Friday 8 December 2000
Written Answers to Questions

OFFICE OF FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER

Children’s Fund

Mrs Carson asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to give details of the children’s fund referred to at Paragraph 1.13 of the Programme for Government.

(AQO 421/00)

Reply: The proposed five Executive programme funds, including the children’s fund, are a key element of the draft Programme for Government. Their aim is to assist the Executive in the development of policies and programmes and in the provision of new and improved services in support of the Executive’s priorities.

The children’s fund will provide support for children in need and young people at risk, drawing on the experiences of the Chancellor’s Children’s Fund. The fund will embrace aspects of the functions of several Departments, with the objective of making our services work more effectively together for the good of children. The indicative allocations to the fund over the next three years are £2 million, £10 million and £15 million respectively.

The Executive are currently considering the detailed criteria that might be applied in deciding on allocations from the funds. This process will be informed through consultation with the Assembly and its Committees on the Programme for Government and Budget proposals.

Mr Beggs asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to detail the amount of Central Community Relations Unit funding allocated to Families against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) during each of the past five years and what plans there are to ensure that this funding is continued.

(AQO 419/00)

Reply: Families Against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) was paid the following amounts by Central Community Relations Unit (CCRU) during the last five years: £43, 432 in 1995-96; £30,160 in 1996-97; 31,628 in 1997-98; and £32,556 in 1998-99.

The Community Relations Unit within the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister was prepared to offer grant aid at a similar level in 1999-00. However, FAIT ceased operating in September 1999. Nevertheless, the Community Relations Unit is prepared to reimburse the organization for the costs of the services it provided during that year.

The unit has also agreed to provide funding of £30,000 this year to the NIACRO Base 2 project, which provides a crisis intervention service for individuals and families placed under paramilitary threat in Northern Ireland.

Mr Fee asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister what steps it intends to take to improve consultation with marginalised groups.

(AQO 436/00)

Reply: The equality scheme produced by the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister included a commitment to hold a conference on the practical issues of carrying out future consultations. Two conferences have been organised. The first is taking place today and tomorrow and the second is taking place on 11 December and 12 December.

The particular focus of the conferences is on improving consultation with marginalised groups, and representatives of those groups will lead the workshops. Each public authority has been invited to send two senior officials to either of the conferences.

The conferences should lead to improved consultation by the public sector particularly with ethnic minorities including travellers; older people; children and young people; carers; people with disabilities, including learning disabilities; and with gay and lesbian people.

We believe firmly that it is important for effective administration and the development of new policies that will benefit society as a whole to have contributions from as wide a spectrum of people as is possible — and that does of course include contributions from the DUP.

Mr McCarthy asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to make a statement on the equality impact assessment of the Programme for Government.

(AQO 405/00)

Reply: The Administration’s commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity and tackling social disadvantage underpinned and informed the Programme for Government and shaped Departments’ priorities. The equality implications of proposed actions and targets were central to their final selection.

As part of this process, an equality impact assessment was drawn up for the Programme for Government. The equality scheme for the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister, submitted to the Equality Commission in July 2000, recognised that the Programme for Government was not a conventional policy or programme to which the standard approach to an equality impact assessment, as laid down by the Equality Commission, could be applied. As indicated in the draft Programme for Government, the Equality Commission has been consulted on how best to assess the Programme for Government.

Following that advice, the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister wrote to social partners and the various equality constituencies, seeking views on what the priorities of the Programme for Government should be. These were taken into account when drafting the programme. An equality impact assessment was also annexed to the programme. This assessment highlights actions, identifies the section 75 categories affected and suggests how equality of opportunity might be enhanced in their implementation or how adverse impacts might be mitigated.

However, it was not possible to conduct a detailed equality impact assessment on the overall combined impact of the actions contained in the Programme for Government. It should be noted, however, that most of these actions form part of departmental policies which will themselves be subjected to equality impact assessments by those Departments.

Finally, all of the non-governmental organisations listed in the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister’s equality scheme for consultation purposes have been sent a copy and have been invited to comment on the draft Programme for Government as part of the equality impact assessment process.

Mr Close asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to make a statement on the work of the Civic Forum to date.

