Friday 8 December 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

Career Breaks: Women

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment what steps are being taken to assist women returning to work after career breaks.

(AQW 751/00)

The Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (Dr Farren): You asked what steps are being taken to assist women returning to work after career breaks. The employment and training programmes and services listed below are relevant to this group of workers.

NORTHERN IRELAND CHILDCARE STRATEGY

The Northern Ireland childcare strategy comprises a range of measures that will give parents — particularly women — greater choice in how they combine their family responsibilities, by:

• raising the quality of childcare;
• making childcare more affordable; and
• improving access to childcare.

The range of measures include:

• the establishment of a childcare partnership in each HSSB area;
• financial assistance by the new opportunities fund for the creation of new out-of-school-hours childcare capacity;
• the development of a childcare information system;
• a training strategy for the childcare sector;
• the establishment of good practice networks; and
• the sure start initiative.

To help parents meet the costs of childcare, the working families tax credit, which was introduced in October 1999, includes a childcare tax credit. Details are available from the Inland Revenue.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE CAMPAIGN

On 6 December I am launching the Work-Life Balance campaign. This campaign will encourage more employers to consider the business benefits of employment practices which enable their employees to achieve better balance between work and their other responsibilities or interests.

The campaign has the support of the CBI, IOD, NI Federation of Small Businesses, the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry, NIC/ICTU and a number of prominent employers.

OTHER PROGRAMMES

JobCentre Network

The Training and Employment Agency’s network of jobcentres provides a comprehensive range of advice, guidance and job search to all jobseekers and particularly those finding difficulty competing in the labour market, including long-term unemployed, women returners and young people.

New Deal

Both the New Deal for 18- to 24-year-olds and the New Deal for 25-plus pilot programme provide early access to New Deal opportunities for women returners.

Jobskills

Jobskills is targeted mainly at 16 and 17 year old school leavers with provision for young people aged up to 24 years who are about to enter employment to undertake modern apprenticeship training. There is therefore the potential for Jobskills to assist some women returning to work after a career break. Lone parents undergoing Jobskills training can receive a contribution toward the cost of childcare of up to £70 per week for one child and £105 for two or more children.

Bridge to Employment

Women returners are actively encouraged to apply for training opportunities under the Bridge to Employment programme, which in general has a 75% success rate in converting participation to full-time jobs. Childcare arrangements for lone parents are also funded during training on the programme.

Worktrack and Enterprise Ulster

Temporary employment opportunities are available through Worktrack, which aims to progress participants into sustainable employment at the earliest opportunity. In addition there are opportunities with Enterprise Ulster, which offers training and work-related experience for the unemployed through a range of activities, mostly of an environmental or amenity nature.

Lifelong Learning

• Individual Learning Accounts* - discounts off the cost of learning opportunities, are open to anyone, including those in employment. Initially a discount of £150 is available or 80% (up to £400) off the cost of some computer courses.
• Learndirect Helpline* - 0800 100900 offers access to training guidance workers to help people with learning choices.
• Learndirect Learning Centres* - expanding network of learning centres at which anyone can sign up for access to high quality learning opportunities in bite- sized chunks. The learning is online and can be undertaken at home, in the workplace or in the centre.
• Open Learning Centre* - (mainly in the Belfast area) offer free work-related training for women returners and others for whom traditional provision is unsuitable.

*These programmes are particularly suitable for women, whether returning to work, or in part-time/low paid jobs working to improve their skills and job prospects.

Smart.Women programme and Web Wise Women programme

• The Smart.Women programme, which is being delivered by the Management Institute at the University of Ulster, is a computer-based supervisory management programme.
• The Web Wise Women programme, delivered by Parity Training is currently recruiting women who wish to pursue a career in the growth area of e-mail business.

Both these programmes are pilots which are targeted at women who have been out of the workplace for 12 months. The initiatives aim to equip women with the skills, knowledge and self-confidence to return to the workplace at management level.

Both programmes involve a work placement with a small to medium-sized company. On completion, the programmes will be evaluated together in order to ascertain the need for future provision in this area.

Further Education Sector

The Department funds a range of initiatives in the further education sector aimed at access and increasing participation.

EU-Funded Programmes

The Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment’s European unit carries responsibility for the employment sub-programme of the EU special support programme for peace and reconciliation (EUSSPPR); the EMPLOYMENT and ADAPT Community Initiatives; the human resource element of the cross-border INTERREG II Programme, and the Northern Ireland Single Programme Document.

