Friday 7 July 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES
AND PUBLIC SAFETY

NHS Pay System:
‘Agenda for Change’

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what progress has been made in implementing the proposals contained in the report ‘Agenda for Change — Modernising the NHS Pay System’.

(AQW 731/99)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): Proposals contained in ‘Agenda for Change – Modernising the NHS Pay System’ are currently being developed. They are far-reaching, and full implementation will take a number of years. Considerable technical work is ongoing in a number of working groups on which my Department and the health and personal social services(HPSS) are represented. This involves a great deal of analysis and exploration of the options in connection with the main proposals. Steady progress is being made, but an agreed package is not expected to emerge until later this year. I will then be considering how this is to be implemented in the best interests of the HPSS.

Tá na moltaí i ‘Agenda for Change – Modernising the NHS Pay System’ á gcur chun cinn faoi láthair. Tá siad forleathan agus ní chuirfear i gcrích go hiomlán iad go ceann roinnt blianta. Tá cuid mhór obair theicniúil ar siúl ag roinnt meithleacha agus tá ionadaithe ó mo Roinnse agus ó na SSSP orthu. Tá mionscrúdú agus iniúchadh mór á ndéanamh ar na roghanna a bhaineann leis na príomhmholtaí. Tá dul chun cinn cothrom á dhéanamh ach ní dócha go dtiocfar ar chomaontú iomlán go dtí níos moille i mbliana. Is ansin a bheas mé ag cuimhneamh ar an dóigh is fearr lena chur i bhfeidhm agus leas na SSSP mar chuspóir agam..

‘Children Matter’

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what steps have been taken to implement the 20 recommendations made in the 1998 publication ‘Children Matter’, and if she will make a statement.

(AQW 738/99)

Ms de Brún: Since the publication of ‘Children Matter’ five new children’s homes have been opened — two in Derry, one in Newry, and two in Belfast. Business cases for a number of others have been received by the Department and are being scrutinised. A private-sector provider has also opened a facility at Killadeas, County Fermanagh.

The four boards have produced a joint plan —‘Implementing Children Matter’ —for replacing some existing facilities which are considered unsuitable, including the regional centres, and establishing a range of about 28 new homes over a period of five years (2000-01 to 2004-05).

More work needs to be done to create new facilities, and, as I mentioned in the Assembly recently, a task force drawn from the Department and the health and social services boards has been established to ensure that proposals for the development of specific projects are processed as quickly as possible.

Ó foilsíodh "Tábhacht Páistí" osclaíodh cúig theach páistí nua, dhá cheann i nDoire, ceann amháin san Iúr agus dhá cheann i mBéal Feirste. Fuair an Roinn moltaí gnó do roinnt ceann eile agus tá sí á n-iniúchadh. D’oscail soláthraí ón earnáil phríobháideach áis i gCill Chéile Dé, Co. Fhear Manach fosta.

D’fhoilsigh na ceithre Bhord comhphlean "Ag Cur Tábhacht Páistí i bhFeidhm" d’athshuíomh roinnt áiseanna atá anois ann a shíltear mí-oiriúnach, ina measc na hIonaid Réigiúnacha, agus do bhunú thart fá 28 dteach nua thar tréimhse 5 bliana ó 2000-01 go dtí 2004-05.

Tá níos mó oibre de dhíth le háiseanna nua a dhéanamh agus, mar a luaigh mé sa Tionól ar an mallaibh, bunaíodh tascfhórsa de dhaoine ón Roinn agus ó na Boird Shláinte agus Leasa Shóisialaigh lena chinntiú go reachtaítear moltaí d’fhorbairt na dtionscadal sainiúil a ghaiste agus is féidir.

Occupational Therapy

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what is the current position in regard to waiting times for occupational therapy assessments, and to give an indication of the funding needed to implement the assessments.

(AQW 740/99)

Ms de Brún: At the end of March 2000 there were almost 11,000 people waiting for an occupational therapy assessment. Of these, 56% were waiting more than three months. Funding of implementation of the assessments is a matter for the Department for Social Development and the Housing Executive.

Ag deireadh mí an Mhárta 2000 bhí beagnach 11,000 duine ag fanacht le measúnú Teiripe Saothair. Bhí 56% díobh seo ag fanacht le 3 mhí. Baineann maoiniú chur i bhfeidhm na measúnuithe leis an Roinn Forbartha Sóisialta agus leis an Fheidhmeannas Tithíochta.

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to provide a timetable for action in relation to the lack of occupational therapy assessments in Northern Ireland, and to make a statement.

(AQW 741/99)

Ms de Brún: Health and social services boards and trusts are responsible for ensuring that occupational therapy provision is adequate to meet the assessed needs of their populations. My Department has highlighted occupational therapy waiting times as a pressure. The four boards have indicated that additional resources will be allocated to occupational therapy services in the current year. At the same time, the Housing Executive and my Department are undertaking a joint review of the housing adaptations service with a view to reducing waiting times. A preliminary report is expected in the autumn.