(AQO 404/00)

Reply: The Forum has established a number of working groups to consider a possible programme of work and the manner in which it will conduct its business. These issues and the role of the Forum were the main elements for discussion at a familiarisation event, which Forum members attended on 27 November to 29 November.

The next plenary meeting of the Civic Forum will be Wednesday, 6 December 2000 in the Burnavon Theatre, Cookstown.

Dr Birnie asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to make a statement on equality of opportunity in employment.

(AQO 418/00)

Reply: Under current anti-discrimination legislation, it is the duty of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland to promote equality of opportunity between persons of different religious beliefs; between men and women; and between persons of different racial groups, and to promote the equalisation of opportunities for disabled persons. It is also the duty of the Equality Commission to identify, and keep under review, patterns and trends of employment for the purpose of considering whether they reveal the existence, or absence of, equality of opportunity in employment between persons of different religious beliefs.

The Equality Commission collects data from monitored employing concerns and publishes annual reports on this data. Its most recent report indicated that the Roman Catholic share of the monitored workforce in 1999 was 39·6% of those for whom a community was determined, while Roman Catholics made up about 42% of those available for work.

Data on applicants and appointees was collected by the commission from all specified public authorities and private sector employers with a workforce of more than 250. This indicated that, in 1999, Roman Catholics constituted 47·6% of public sector appointees and 46·2% of monitored private sector appointees for whom a community was determined.

Further data on the religious composition of those in employment is contained in the Equality Commission’s ‘Monitoring Report Number 10: A Profile of Northern Ireland Workforce — Summary of Monitoring Returns 1999’, which is available in the Assembly Library.

Ms Hanna asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to outline how it is intended to progress Northern Ireland’s transportation responsibilities within the British-Irish Council.

(AQO 440/00)

Reply: At the inaugural summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in December 1999, the Northern Ireland Executive agreed to take the lead on the topic of transport. The first British-Irish Council Transport sectoral meeting is scheduled for 19 December 2000 in Belfast. We will take the lead at that meeting.

Mr ONeill asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister what steps have been taken to assist in the training of Departments and non-departmental public bodies in New TSN.

(AQO 439/00)

Reply: Our Department has provided all Northern Ireland Departments with core training material on New TSN. A one-day seminar was held in October to introduce the new material to professional departmental trainers for use in training programmes within their own Departments.

Our Department has also provided written guidance and has organised two seminars to assist non-departmental public bodies that are developing New TSN action plans.

Mr Poots asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to define its remit on EU policy.

(AQO 390/00)

Reply: Under the devolution settlements, the UK Government retain responsibility for external relations, which includes the EU. Negotiation of EU policy is at member state level. Nevertheless, many devolved areas have a major EU dimension, and it is in Northern Ireland’s interests to ensure it is involved in the formulation of UK policy towards Europe. We have therefore established close connections between the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister, the Cabinet Office and FCO while other Departments pursue bilateral relations with their Whitehall counterparts. Co-operation in this area is the subject of the Concordat on EU affairs which makes provision for frequent consultation between Whitehall and Northern Ireland Departments. Any unresolved issues can be brought to the Joint Ministerial Committee on European Affairs.

However, there is scope for Northern Ireland to develop its own approach to Europe. The Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister is currently pushing ahead in a number of ways towards the development of such an approach. It will require consultation across Departments, as well as with relevant outside interests, to identify the main priorities for Northern Ireland in Europe and the means of progressing them. The office of the Executive, which will be opening in Brussels in March, will facilitate closer links between Departments and the EU bodies and will help towards raising the positive profile of Northern Ireland. It is important that Northern Ireland participates actively and positively in the European family.

Mrs E Bell asked the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister in the light of the recent report into child abuse by the NSPCC to make a statement on progress towards the establishment of a children’s commissioner for Northern Ireland.

(AQO 406/00)

Reply: The Executive Committee is determined to ensure that our arrangements for protecting children and upholding children’s rights are based on best practice.

We will carefully examine key developments throughout Europe including:

• the Waterhouse report on child abuse in Wales and the appointment of a children’s commissioner for Wales;
• appointment of a children’s rights director in England; and
• the appointment of a children’s commissioner for Wales;
• the appointment of an ombudsman for children in the Republic of Ireland.

We will also look at the roles of commissioners for children in the Scandinavian countries.