While none of these programmes have specific elements for women returning to work after career breaks, equality of opportunity is a feature of them all, and women returners have taken up many opportunities to update their experience, acquire new skills or undertake confidence-building programmes to assist their return to the work place. Examples include:

• the training for women network, which allocated just over £5 million from EUSSPPR on behalf of the Department to support single gender training and development;
• the PlayCare initiative — £5·5 million of EUSSPPR funds — which supported the development of over 100 PlayClubs offering out-of-school-hours childcare; and
• a substrand within the Employment Community Initiative known as New Opportunities for Women (NOW), one of the aims of which is reconciliation of work and family life.

Section 75 duties

The section 75 duties include a requirement on all public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between people with dependants and people who do not have dependants. The section 75 duties apply to all the functions of each public authority concerned, including their personnel functions, and over 30% of all people in employment in Northern Ireland are in public sector organisations. The section 75 duties therefore have significant implications for women seeking to return to work in the public sector after career breaks.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bus Shelters (West Belfast)

Dr O’Hagan asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will detail the programme for upgrading the bus terminals in west Belfast in line with the upgrade elsewhere in the city.

(AQW 712/00)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr Campbell): I propose answering Assembly Questions AQW 712/00 and AQW 714/00 together.

As part of my Department’s policy to develop a more balanced and integrated transport system in Northern Ireland, Roads Service, in conjunction with Translink, is planning to provide quality bus corridors (QBCs) on all the main radial routes into Belfast. The QBC concept enhances bus operations by improving:

• bus journey times and reliability;
• the quality and frequency of bus services; and
• the quality and accessibility of waiting and boarding facilities, including the provision of bus shelters.

The first QBC was introduced on the Saintfield Road in South Belfast in June 2000, and at present plans are being developed to introduce QBCs on Albertbridge Road and Falls Road/Andersonstown Road on the eastern and western approaches respectively to the city centre. Further QBCs on other main radial routes will be introduced thereafter. The plans include the provision of bus shelters. Roads Service hopes that the Falls Road/ Andersonstown Road QBC will be provided in 2001-02.

The QBC on the Saintfield Road was chosen as the first QBC scheme in the city as it offered the greatest potential for attracting car drivers to use public transport while also providing improved services and facilities for those who already use the bus services. However, the proposed extent of the overall QBC programme and the nature of the routes involved mean that people from all areas and social groups will benefit from this initiative. The issues of whether the first scheme met TSN requirements and whether it was equality proofed were not therefore essential criteria in the decision-making process.

Bus Services (West Belfast)

Dr O’Hagan asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will detail the following information concerning Translink services in West Belfast: (a) the number of bus routes; (b) the number of buses serving these routes; (c) the frequency of services; (d) the average number of passengers per journey/day; (e) the annual income generated through the usage of Citybus, Ulsterbus and Flexibus by passengers in West Belfast parliamentary constituency.

(AQW 713/00)

Mr Campbell: I am informed by Translink that

(a) there are 17 bus routes in West Belfast;

(b) it is not possible to quantify accurately the number of buses serving these routes, as buses can be used to serve all parts of the city, and not just a specific area. However, in order to provide all the scheduled services in West Belfast, Translink has suggested that a maximum of 80 buses is required, but if the company had to provide these services in isolation, that is,within West Belfast only, then less than 80 buses would be required.

(c) At peak hour times the average service frequency varies from six minutes to 120 minutes. At off-peak times the average service frequency varies from 15 minutes to 120 minutes. A more detailed breakdown of service frequency is provided below

(d) It is not possible to quantify accurately the average number of passengers per journey per day. However, by interpreting results for Citybus as a whole, Translink has suggested that there would be an approximate average of 36 passengers per journey at peak periods and 14 passengers per journey at off-peak periods.

(e) It is not possible to give an accurate figure for annual income generated for Citybus, Ulsterbus and Flexibus in the West Belfast parliamentary constituency. However, Translink has suggested that it would be in the region of £3 million per year.

Bus Shelters (South Belfast)

Dr O’Hagan asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will confirm that the upgrading of bus terminals in South Belfast met the requirements of TSN and was equality proofed.

(AQW 714/00)

Mr Campbell: I propose answering Assembly Questions AQW 712/00 and AQW 714/00 together. I understand that these questions relate to the provision of bus shelters.

