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Friday 19 January 2001 Eleven-plus Transfer Examination Mr Fee asked the Minister of Education if, for each of the last five years, he will detail (a) the total cost of the administration of the 11-plus transfer examinations (b) the amount spent on marking exam papers (c) the amount spent on issuing results (d) how many 11-plus transfer examination results have been challenged by appeal (e) how many decisions have been changed on appeal and (f) how much the appeal process cost each of the education and library boards and the Department of Education. (AQW 1043/00) The Minister of Education (Mr M McGuinness): The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) is responsible for the setting, marking and administration of the transfer tests, while other administrative duties, including recruitment, training and payment of invigilators and posting of results are the responsibility of education and library boards. The CCEA and the boards advise that the information requested is estimated as follows,
Reference to appeals is to requests for remarking, which is the responsibility of CCEA, and does not involve education and library boards, so no direct costs accrue to boards or the Department. Performance Related Pay Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Education if he intends to introduce performance related pay for teachers and if he will make a statement. (AQW 1044/00) Mr M McGuinness: The Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee (Schools) is currently negotiating a revised pay structure for teachers here. It would be premature to comment further while negotiations continue but I will advise the member of the agreed outcome in due course. Free School Meals Dr O’Hagan asked the Minister of Education to detail the number of pupils receiving free school meals. (AQW 1124/00) Mr M McGuinness: At October 2000, the number of pupils entitled to free school meals, and the uptake in each sector, is:
Pupil Absenteeism Dr O’Hagan asked the Minister of Education to detail the recorded levels of pupil absenteeism. (AQW 1125/00) Mr M McGuinness: The education and library boards and individual schools have provided details of the non-attendance percentage rates for 1999/2000 in each education and library board area as follows:
Pupil/Teacher Ratio Mr Fee asked the Minister of Education to detail the average number of pupils per teacher in: (a) primary schools; (b) secondary schools; (c) grammar schools and; (d) special needs schools, in each education and library board in Northern Ireland. (AQW 1169/00) Mr M McGuinness: Figures for 2000/01 are not yet available. For 1999/2000 the information requested is as follows:
Irish-medium and Integrated Schools Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Education to outline the results of the consultation exercise on the review of the viability criteria for Irish-medium and integrated schools. (AQO 542/00) Mr M McGuinness: On Monday 18 December 2000 I announced reduced viability criteria for integrated and Irish-medium primary schools. The revised criteria are as follows. There will initially be an intake of 15 pupils for new urban schools and an intake of 12 pupils for new schools in rural areas. There will also be medium-term targets of an intake of 20 for urban schools and 15 for rural schools. Schools must satisfy these medium-term targets in order to qualify for capital funding. While the secondary level viability criteria have not been reduced at this stage, I am committed to looking strategically at the development of second-level provision in consultation with appropriate education partners.
ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT West Tyrone: Budget Percentage Mr Doherty asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to: (a) detail all buildings and amenities within his responsibility in the constituency of West Tyrone; (b) outline the percentage of his budget that has been allocated to the West Tyrone constituency, and; (c) explain how this compares with the previous budget. (AQW 1080/00) The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Sir Reg Empey): The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and its agencies do not have any buildings or amenities within its responsibility in the constituency of West Tyrone. The Department and its agencies do not allocate moneys on a constituency basis. However, I would submit the following information regarding funding. Selective Financial Assistance (SFA) from the IDB may be offered in respect of viable business plans brought forward by client companies wherever they are located. It is not allocated by geographical area within Northern Ireland. Similarly, IDB support for companies, under its trade international and business excellence programmes, is not allocated on a geographical basis but on the needs of individual companies irrespective of location. Certain details of IDB’s SFA are, however, published by parliamentary constituency and appear in Table 3.4 in the IDB’s annual report 1999/00, a copy of which has been provided to each MLA following its publication on 23 November. Over the past five years IDB offered £8·7 million of SFA towards eight projects in the West Tyrone constituency, representing a total investment of £29 million and offering 704 new and safeguarded jobs. In the financial year 1998/99 LEDU committed £1,110,747 to the West Tyrone constituency, which was 6% of the total LEDU letter of offer commitment for that year. In the financial year 1999/00 LEDU committed £874,649 to the West Tyrone constituency, which was 4% of the total LEDU letter of offer commitment. During 1998/1999 £236,000 was committed by IRTU to projects in the West Tyrone constituency which was 1·7% of the total committed funds. During 1999/2000 a total of £1,163,000 was committed in the constituency, which was 10% of the total committed funds. Since 1 January 1995, SFA awarded by the NITB to projects across the 18 Northern Ireland parliamentary constituencies’ amounts to £56,118,477. Of this amount, the West Tyrone constituency received £1,544,863, representing 2·75% of total assistance awarded during the period. From 1 January 1990 to 31 March 1994 financial assistance awarded by the NITB to projects across the 18 Northern Ireland parliamentary constituencies amounted to £54,124,086. Of this amount, the West Tyrone constituency received £2,107,614, representing 4% of total assistance awarded during the period.