The Executive Committee will, in the light of these developments, consider what new arrangements are needed here when formulating proposals for the children’s fund.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Rivers Agency: Flood Emergencies

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail what measures she has taken to investigate the increase in complaints about flooding received by the Rivers Agency.

(AQW 723/00)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): While localised areas have suffered significantly from flooding, in overall terms, the number of flood emergencies to which the Rivers Agency has responded over recent months has not been significantly above average for the time of year. The agency has responded to all calls received within its published target response time of three hours from the receipt of the call. In all cases the causes of flooding were investigated and immediate measures taken as appropriate. In more complex cases, more extensive investigations are on-going to establish if cost-effective flood alleviation schemes can be developed.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to (a) detail what problems have been identified in the payment of the suckler cow premium and (b) what steps she is taking to ensure that all future schemes are properly planned.

(AQW 769/00)

Ms Rodgers: Advance payments of 2000 suckler cow premiums commenced on 20 October. Over 83% of the claims received to the end of October have now been paid. There have been teething problems with the processing of claims from producers with herds of 80 or more animals because of technical difficulties in picking up information from these claim forms. There have also been technical problems with the computer programme used to record the 2·75% Agenda 2000 quota reduction on affected claims. These difficulties have now been resolved, and the cases concerned are now being processed, subject to the normal pre-payment and validation checks.

Despite these problems, all advance payments are proceeding well within the Department’s charter targets. The new claim form scanning facility which has been introduced has considerably reduced the manual keying of data and has resulted in the more efficient processing of claims overall.

The implementation of payment programmes and other scheme-related transactions is closely monitored by senior managers at an operational level to ensure delivery within targets and European Commission legislative requirements. In light of the recent problems the existing control and monitoring regime has been strengthened. The protocol to be published in 2001 will provide a comprehensive and clear explanation to farmers of how their subsidy claims will be handled and what they can expect from the Department.

Mr McHugh asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps she has taken to access funding for the visioning process work from the Programme for Government.

(AQW 770/00)

Ms Rodgers: A number of the ideas emerging from the vision steering group on the future of the agri-food industry have received funding through the Budget. Examples are the beef quality initiative and, through the October monitoring round, a pilot scheme on farm waste management. In addition, the draft Programme for Government gives a clear commitment that, during 2001, the Executive Committee will consider the outcome of the vision exercise and implement appropriate measures based on those considerations.

Mr Kane asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the funds currently available for research into the development of a tuberculosis blood sampling test as a replacement to the serum test system.

(AQW 773/00)

Ms Rodgers: At present the Department of Rural Development funds three research and development projects relevant to this area of work. In 1999-2000 expenditure on these projects amounted to £307,854.

Mr Savage asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development how "rural proofing" of all Government policies will work and what administrative procedures and criteria will be applied to enforce it.

(AQW 798/00)

Ms Rodgers: Officials are working on proposals to implement the commitment in the draft Programme for Government to establish a ministerial-led group to proof all Government policies for their rural impact. As we are still consulting on the draft programme, it would be premature to finalise arrangements for implementing rural proofing.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail her policy regarding risk reduction strategy for BSE and scrapie.

(AQW 803/00)

Ms Rodgers: The risk of BSE is reduced by a range of measures including the ban on including meat-and-bone meal in livestock feed; the specified risk material controls; the destruction of BSE suspects; and, in cattle, the over thirty month slaughter scheme; the selective cull; and the offspring cull.

More recently work has begun in GB on the development of a national scrapie plan to reduce and eventually eliminate scrapie from the national flock. Work is also in hand to prepare a contingency plan setting out actions that might be taken in different scenarios if, in the future, BSE is found to be present in sheep. Scrapie is much less prevalent in Northern Ireland than in GB but, as a precaution, my Department has nonetheless been in regular and close contact with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on its development of the national scrapie plan and have also been fully involved in the development of the contingency plan.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the steps she is taking to implement the recommendations of the Phillips Report into BSE.

(AQW 804/00)

Ms Rodgers: The Phillips Report contains over 160 lessons, including many on public administration, and each needs to be considered very carefully. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is leading that consideration with a wide range of Government Departments, including all of the devolved Administrations with a view to preparing the Government’s substantive response to the report in the coming months. My officials are very closely involved in that process to ensure that we can take whatever action is necessary in Northern Ireland. I will keep the Assembly fully informed.