As part of my Department’s policy to develop a more balanced and integrated transport system in Northern Ireland, Roads Service, in conjunction with Translink, is planning to provide quality bus corridors (QBCs) on all the main radial routes into Belfast. The QBC concept enhances bus operations by improving:

• bus journey times and reliability;
• the quality and frequency of bus services; and
• the quality and accessibility of waiting and boarding facilities, including the provision of bus shelters.

The first QBC was introduced on the Saintfield Road in South Belfast in June 2000, and at present plans are being developed to introduce QBCs on Albertbridge Road and Falls Road/Andersonstown Road on the eastern and western approaches respectively to the city centre. Further QBCs on other main radial routes will be introduced thereafter. The plans include the provision of bus shelters. Roads Service hopes that the Falls Road/ Andersonstown Road QBC will be provided in 2001-02.

The QBC on the Saintfield Road was chosen as the first QBC scheme in the city as it offered the greatest potential for attracting car drivers to use public transport while also providing improved services and facilities for those who already use the bus services. However, the proposed extent of the overall QBC programme and the nature of the routes involved mean that people from all areas and social groups will benefit from this initiative. The issues of whether the first scheme met targeting social need requirements and whether it was equality proofed were not therefore essential criteria in the decision making process.

Road Improvement Scheme (Omagh)

Mr P Doherty asked the Minister for Regional Development if, when deciding to postpone the Omagh road improvement scheme, he considered the effect this decision will have on the Omagh 2010 Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 728/00)

Mr Campbell: I assume that this question is about the Omagh throughpass scheme. At present I have not taken any decision to postpone this or any other road schemes in my Department’s major works preparation pool.

When I addressed a meeting of the Assembly’s Regional Development Committee on 15 November 2000, I took the opportunity to appraise members of my concern that a number of schemes may have to be deferred due to funding pressures. Whilst the draft Budget provided sufficient resources in the next financial year (2001-02) for the roads capital programme the planning of longer-term projects which require two or three years for completion presents difficulties unless there is a clear picture of proposed allocations in future years (2002-03 and 2003-04). To date, such funding has not been secured and, for illustrative purposes, I mentioned a number of schemes that could be affected if this funding issue is not resolved. I will be pressing for the necessary resources to be made available in order that progress on all schemes is not delayed.

Translink: Disabled Access

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Regional Development what representations he has made to Translink to ensure that adequate facilities and provision for disabled access is available on all their services.

(AQW 749/00)

Mr Campbell: Action is being taken to improve accessibility of public transport services for people with disabilities. This month my Department will issue, for consultation, new regulations to provide improved access and facilities for passengers with disabilities travelling by rail. Draft regulations to improve accessibility for people with disabilities on buses and coaches are being taken forward by the Department of the Environment. When the Assembly has considered and approved these regulations Translink will have responsibility for implementing the necessary arrangements.

Rural Public Transport

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will detail what progress is being made to improve public transport in rural areas.

(AQW 752/00)

Mr Campbell: My Department’s rural transport fund is supporting significant improvements to public transport in rural areas. Grant aid has been provided to Ulsterbus for the purchase of 10 new midi-buses for use in rural areas, and the fund is currently subsidising services on 28 new routes operated by Ulsterbus.

With assistance from the fund, 12 rural community transport partnerships, located across Northern Ireland, are already operating services, using 20 fully accessible minibuses provided by the Department. Another five partnerships are being formed.

In the draft Budget for 2001-02, £1·6 million has been allocated for the rural transport fund.

River Flooding (West Tyrone)

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail what discussions he has had with the Minister of the Environment regarding river flooding in West Tyrone.

(AQW 763/00)

Mr Campbell: I have not had any discussions with the Minister of the Environment about river flooding in West Tyrone. My officials have had discussions with officials from the Rivers Agency about specific flooding issues. In addition, an inter-agency flooding liaison group is examining how current arrangements and procedures can be enhanced to improve the response to flooding incidents across Northern Ireland. This group is led by Rivers Agency and includes officials from Roads Service and Water Service. It is expected that the group will be in a position to report shortly.

Traffic Flow (A26)

Mr McClarty asked the Minister for Regional Development to (a) detail current traffic flow figures for the A26 between Coleraine and Glarryford, b) provide an evaluation of these figures, (c) outline the criteria used to assess the need for road dualling and (d) give a timescale for the commencement of dualling between Coleraine and Glarryford.