Historical Sites Mr McClelland asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the number of listed and/or designated heritage and historical sites in the constituency of South Antrim. (AQW 1000/00) The Minister of the Environment (Mr Foster): There are 5 historic monuments in state care, 86 scheduled historic monuments, 6 registered historic garden sites, 269 listed buildings and 4 conservation areas in the South Antrim constituency. The Environment and Heritage Service has identified 1,342 archaeological sites in the constituency. The 1,342 sites include 263 early Christian period raths, 371 earthwork enclosures, 47 ecclesiastical sites, 43 prehistoric megalithic tombs, cairns, or barrows, 37 standing stones, 20 Anglo-Norman mottes, 11 tower-houses or medieval castles, and 252 sites of indeterminate nature detected on aerial photographs. The remainder is made up of rarer site types. The 269 listed buildings comprise 15 grade A, 17 grade B+, 130 grade B1, 34 grade B2 and 73 grade B types. Data on these sites, monuments and buildings can be accessed in the Monuments and Buildings Record, at 5-33 Hill Street, Belfast. The Sites and Monuments Record is now available online, through the EHS web site, The four conservation areas are Merville Garden Village, Antrim, Antrim – Riverside, and Randalstown. Waste Management Strategies Mr Neeson asked the Minister of the Environment to detail his plans to assist district councils in the preparation of waste management strategies. (AQW 1009/00) Mr Foster: My Department is providing financial support, improved data on waste arisings and detailed guidance on partnerships and planning to help district councils prepare their waste management plans. Following publication of the Northern Ireland waste management strategy, district councils formed three waste management planning partnerships to prepare waste management plans for their areas. The Department has given financial support to two of these groups and has offered similar support to the third. The recently approved Budget has made £3·5 million available to my Department in 2001-02 to assist councils in the implementation of their waste management plans. I am currently considering how best these resources might be used. My Department is also working to improve the accuracy of waste data available to councils to help the planning process and subsequent monitoring. Building on a pilot survey in 1998-99 on municipal waste arisings, my Department has a more detailed survey of municipal, industrial and commercial wastes, covering all council areas under way. The survey is expected to be completed this March. My Department has issued a guidance paper on partnerships and has set up an inter-group forum to enable representatives from each council grouping to exchange ideas and experience, to encourage councils to adopt a partnership approach on waste issues. It has also sponsored a partnership conference, in conjunction with the Institute of Waste Management, to bring together representatives of the public, private and voluntary sectors. My Department’s Planning Service is also working with councils in preparing waste management plans. A draft planning policy statement providing guidance on the Department’s policies on planning applications for waste facilities is expected to go for consultation in the near future. My Department is also completing guidance on best practical environmental options. Abandoned Cars Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of the Environment to outline the current procedures to deal with abandoned cars. (AQW 1049/00) Mr Foster: Under the Pollution Control and Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 it is the responsibility of district councils to remove or dispose of abandoned vehicles and to initiate proceedings for prosecution. The Department for Regional Development has powers to secure the removal of vehicles from roads that cause obstruction, danger or nuisance and that, under the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, the police are empowered to remove any vehicle illegally parked or abandoned. Urban and Rural Mr Hussey asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the definition of the words urban and rural as used by his Department. (AQW 1051/00) Mr Foster: There is no statutory definition or standard definition of the words urban and rural. The terms are used mainly in the planning service in my Department but their use needs to be interpreted in the particular context in which they appear. The planning strategy for rural Northern Ireland defines rural Northern Ireland as being all of Northern Ireland outside the development limits of Bangor, Carrickfergus, Londonderry and beyond the inner edge of the green belt for the Belfast urban area. However, different definitions have also been used. In a recent study to which the Planning Service contributed, the rural area of Northern Ireland was defined as the total area outside the development limits of all settlements having a population of 3,000 or more. Cormorants: Numbers Mr Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the present number of cormorants in Northern Ireland and what has been the percentage increase in numbers in each of the last five years. (AQW 1057/00) Mr Foster: The most recently available count of wintering cormorants (1998-99) was 2,605 birds. Percentage increases in wintering populations from previous winters have been:-