Tá Boird agus Iontaobhais Shláinte agus Leasa Shóisialaigh freagrach as ag cinntiú go bhfuil an teiripe saothair a sholáthraítear sásúil le riachtanais mheasúnaithe a ndaonraí a chomhlíonadh. Chuir an Roinn s’agam béim ar an bhrú a thagann le hamanna feithimh teiripe saothair. Thug na ceithre Bhord le fios go ndáilfí achmhainní breise ar sheirbhísí teiripe saothair an bhliain seo. Ag an am chéanna, tá an Feidhmeannas Tithíochta agus an Roinn s’agam ag glacadh orainn féin comhathbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an tseirbhís oiriúnaithe tithíochta agus an cuspóir atá againn amanna feithimh a laghdú. Táthar ag súil le réamhthuairisc san Fhómhar.

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to provide information on the difficulties facing disabled residents of Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Larne arising from the lack of occupational therapy assessments.

(AQW 742/99)

Ms de Brún: To minimise the potential difficulties facing disabled people requiring an occupational therapy assessment, priority is given to people coming out of hospital; people living alone and at risk; people living with a carer who is disabled or elderly; and people who are terminally ill. The Northern Health and Social Services Board has provided Homefirst Trust with an extra £115,000 to employ additional occupational therapy and clerical support staff.

Leis na deacrachtaí atá ag daoine míchumasacha measúnú teiripe saothair a fháil a íoslaghdú, tugtar tús áite do dhaoine ag teacht amach as ospidéal; dóibhsean a chónaíonn ina n-aonar agus atá i mbaol; dóibhsean a chónaíonn le feighlí atá míchumasach nó cnagaosta; nó atá ag fáil bháis. Thug Bord Sláinte agus Leasa Shóisialaigh Thuaisceart Éireann £115,000 don Iontaobhas Baile ar dTús le foireann teiripe saothair agus chléireachais chúnta bhreise a fhostú.

Punishment Beatings:
Costs of Hospital Treatment

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will undertake to provide, on a monthly basis, details of costs of hospital treatment of victims of punishment beatings.

(AQW 745/99)

Ms de Brún: Current systems in hospitals would not readily identify this information, and to establish a dedicated system for the purpose would involve disproportionate cost to the service.

Níorbh fhurasta a d’aithneodh na córais reatha sna hospidéil an t-eolas seo, agus costas díréireach don tseirbhís a bheadh ann dá mbunófaí córas sainiúil leis an chuspóir seo a bhaint amach.

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment what assessment has been made of a relationship between low educational attainment and long-term unemployment.

(AQW 747/99)

The Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (Dr Farren): There is a well-established link between low educational attainment and long-term unemployment.

During the Training and Employment Agency’s public consultation on long-term unemployment in 1997 it was pointed out that 51% of the long-term unemployed had no qualifications, compared to 22% of those in work.

However, many of the long-term unemployed are well qualified: whilst 51% had no qualifications, 33% were qualified to A level standard or higher.

My Department’s interventions are aimed at new entrants to the labour market, to improve their qualification levels (for example, Jobskills), and at those who are unemployed, to help them become better qualified and more job-ready (for example, New Deal).

Ms Lewsley asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment what targets have been set for the Training and Employment Agency for the period 2000-01.

(AQW 815/99)

Dr Farren: The following targets have been set for the agency:

1. to ensure that those who began Jobskills training in 1998-99 will achieve at least a 68% qualification success rate at NVQ level 2 or above;

2. to increase the number of organisations achieving the Investors in People standard from 329 to 460;

3. to help 15,000 people move from welfare to work;

4. to support 3,000 individual learning accounts;

5. to help 1,500 people with disabilities to gain employment — both directly and from training placements (including New Deal for Disabled People) and 350 people with disabilities to gain places on training schemes;

6. to achieve a score in the range of 350 to 400 points against the business excellence model.

Mr A Maginness asked the Minister for Regional Development what he intends to do to deal with the proliferation of loyalist paramilitary flags on lamp-posts and other public utility posts in the Belfast city area — in particular, Shore Road, York Road, Newtownards Road, Crumlin Road, Ravenhill Road and Donegall Road — and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 688/99)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr P Robinson): I do not condone any unauthorised use of departmental property. My Department’s Roads Service will remove any materials, such as flags, that have been erected illegally on its property and are a danger to road users. In other instances, the Roads Service removes such materials only on the advice of the RUC and where there is strong support from local residents. The Roads Service experience has been that to do otherwise is likely to lead to a proliferation of such materials and put at risk the safety of personnel tasked with the removal work.

The flags on street lighting columns on Shore Road, York Road, Newtownards Road, Crumlin Road, Ravenhill Road and Donegall Road are not a danger to road users and, at present, Roads Service has no plans to remove them.

The flying of flags on other public property not belonging to Roads Service is a matter for the public body concerned.

Mr Paisley asked the Minister for Regional 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 726/99)

Mr P Robinson: I detail below the councils visited, the dates and area for discussion at each.