Dr Birnie asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail what discussions she has had with the European Commission and the UK Government regarding the review of the fisheries industry total allowable catch (TAC) quotas.

(AQO 430/00)

Ms Rodgers: Last week I received the European Commission proposals for TACs and quotas for the year 2001.

I was aware from the scientific advice in recent weeks that many stocks in European waters, particularly those around these islands that are of interest to local fishermen, are in a parlous state and are giving rise to serious concern among fisheries managers. Indeed, my examination of the Commission proposals bears this out with significant reductions proposed for many stocks.

As to discussions, there have been meetings between my officials and representatives of the local industry both here and in London to consider positions in anticipation of the Commission proposals. I will be talking to local industry representatives later this week. I also plan to visit Kilkeel and Ardglass during the week. I shall of course be meeting my English and Scottish fisheries colleagues prior to going to Brussels for the December Fisheries Council.

Mr McGrady asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail what discussions have taken place with representatives of the fishing industry concerning the annual negotiations on the total allowable catch and quota arrangements for 2001 and if she will make a statement.

(AQO 433/00)

Ms Rodgers: Last week I received the European Commission proposals for TACs and quotas for the year 2001.

I was aware from the scientific advice in recent weeks that many stocks in European waters, particularly those around these islands which are of interest to local fishermen are in a parlous state and giving rise to serious concern among fisheries managers. Indeed, my examination of the Commission proposals bears this out with significant reductions proposed for many stocks.

As to discussions, there have been meetings between my officials and representatives of the local industry both here and in London to consider positions in anticipation of the Commission proposals. I will be talking to local industry representatives later this week. I also plan to visit Kilkeel and Ardglass during the week. I shall of course be meeting my English and Scottish fisheries colleagues prior to going to Brussels for the December Fisheries Council.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to make a statement on European Council decisions on BSE.

(AQO 402/00)

Ms Rodgers: The last European Council of Agriculture Ministers held on 21 November reviewed the latest developments on BSE throughout the Community and concluded that there was not only a need to ensure that existing EU measures be strictly implemented but also that there should be a harmonised Community approach to any additional measures. In view of these developments, the Council is holding a specially convened meeting today to consider new Commission proposals to respond to the current BSE crisis. The proposals include:

• a temporary ban on the feeding of meat-and-bone meal to all farm animals;
• a requirement that all bovines aged over 30 months are tested to enhance consumer confidence;
• a requirement that the current list of specified risk materials that must be removed and destroyed is extended to include the entire intestine;
• a "purchase for destruction" scheme to remove all cattle aged over 30 months from the food chain unless they have been tested for BSE.

Most of these measures will have no impact on Northern Ireland because we have had similar measures, ie, the over thirty months slaughter scheme, the ban on feeding meat-and-bone meal and the removal of the "long list" of SRMs in place since 1996. On the question of testing we are examining the proposals, but indications are that testing will only be required for animals that are over thirty months old and destined for human consumption. As all cattle for human consumption in Northern Ireland must be slaughtered before they reach that age, it may be that testing of such bovines for BSE in Northern Ireland is unnecessary.

We are also examining the proposal to see how it extends the testing programme of "at risk" cattle due to come into effect from 1 January 2001. This will require member states to test a random sample of bovine animals aged over 30 months that are not intended for the food chain — that is, casualty animals and fallen stock. We already have a surveillance programme in place to test 2,500 casualty animals for BSE submitted under the over thirty month scheme but the latest proposal appears specifically to target fallen animals. We are seeking clarification from the Commission so that we can assess the full implications for Northern Ireland.

Mr Close asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will detail how she proposes to spend the additional allocation of £500,000 for pollution prevention announced by the Minister of Finance and Personnel on 20 November.

(AQO 398/00)

Ms Rodgers: Subject to our obtaining EU State Aids Approval, the £500,000 in question will be spent on the introduction of a pilot farm waste management scheme. The scheme will be aimed at minimising farm source pollution, which is contributing to water quality problems.