Cormorants: Culling Licences Mr Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the number of licences to cull cormorants issued this year and how many cormorants have been culled in the year 1998-1999 and 1999-2000. (AQW 1058/00) Mr Foster: Licences to kill cormorants are issued where the Environment and Heritage Service is satisfied that this is necessary to prevent serious damage to fisheries. Nineteen licences were issued in 2000. Seventy-five birds have been reported killed under the terms of 15 of these licences. Reports for the remaining four licences are awaited. Ninety-six birds were killed in 1998, and 102 birds were killed in 1999. Cormorants: Control Mr Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to outline what measures he is taking to control cormorants and their predation on fish-stock. (AQW 1059/00) Mr Foster: My Department has no duty to control cormorant numbers. The Environment and Heritage Service may, on application by fishery managers, issue licences under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 to kill a limited number of cormorants in order to control predation. A condition of the licences is that managers are required to use non-lethal methods first, including shooting to scare, as the preferred way of protecting fish stocks against predation and to kill birds only as a last resort. West Tyrone Budget Percentage Mr P Doherty asked the Minister of the Environment to: (a) detail all buildings and amenities within his responsibility in the constituency of West Tyrone; (b) outline the percentage of his budget that has been allocated to the West Tyrone constituency and; (c) explain how this compares with the previous budget. (AQW 1092/00) Mr Foster: (a) Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) There are 13 historic monuments in state care, 159 scheduled historic monuments and 4 registered historic garden sites. EHS has identified 1,154 archaeological sites in the constituency. The 1,154 sites include 230 early Christian period raths, 221 earthwork enclosures, 190 prehistoric megalithic tombs, cists or cairns, 159 standing stones and stone circles, 59 sites of indeterminate nature detected on air photographs, 27 ecclesiastical sites and 22 tower houses or medieval castles. EHS is also responsible for nature reserves at Killeter and Meenadoan. Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) DVTA owns the testing centre at Gortrush Industrial Estate, Derry Road, Omagh. Planning Service Planning service has premises officer responsibility for County Hall in Omagh. (b) & (c) The information requested is not recorded on a constituency basis and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. Cormorants: Lough Neagh Mr Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment if any colonies of cormorants have been established on Lough Neagh and what action he has taken to control their numbers. (AQW 1093/00) Mr Foster: No breeding colonies of cormorants have been established on Lough Neagh. However, the numbers of birds counted in winter there in recent years have been as follows:
My Department has no duty to control cormorant numbers but, in certain circumstances, can licence others to kill cormorants as a last resort in order to prevent fish predation. Planning Regulations: Review Mr Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment if he has plans to review the planning regulations and how long this process will take. (AQW 1094/00) Mr Foster: I intend to review the systems for operational planning policy, development planning and development control as part of the Executive’s proposed review of public administration, referred to in the recently published draft Programme for Government. The review will reflect the concerns expressed about the time taken to carry out the processes and the need to make them as efficient as the legal and consultative constraints will allow. The reviews are targeted for completion by the end of December 2001 and will cover how the processes are carried out, not who does them — the latter being for the Executive’s wider review. The Environment Committee will be consulted as part of this process. Planning Legislation Appeals Mr Shannon asked the Minister of the Environment to bring forward proposals to amend planning legislation relating to appeals so that successful appellants can receive compensation, thus bringing Northern Ireland into line with Great Britain. (AQW 1095/00) Mr Foster: My Department has no plans to amend planning legislation relating to appeals to enable successful appellants to claim compensation, nor does such a scheme exist in Great Britain. Appeal costs can be awarded in GB in certain limited and specified cases. Sheep Dip: Contamination Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of the Environment to detail what percentage of groundwater supplies are at risk of contamination by sheep dip and pesticide disposal. (AQW 1103/00) Mr Foster: Under the Groundwater Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998, my Department has responsibility for controlling the disposal of spent sheep dip and waste pesticides on land. The purpose of the regulations is to protect groundwater. Approximately 8% of the drinking water supply of the Water Service is taken from groundwater sources. The quality of these sources is regularly monitored by the Water Service for a range of sheep dips and pesticides used in Northern