northern Ireland since devolution. However, none of these visits were to district council headquarters.

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