I have also received delegations from Newry and Mourne District Council to discuss the Newry-Dundalk road, on 1 February 2000; representatives from Ballymena, Ballymoney, Limavady, Coleraine and Antrim Borough Councils, Moyle and Strabane District Councils and Derry City Council to discuss the consultation on the task force on 16 June 2000; and representatives from Lisburn Borough Council to discuss the regional development strategy and the regional transportation strategy, on 3 July 2000.

Mr Bradley asked the Minister for Regional Development how many disconnections of water supply due to non-payment of water rates accounts took place at domestic holdings during the period 1 January 1999 to 31 December 1999.

(AQW 730/99)

Mr P Robinson: The Water Service does not meter properties where water is supplied exclusively for domestic purposes. However, some domestic properties also have water supplied for non-domestic purposes, and such properties are metered. An allowance of 200 cubic metres per annum is given for water used for domestic purposes, and the customer pays metered water charges on the remainder of the usage.

There were 20 disconnections during 1999 for non-payment of metered water charges in respect of domestic properties which also had water supplied for non-domestic purposes. Seventeen of these were subsequently reconnected on payment of the metered water account and a reconnection charge.

Prior to carrying out these disconnections, the Water Service will have written to the customers, on at least three occasions, requesting payment and advising them that their supplies would be disconnected if payment were not made.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the amount of financial assistance allocated to the Department of the Environment Roads Service for work completed in the Ards Borough area in each of the last 10 years.

(AQW 733/99)

Mr P Robinson: The table below shows the expenditure incurred by my Department’s Road Service in the Ards borough area during the 10-year period 1989-90 to 1998-99.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development what plans there are to upgrade the fleet of Translink buses operated by Ulsterbus.

(AQW 736/99)

Mr P Robinson: The aim of the Department for Regional Development is that Translink should replace vehicles as they reach their target replacement age — 12 years for coaches, and 18 years for buses. In April of this year the Department agreed to provide Translink with a bus grant of £1·7m in 2000-01 to cover 50% of the cost of new buses. This should help Translink to purchase about 28 new vehicles, which it has advised are likely to be directed towards the Ulsterbus fleet. However, Translink will continue to have to operate buses that have passed their target replacement age even when these new buses have been purchased. I am therefore seeking additional resources in this year’s spending review to enable my Department to assist Translink to purchase sufficient new buses to enable it to take out of service all vehicles which have reached their target replacement age.

Mr Watson asked the Minister for Regional Development what targets have been set for the Roads Service in 2000-01.

(AQW 817/99)

Mr P Robinson: The following performance targets have been set for the Roads Service for 2000-01:

1. to maintain expenditure within cash limits and to approved budgets;

2. to maintain the motorway network so that at least 85% has a residual life of more than five years;

3. to maintain the trunk road network so that at least 75% has a residual life of more than five years;

4. to maintain the condition of other roads so that the overall road condition index does not exceed 85;

5. to reduce by 40% the total number of injury accidents occurring at treated sites over the three years following the works;

6. to achieve 85% of major works schemes milestones;

7. to ensure that at least 97% of street lights are working;

8. to repair 93% of defects over 50 mm deep in urban areas within three working days of detection, and 100% before the next inspection;

9. to repair 93% of defects over 50 mm deep in rural areas within 10 working days of detection and 100% before the next inspection;

10. to respond to 95% of serious traffic signal faults within four hours in Greater Belfast and within one working day elsewhere;

11. to reply to 90% of written enquiries within 15 working days;

12. to deal with 100% of requests for information under the open government code within 20 working days;

13. to deal with 95% of informal complaints about the level of service within one working day;

14. to acknowledge 95% of formal complaints within three working days and provide a response to 95% within 15 working days;

15. the unit cost of managing the road network to be 2% lower, in real terms, than the 1999-2000 out-turn figure;

16. to undertake best-value service reviews of 20% of the services that we provide (100% in five years);

17. to increase EFQM excellence model corporate score to over 400.

The targets are included in the Roads Service’s 2000-01 business plan, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

Mr Watson asked the Minister for Regional Development what targets have been set for the Water Service in 2000-2001.

(AQW 818/99)

Mr P Robinson: The following performance targets have been set for Water Service for 2000-01:

1. to achieve 98.2% compliance with drinking water standards set in the Water Quality Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

2. to achieve 80% compliance with the waste-water treatment works discharge standards set by the Environment and Heritage Service;

3. to reduce total losses from the water distribution system by 13 million litres per day;

4. to ensure that fewer than 0.8% of properties experience unplanned interruptions to water supplies lasting more than 12 hours;

5. to issue substantive replies to 90% of written complaints within 15 working days of receipt;

6. to deliver water at a unit cost of 65p per cubic metre;

7. to treat waste-water at a unit cost of 62p per cubic metre;

8. to maintain expenditure within cash limits and to approved budget plans;

9. to achieve efficiency gains of 3% on running costs expenditure.

The above key performance targets include a new target on leakage reduction, which has been added to the framework document.

The targets are included in the Water Service’s 2000-01 business plan, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

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