Under the pilot exercise we envisage giving capital assistance towards modest repair projects to slurry tanks and silage holding facilities, which are considered as being able to deliver a beneficial reduction in the risk of effluent escaping into watercourses.

We hope to commence this exercise as early as possible in the new year.

Mr Poots asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if a scheme similar to the Special Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development would be in breach of European Union rules.

(AQO 428/00)

Ms Rodgers: I presume the Member is referring to SPARD, the Sub-programme – not the Special Programme – for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, which formed part of the single programme document under the last round of European Union structural funds. The name "SPARD" is, however, used colloquially to refer to the three measures in the sub-programme which provided for capital investment grants for farmers.

If I have interpreted the question correctly, the answer is that such capital investment grants remain permissible under the EU’s Rural Development Regulation.

Mr Bradley asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to outline how she intends to take forward the proposals to develop joint animal health strategies on the island of Ireland agreed at the recent North/South Ministerial Council meeting in agricultural sectoral format.

(AQO 396/00)

Ms Rodgers: As I pointed out this morning (Hansard 4 December 2000 Volume 7 No 9 Page 400 et. seq.) during my statement on the outcome of the last North/South Ministerial Council there will be a new strategic steering group formed to co-ordinate animal health policy on the island. It will review the activities of working groups that will be established to consider individual animal health policy issues as they apply to the whole island. The steering group will also keep an overview of co- operation at local level and will meet not less than four times a year and, in any event, prior to each meeting of the North/South Agriculture Ministerial Council. The steering group will make regular reports on co-operation on animal health matters together with recommendations for policy and/or operational decisions to the Ministerial Council.

Local liaison at operational veterinary level on both sides of the border, which has been going on for quite some time, will continue on a less formal basis.

Mr Kane asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to explain why representation from the National Beef Association was overlooked by the vision group.

(AQO 413/00)

Ms Rodgers: I am not clear from the Member’s question if he means that the National Beef Association made representations to the group, which were ignored. If this is the case, then I have no knowledge of any such representations.

If the Member is asking why the National Beef Association was not represented on the group then I have made it clear on a number of occasions that it was a question of keeping the size of the group to manageable proportions. It was simply not possible to consider representation from individual sectors and having representatives drawn from the Ulster Farmers’ Union and the Northern Ireland Producers’ Association ensures that all sectors are represented. Beef production and processing interests are well represented on the group with at least three of the total of 12 non-Government members having interests in this area.

Mr Armstrong asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she has had any discussions with her counterparts in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly regarding the recommendations contained in the Report ‘Environmental Regulations and Farmers’ published by the better regulation task force in November 2000.

(AQO 432/00)

Ms Rodgers: I have not yet initiated any discussions with my counterparts in Scotland and Wales or, indeed, in England about the recommendations in Lord Haskins’ report.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions are preparing a comprehensive reply to the better regulation task force report, which will not become available until the early new year. The Department of Agriculture and Rural development will of course have input to that exercise.

I can assure you that I recognise the importance of reducing the regulatory burden on the farming industry where it is possible to do so. I shall therefore wish to take a balanced judgement on how we might progress this objective.

However, I would counsel caution in relation to unrealistic expectations: many regulatory burdens are imposed by EU regulations, and we have no discretion to do other than implement them.

Mr Gallagher asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development when she will reinstate subsidised catering milk to all school kitchens and subsidised drinking milk in all secondary schools.

(AQO 411/00)

Ms Rodgers: My support has been demonstrated by the decision recently announced to top up the school milk scheme, which was assisted by the financial support of my Colleagues, Minister De Brún and Minister McGuinness. Catering milk for all schools and drinking milk for secondary school children were available throughout the UK under the EU school milk scheme until Easter 1996. At that stage, following a fundamental expenditure review, they were withdrawn as it was considered that the removal of these discretionary elements would not have any effect on the general health and nutrition of teenagers. I am advised that reinstatement of these elements could only be done on a UK-wide basis. If they are to be reinstated, there would be funding implications, which would have to be considered against other spending priorities. I also understand that there was limited uptake in Northern Ireland of the discretionary elements. I would wish to be satisfied that reinstatement represents value for money before I would be prepared to take this up with my ministerial Colleagues.

Mr A Doherty asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps she is taking to review Northern Ireland forestry policy; and if she will make a statement.