(AQW 775/00)

Mr Campbell:

(a) Latest available traffic flows (1998), in terms of vehicles per day (vpd), on the A26 between Glarryford and Coleraine are as follows:

(b) My Department’s Roads Service has assessed the above figures along with accident statistics, the geometry of the existing road and opportunities for overtaking along the route. After careful consultation with locally elected representatives Roads Service has started an extensive two-year programme of improvement works.

(c) If a single carriageway is perceived to be giving less than an acceptable level of service in terms of journey times, reliability, road safety et cetera, Roads Service will identify and assess options for improving its level of service, taking into account factors such as traffic volumes, traffic mix and road alignment. These options may include dualling. Normally, however, in GB the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has concluded that a typical single-carriageway trunk road will operate satisfactorily with only occasional peak-period congestion with a traffic flow of up to approximately 18,000 vehicles per day.

(d) Proposals to extend the dualling on this road are currently being assessed, along with many other worthwhile schemes, for possible inclusion in the Department’s 10-year forward planning schedule of major works. Until this assessment is completed next year, I am not in a position to give a timescale for the commencement of these schemes.

New Millennium Foot and Cycle Bridge

Mr McClarty asked the Minister for Regional Development if he will detail (a) a breakdown in funding for the new millennium foot and cycle bridge across the River Bann at Coleraine and (b) the estimated number of users in the first two years after completion.

(AQW 776/00)

Mr Campbell: The new bridge is being funded as follows:

It is anticipated that the bridge will facilitate in excess of 260,000 users each year in the early years after completion.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Pensioners on Low Income

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development what measures he is taking to assist pensioners on low incomes.

(AQW 737/00)

The Minister for Social Development (Mr Morrow): The minimum income guarantee (MIG) for pensioners will increase significantly next year to £92·15 a week for single pensioners and £140·55 a week for couples, and to at least £100 for single pensioners and £154 for pensioner couples by 2003. The MIG capital limit will increase from April 2001 as part of the commitment to improving help to pensioners and to better reward savers. In addition, the new pension credit, to be introduced by 2003, will benefit pensioners on low and moderate incomes.

A take-up campaign to encourage more pensioners to claim MIG commenced in May 2000. Approximately 40,000 pensioners identified in Northern Ireland have been contacted by way of a mailshot. To date, over 6,000 have contacted the national freephone claim line number or their local social security office to obtain a claim form.

In addition, winter fuel payments are made to most people aged 60 or over. The payment, which is set at £150 for future years, has been increased by a further £50 for this winter — a payment of £200 for all eligible pensioner households. The scheme has also been extended to include men, as well as women, from age 60 during the qualifying week.

Social Fund

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development if he will detail what resources are available to the social fund.

(AQW 738/00)

Mr Morrow: There are two budgets under the social fund. The first is a grants and loan scheme, which provides £47·15 million for the current financial year.

The second scheme provides assistance for maternity costs, funeral costs and winter fuel payments. This is not cash limited. In the last financial year, payments totalled just over £24 million, £21 million of which related to winter fuel payments.

Means-Tested Benefits

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development if he will detail what proportion of benefit amounts paid to pensioners are means tested.

(AQW 760/00)

Mr Morrow: The proportion of benefit amounts paid to pensioners that are means tested is estimated to be 19% in 1999-00.

Assistance for Pensioners on
Modest Private Pensions

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development what plans he has to help pensioners who do not qualify for the minimum income guarantee and who are in receipt of a modest occupational pension.

(AQW 761/00)

Mr Morrow: In my speech to the Assembly on 3 October I made clear my concern for pensioners with low or modest private pensions or savings that put them beyond the limits for income-related benefits and my commitment to tackling this issue. My Department has now issued ‘THE PENSION CREDIT: a consultation paper’, which seeks views on proposals to help these pensioners. This new pension credit, which I would propose to introduce from 2003, will guarantee a minimum income of £100 for a single pensioner, or £154 for couples, and this will keep pace with earnings. In addition, those pensioners with low or modest incomes — under £135 a week for a single person, and £201 for couples — will receive a weekly cash payment for every pound of income they have from savings, a second pension or earnings. The paper also proposes the abolition of the capital rules so that it is the income from savings rather than the amount of savings that will decide entitlement.

For the first time, pensioners who have been prudent and planned for their retirement will be rewarded rather than penalised as they are under the current system.

State Pension

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development if he will detail the recent representations he has received on the level of the state pension.