Ireland. There have been no recorded occasions where the regulatory standards have been exceeded in respect of these substances. In order to provide further safeguards the Water Service has appointed a consultant to carry out a risk analysis of drinking water sources. This will include identifying potential sources of pollution, preparing maintenance schemes, and practical pollution monitoring programmes. My Department’s drinking water inspectorate (DWI) monitors 70 groundwaters under the Private Water Supplies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994. For the period 1999-2000, two (2·7%) were found to contain non-sheep dip pesticides at concentrations greater than the regulatory limit of 0.1 microgrammes per litre. Under the regulations the DWI keeps owners/occupiers and health authorities informed of the monitoring results. Additionally, my Department’s water quality unit has in the last year commenced a groundwater monitoring programme at 78 sites, which includes 36 private water supplies serving single dwellings. The purpose of the programme is to assess the general quality of groundwater in Northern Ireland. Out of 58 sites for which data are currently available, six (10%) —- of which three are single dwelling supplies —- have been found to contain one or more non-sheep dip pesticides above the regulatory limit. The DWI has written to the six owners/occupiers advising them of the results and providing advice on what they should consider doing if they use the supply for drinking water. It is not possible at present to determine whether the above incidents of exceeding the limits are due to disposal, normal use of pesticides, or whether they are from localised contamination of the wells/boreholes due to poor pesticide management practices. Christmas Cards Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of the Environment to detail: (a) the number of official Christmas cards he has sent; (b) the cost of their design, publication and postage and; (c) the list of people on the Minister’s official Christmas card list. (AQW 1110/00) Mr Foster: (a) 255 Christmas cards were sent. (b) The total expenditure on Christmas cards was £404.39 This is broken down as follows – 1. Design and printing £345.39 2. Postage (second class). £ 59.00 Christmas cards are typically sent to individuals and members of organisations I have met throughout the year; to counterparts and office-holders in organisations with which my Department regularly corresponds or who have a significant interest in my Department’s activities and responsibilities. Quality Decisions Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of the Environment to outline what measures are in place to ensure that the planning office make quality decisions when dealing with planning applications. (AQW 1118/00) Mr Foster: There are a number of measures in place to ensure that decisions made in respect of planning applications are of the highest quality. The Planning Service, when determining planning applications, is guided by legislation, planning policy statements, development plans and development control advice notes. These provide a framework for ensuring that decisions are not only of the highest quality, but are consistent and transparent. Additionally, the Planning Service also provides a comprehensive training programme for all staff. The Planning Service is continually looking to introduce new initiatives to improve the quality of its work. One such initiative is the "quality initiative" which was set up to improve the quality of new housing developments. The initiative establishes the principle that the quality of a housing scheme is as important as its location. For schemes to be consistent with the quality initiative, they have to show a sense of distinctiveness and identity, and variety and contrast in their layout, house types, orientations and finishes. Telecommunications Masts Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the number of telecommunication masts erected in the east Antrim area in each of the last five years. (AQW 1119/00) Mr Foster: My Department does not hold details of the number of telecommunications masts erected. As with most planning approvals, a developer has five years from the date of a decision notice to commence a development. Of the 55 applications for telecommunications masts submitted in the east Antrim area in the last five years, 51 were approved, three were withdrawn, and one was refused planning permission. Industry: Waste Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of the Environment to detail the steps he is taking to reduce waste sent to landfill from industry. (AQW 1120/00) Mr Foster: The Northern Ireland waste management strategy contains a target to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial wastes placed in landfill to 85% of its 1998 level by 2005. District councils will have to indicate how they propose to achieve this target in their waste management plans now in preparation. To assist councils with accurate data on waste, my Department appointed consultants last November to undertake a detailed survey of municipal, industrial and commercial waste arising. Increased recycling and new markets for recycled products will be important in meeting the landfill reduction target. Together with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and key stakeholders, my Department is establishing a market