(AQO 435/00)

Ms Rodgers: A review of Northern Ireland forestry policy commenced earlier this year. This is being taken forward by officials in the Forest Service, which is an agency of my Department. A first draft of a new strategy for forestry will be available for initial consideration by the Assembly Committee in the early part of next year. Allowing for a period of public consultation and final agreement of the strategy it is anticipated that it will be ready for publication in the autumn of 2001.

CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE

Qualified Coaching in Sport for Children

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if he will outline the steps he is taking to give school children greater access to qualified coaching in sports.

(AQW 739/00)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): Over the past two years the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, in partnership with my Department and the Department of Education, higher education institutions, education and library boards and the CCMS, has been developing a training pack which will increase:

• the confidence of coaches who have no training or understanding of how the school environment works; and
• knowledge and awareness of the role that sport plays in relation to the Northern Ireland curriculum.

Training is expected to begin next spring, when it is anticipated that over 100 coaches will be attracted in the first year.

Other initiatives already in place which give children greater access to qualified coaching in sports include the Youth Sport programme, which now extends to all areas of Northern Ireland, and City Sport, which is Belfast based and centred on soccer and Gaelic games.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if he will detail the number of films made in Northern Ireland in the years 1998-99 and 1999-00 and the level of funding in each financial year provided by the Northern Ireland Film Commission.

(AQW 743/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The information you requested is as follows:

Mr Poots asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if he will outline his plans to increase the usage of Lough Neagh for leisure pursuits.

(AQW 755/00)

Mr McGimpsey: In the absence of a navigation authority, my Department’s only statutory responsibility for Lough Neagh is dredging the channels and maintaining navigation markers at the entrances to the Sixmilewater and lower Bann rivers. However, I recognise that Lough Neagh is relatively underdeveloped in terms of water-based leisure usage, and my Department is committed to working in partnership with local authorities and others towards developing the water recreation potential of Lough Neagh. It is hoped that this can be achieved through the ongoing work of the Lough Neagh management structure which comprises a range of user interests and executive statutory bodies with an interest in the management and development of Lough Neagh and on which both your council and my Department are represented.

I am also seeking funding for a water-based tourism programme under the next round of EU structural funds to assist the development of inland waterways and funding will be targeted primarily at disadvantaged areas.

Finally, in the longer term — if the necessary capital funding can be secured — I hope to see progress being made towards re-opening strategic waterways which link to Lough Neagh, such as the Ulster Canal and the Lagan navigation, which would open up new opportunities for boating and other leisure pursuits.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure if he will announce a feasibility study into motor sport racing in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 765/00)

Mr McGimpsey: My meeting with the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) on 13 September 2000, and the subsequent representations received from other interested parties, highlighted the need for a fundamental review of motor cycle sport in the Province. To this end it was decided that, in addition to addressing the key issue of road racing safety, which is now being taken forward by the joint MCUI/Sports Council for Northern Ireland road racing task force, the condition of the Province’s existing short circuits would need to be assessed. A preliminary feasibility study will be undertaken into the need and scope for a purpose built Grand Prix circuit. It has been agreed that these studies will be holistic in their approach with ample opportunity for contributions from all motorsport disciplines.

I have recently made a sum of £20,000 available to the Sports Council for Northern Ireland to commission a consultant to undertake the exercise.

Mr McElduff asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline what steps he is taking to ensure that Ulster ladies GAA is included in the list of eligible governing bodies identified for assistance and development by the Sports Institute’s performance management programme.

(AQO 397/00)

Mr McGimpsey: I can confirm that the Ulster ladies GAA will be included in the list of eligible governing bodies identified for assistance and development by the Sports Council’s lottery fund performance management programme. It is expected that this will be done in association with the GAA, which will address the needs of men and women, following consultation with the ladies GAA.

Mr Neeson asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to make a statement on the usage of the Public Record Office in Belfast.

(AQO 400/00)

Mr McGimpsey: I am very much aware of the value of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland’s holdings. They constitute the memory of the community’s experiences over the centuries and are a tribute to the richness of its diversity.

The number of user visits to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) for the financial year 1999-00 was 17,466 - an increase of 6% on the previous year – and indications are that the number will be exceeded in the current year. The number of first-time users shows the same upward trend: up from 4,392 to 4,573 (6 %) in 1999/2000. It is likely to be in the region of 5,500 by the end of the current year.