(AQW 762/00)

Mr Morrow: During the period from 1 December 1999 to 30 November 2000, 23 representations were received by myself or my Department on the level of state pension. One was from an organisation, and the remainder were from members of the public. The main themes of the representations were dissatisfaction with the 75p increase in pension from April 2000 and a call for the restoration of the earnings link.

I am pleased to confirm that from next April, the basic state pension will increase by £5 a week for single persons and by £8 for pensioner couples, with an increase of £3 and £4·80 respectively in the following year.

Advice Sector

Mr McClarty asked the Minister for Social Development if he will (a) offer additional funding resources to the advice sector in Northern Ireland during the financial year 2000-01 and (b) increase the rate support grant to district councils for advice in the financial year 2000-01; and if he will make a statement.

(AQW 774/00)

Mr Morrow: Other than additional funding of £76,000 to regional advice-giving organisations, part of which was to reflect inflation, there will be no general increase in departmental funding either paid directly to the advice sector or through the rates support grant which is channelled to district councils under the community services programme. My Department is presently considering proposals for a new community services programme, which may have implications for the funding of local advice services in the following years.

Disabled Adaptations

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the distribution of the extra £1·5 million allocated for disabled adaptations and to specify how this will be distributed to each constituency.

(AQW 785/00)

Mr Morrow: The final allocation of the additional £1·5 million has not yet been determined, but the probable allocation to each Housing Executive area is:

The allocation is being made to ensure that the programme in each area reflects the demand for adaptations and, as far as possible, to ensure that waiting times are similar in all areas of Northern Ireland.

It is not possible to break this down to constituency level.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of people waiting for disabled adaptations in the Strangford area for the years 1998-99, and 2000 to date.

(AQW 786/00)

Mr Morrow: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I have been advised by its chief executive that the information is not readily available in the form requested. However, the following information for the district council areas of Ards and Castlereagh approximately equates to the Strangford area.

Disabled Facilities Grant (Private Sector housing)

In the Housing Executive districts of Ards and Castlereagh, there is one adaptation outstanding in respect of Housing Executive property prior to April 1999.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of disabled adaptations awaiting completion since 1998 in each constituency.

(AQW 787/00)

Mr Morrow: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I have been advised by its chief executive that the information is not readily available in the form requested. However, the following information covers the Housing Executive’s district areas.

Disabled Facilities Grant (Private Sector housing)

The Housing Executive currently has 1432 outstanding major adaptation schemes to its own properties.

Social Security Office (Newtownards)

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development if he will provide a private room within the social security office in Newtownards to facilitate discreet interviewing.

(AQW 792/00)

Mr Morrow: There is a private interviewing room available to customers in the Newtownards office. However, due to the volume of demand, it is not always available. If a customer asks for a private interview by appointment, the request can generally be met.

It is planned that all Northern Ireland social security offices will be refurbished over two to three years, commencing in May 2001. The provision of private interviewing rooms will be taken into account as part of this refurbishment.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development if it is his intention to upgrade the social security office in Newtownards.

(AQW 793/00)

Mr Morrow: It is planned that all Northern Ireland social security offices, including the Newtownards office, will be refurbished over two to three years as part of the welfare reforms and modernisation programme. It is anticipated that the refurbishment programme will commence in May 2001. However, the exact order of office roll-out has not yet been finalised.

Northern Ireland Housing Executive:
House Sales

Mr Beggs asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the steps he is taking to reduce the current average period of 11 months to complete a house sale.

(AQW 796/00)

Mr Morrow: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. The chief executive has advised me that projected house sales this year are 5,240 — almost 1000 more than predicted, and the highest since 1984/85. This has affected performance and, as a consequence of a review, a number of measures have been taken by the Housing Executive to improve on those aspects of the process over which it has control. These include the setting up of three locally based dedicated teams to oversee sales and the implementation of improvements in the process of gathering information which is needed before an offer of sale can be made.

Since 1 April there has been a steady improvement in the time taken to make offers, although this does not always feed through to a reduction in the overall time taken to complete a sale. It is anticipated, however, that overall performance will improve as the changes introduced have their full impact on the process.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development if he will confirm that everyone entitled to receive the winter fuel allowance has been paid.

(AQW 810/00)

Mr Morrow: Everyone in receipt of social security benefits who qualifies for a winter fuel payment will receive it by 8 December. Those who had to make claims and did so by 22 September will also receive payment by 8 December. Claims made later cannot be guaranteed to be paid before Christmas, but they will be processed as quickly as possible.

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