development programme to stimulate demand for recycled products. Key tasks for the independent advisory board to be established under the strategy will be to promote the market development programme and to establish a business leaders’ forum for waste minimisation. Financial assistance from my Department enabled ARENA Network to undertake a study on the development of markets for recycled materials in Northern Ireland, the findings of which were released at a conference last November. Further financial assistance to NI2000 is to support the production of an all-Ireland recycling directory. The directory will be published at the end of January. In February, my Department will co-sponsor an event to encourage creation of new product designs using recycled and sustainably harvested materials. Design will be a key influence in reducing waste sent to landfill. Sewage Sludge Mr K Robinson asked the the Minister of the Environment what steps he is taking to: (a) inform the farming community of the implications of the European Union sewage sludge Directive and; (b) encourage an awareness that concentrations of heavy metals in sludge should not exceed the threshold limits laid down in legislation. (AQW 1153/00) Mr Foster: The use of sewage sludge in agriculture is regulated under the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995, which implement EU Directive 86/278/EEC. The Department of the Environment is responsible for implementing the Directive. The regulations, which place a responsibility on sludge producers to maintain registers of sewage sludge use in agriculture, are complemented by the code of practice for the agricultural use of sewage sludge. The Department for Regional Development’s Water Service is the only sludge producer coming under the terms of the Directive in Northern Ireland. The Water Service is required to ensure that sludge provided to farmers for spreading, and the fields to which it is to be applied, meet the requirements of the regulations. The Water Service provides farmers with nutrient and metal analyses of sludges and metal levels in the receiving soils. These arrangements are subject to audit by the Environment and Heritage Service. The audit confirmed that the Water Service is complying with the requirements of the regulations. Mossley West Station Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of the Environment to outline when planning permission will be granted for the station at Mossley West. (AQW 1156/00) Mr Foster: Following careful consideration of all the issues involved, my Department presented its preliminary opinion in November 2000 to refuse planning permission for this application to Newtownabbey Borough Council for consideration. This opinion was based on the Department for Regional Development’s Roads Service recommendation that approval could not be recommended unless the application was accompanied by a proposal to provide pedestrian facilities at a nearby bridge over the railway line, whilst maintaining the existing vehicular width. The Department for Regional Development has advised that the applicant is currently consulting interested parties with a view to a satisfactory outcome to this matter being reached as soon as possible. Sewage Sludge: Quantity Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of the Environment to outline the procedures used to monitor the quantity of sewage sludge produced and used in agriculture within Northern Ireland and to detail the procedures used to determine metal and nutrient concentrations as required under the EU Directive. (AQW 1173/00) Mr Foster: EU Directive 86/278/EEC is implemented in Northern Ireland by the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990, which are complemented by the code of practice for agricultural use of sewage sludge. The Department for Regional Development’s Water Service is the only sludge producer defined within the regulations in Northern Ireland. The Water Service, as required by the Directive, maintains a register of the quantities of sludge produced, the location of the fields on which the sludge is spread and analyses of the soil before the spreading of sludge. The Water Service samples and analyses soil and sludges in accordance with the code of practice, which specifies the analytical methods for determining the concentrations of nutrients and metals in sludge and soil. These arrangements are subject to audit by the Environment and Heritage Service. This has confirmed that the Water Service is complying with the requirements of the regulations. Ancient Woodland Mr Wells asked the Minister of the Environment if he has plans to compile an inventory of all the woodland that was in existence in Northern Ireland before 1830. (AQW 1251/00) Mr Foster: The Environment and Heritage Service has agreed to enter into a partnership with the Woodland Trust to compile an ancient woodland inventory for Northern Ireland. Woodland known to have been in existence in 1830 will qualify. The Woodland Trust has applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for assistance towards its costs in compiling the inventory. Subject to a successful outcome, initial work on the inventory should start this year. External Link Disclaimer: The Northern Ireland Assembly does not exercise any editorial control over the websites listed above and therefore cannot be held responsible for the information, products or services contained therein. |