Approximately 20% of the new readers come from the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to trace their family roots, thus highlighting the value of genealogy as a cultural resource, and the important role that PRONI plays in cultural tourism.

Additionally, the number of pages accessed on the PRONI web site is averaging almost one million per year.

Mr Byrne asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail what progress has been made with regard to the development of a new arts centre for Omagh.

(AQO 414/00)

Mr McGimpsey: In December 1999 the Arts Council made an offer of grant to Omagh District Council of £4 million towards the cost of a new build arts centre complex, representing 50% of the dedicated arts element of the project. The offer was accepted by Omagh District Council in January 2000.

In line with all National Lottery awards the conditions of offer require Omagh District Council to confirm that all partnership funding is in place before the project commences. This entails Omagh District Council raising £6·1 million from its own sources or from other sources. Negotiations are ongoing between Omagh District Council and the Arts Council to examine the possibility of the project proceeding in stages as and when partnership funding is secured.

Mr Close asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to explain why darts is not recognised as a sport by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland.

(AQO 399/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The Sports Council for Northern Ireland is responsible for the development of sport in the Province. In carrying out this role the Sports Council works closely with the Home Country Sports Councils and decisions on whether or not an activity should be recognised as a sport are taken jointly on a UK-wide basis. To date, darts has not been recognised as a sport by the Sports Councils. However, I understand the matter is kept under constant review and that it is likely to be considered again in the spring.

EDUCATION

Special Schools

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Education if he will detail the number of special schools that have been created since May 1997.

(AQW 579/00)

The Minister of Education (Mr M McGuinness) [holding answer 4 December 2000]: Three new special schools, at St. Joseph’s, Middleton, Co. Armagh, St. Stephen’s, Belfast, and Lakewood, Bangor, were established in September 1999 when responsibility for the education of young people in care on the training school sites was transferred from the Northern Ireland Office to my Department. Both St Joseph’s and St Stephen’s, Belfast, closed at 31 August 2000 as a result of having insufficient pupils, leaving only Lakewood Special School, Bangor.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Education if he will; (a) detail the enrolment in each of the last three years for the following nursery schools in the Southern Education and Library Board area: Ashgrove, Downshire, Edenderry, The Grove, Harrison, College Farm, St John the Baptist and St Malachy’s; (b) state which individual school range (ISR) scale applies to each school, and; (c) state the actual pupil enrolment in each school in the year the pay scale was determined.

(AQW 677/00)

Mr M McGuinness: I am advised by the Southern Education and Library Boards that the information is as follows:

a)

b)

In the case of nursery schools, the unit total is calculated on the basis of seven points for every full-time equivalent pupil and three extra points for every full-time equivalent statemented pupil. The employing authorities have recommended an ISR of two to eight for nursery schools with unit totals from 351 to 700. Edenderry’s and Grove’s 1998-99 enrolments include one and three statemented pupils, and Ashgrove’s enrolment comprises part-time pupils.

c) The new pay scale was introduced from 1 September 1999 with unit totals calculated on the basis of October 1998 school census figures, apart from College Farm which opened on 4 January 1999 and whose ISR had therefore to be based on the projected enrolment of 52 pupils. October 1998 school census figures are shown in the table at "a)" above.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Education if he will detail the funding allocated to provide special needs education within the South Eastern Education and Library Board area for the financial years 1998-99 and 1999-00.

(AQW 742/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The amounts spent by the South Eastern Education and Library Board on special schools, peripatetic teachers for children with special educational needs, home tuition, educational psychology and administrative staff and certain other special educational facilities in the two years requested were as follows:

A certain amount of expenditure on children with special educational needs is also included under the nursery, primary, secondary and grammar schools headings in board schemes but is not recorded separately. These figures have been extracted from the board’s final financial schemes and are provisional pending completion of audited board accounts.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Education if, in relation to his forthcoming visit to Australia, he will detail (a) how this will be funded; (b) how many officials will accompany the Minister; (c) who these officials are and; (d) the total cost of their attendance.

(AQW 951/00)

Mr M McGuinness: This was a private visit, which did not involve expenditure of public funds.

Next >>