Mr Gibson asked the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to detail the progress made in meeting the targets for the year 2005 for making Government information and services electronically available and to make a statement.

(AQW 1553/00)

Reply: In March 2000 the Prime Minister announced revised targets for the electronic delivery of Government services. These were 25% of all services to be capable of being delivered electronically by 2002 and 100% by 2005. The Prime Minister’s targets apply to all Whitehall Departments, but each of the devolved administrations has the opportunity to develop their own targets for electronic service delivery.

In the draft Programme for Government, the Executive gave an undertaking to set local targets for electronic service delivery and to monitor progress. Our officials, in consultation with the other Northern Ireland Departments, have been considering the Whitehall targets as to their appropriateness to Northern Ireland. Decisions on the targets for the electronic delivery of Government services in Northern Ireland and an appropriate monitoring regime will be taken by the Executive Committee in the coming weeks. An announcement will be made in due course.

(AQW 1562/00)

Reply: We have not jointly discussed these matters with the current Secretary of State or his predecessor. Our respective parties have, however, met with the Secretary of State to discuss this issue.

(AQW 1563/00)

Reply: The Executive have approved a legislative programme and a draft Programme for Government. In contributing to both of these documents, Ministers will have considered any relevant implications of the Queen’s speech for the people of Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1564/00)

Reply: We have not jointly discussed these matters with the current Secretary of State or his predecessor. Our respective parties have, however, met with the Secretary of State to discuss this issue.

(AQW 1565/00)

Reply: At the North/South Ministerial Council plenary meeting on 26 September 2000, it was agreed to initiate a study on the North/South consultative forum. Progress on the study will be reported to the next plenary meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council, following which we shall make a further statement to the Assembly.

(AQW 1598/00)

Reply: We wrote to the Chancellor in November 2000 and at a subsequent meeting with him on 24 January 2001 registered our continuing concern over the high level of fuel excise duty. As a follow-up to our discussion with the Chancellor, a meeting took place this week with the chairman of HM Customs and Excise and contacts will continue.

(AQW 1604/00)

Reply: The Minister of Education and the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety were sent a Christmas card from the First Minister. The Deputy First Minister did not send a card to any Minister.

Neither of us sent a Christmas card to the leader of Sinn Féin.

(AQW 1812/00)

Reply: This report to the UK Government was prepared by a Home Office-led working group. The Home Secretary published the report on 26 July.

Copies of the report were placed in the Libraries of the United Kingdom Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly on the day of publication. The report is also on the Home Office web site, and printed copies are available from the Home Office on request.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail representations she has received regarding the economic situation of farmers and to make a statement.

(AQW 1600/00)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): I receive frequent personal and written representations on matters relating to the economic position of farmers from a wide range of sources, including farmer representative bodies, councils, MPs, MEPs, MLAs, political parties and individual farmers. Many of these representations arise during the course of discussions, both formal and informal, and in correspondence relating primarily to other topics, and it would be impossible to detail every instance where this has occurred.

(AQW 1637/00)

Ms Rodgers: This is not considered necessary. To maintain public confidence that no suspect cases can enter either the human or animal food chains, incineration is the most appropriate method of disposal.

All BSE suspect animals are moved directly to DARD’s veterinary science laboratory where the brain tissue is removed for examination and diagnostic testing. The remainder of the carcase is destroyed by incineration.

(AQW 1638/00)

Ms Rodgers: The EC Animal Waste Directive 90/667/EEC, which is implemented in Northern Ireland by the Animal By-Products Order (Northern Ireland) 1993 (as amended), sets out the permitted disposal routes for animal by-products. When the Directive was adopted in 1990, the hydrolysis process had not been developed as a disposal route for animal by-products and therefore could not be included. The Directive is under review and the European Commission is seeking the advice of the EU scientific steering committee on whether hydrolysis should be a permitted disposal route in future.

(AQW 1639/00)

Ms Rodgers: Residual ash from incineration of cattle must contain no more than a maximum permitted level of 5mg of protein or amino acid per 100g ash. This maximum level has been accepted by the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee (SEAC) as being the acceptable level to ensure that any risk from residual BSE prion protein is negligible.

(AQW 1660/00)

Ms Rodgers: To date almost 700,000 cattle have been slaughtered in Northern Ireland as a measure against BSE. No carcases are held in cold storage and therefore there are no costs involved.

This figure comprises 2,295 BSE suspects, 65 offspring animals, 695,609 in the over-30-months schems (OTMS) cattle and 1,485 selective cull cattle.

(AQW 1681/00)

Ms Rodgers: I have not been involved in discussions with experts about alkaline hydrolysis for the disposal of infected cattle carcases. However, the primary EU legislation governing disposal of this type of waste (the EC Animal Waste Directive 90/667/EEC) is under review and in this respect the European Commission has sought the advice of the EU scientific steering committee on whether the hydrolysis process should be a permitted disposal route in future. I will consider that advice when it becomes available.

(AQW 1683/00)

Ms Rodgers: Under the community support framework, the European Commission has approved 29 million ecus for assistance to the Northern Ireland fishing industry. However, details of how this funding is to be allocated between the different fisheries measures have still to be agreed by the Commission as they are contained in the overall Northern Ireland transitional objective 1 programme. At present, I am therefore not in a position to indicate how the funding will be allocated.

(AQW 1684/00)

Ms Rodgers: It is my hope that the quota attached to decommissioned vessels under a Northern Ireland scheme can be retained for use by the Northern Ireland fishing fleet. I am currently exploring this possibility.

(AQW 1685/00)

Ms Rodgers: Currently, completion of the new ice plant at Portavogie harbour is scheduled for early July.

(AQW 1690/00)

Ms Rodgers: I am aware that Commissioner Fischler has called for a further package of measures to control future beef production in the EU. In itself this is an understandable Commission reaction to the recent marked fall in beef consumption in many EU member states. Nonetheless any proposal that might have adverse financial implications for Northern Ireland is unwelcome news for the industry here.

At the moment it is not at all clear what proposals the Commission may bring forward to the Agriculture Council or where their major effects might be felt. Most beef-related proposals would have some impact on beef producers here but some are likely to have a greater impact than others. For instance, individual quotas for beef special premium (BSP) producers allied to a reduction in the overall ceiling available would affect all our producers directly whereas a reduction in stocking density thresholds would affect some beef producers but not all since we have a relatively high proportion of extensive producers. It is not inconceivable that some measures could even benefit the local industry, if they resulted in a better balance between supply and demand in the European beef market.

It is therefore not possible for me to give you a realistic assessment of the implications until more is known about the details of any proposals.

(AQW 1710/00)

Ms Rodgers: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

(AQW 1750/00)

Ms Rodgers: As common land carries with it less in the way of management and financial burdens, a lower rate of aid has been applied to avoid overcompensation. This principle applies to any shared land, even where it has a clearly defined external boundary. The full rate of aid is payable only on land which is recorded as being for the sole use of one farmer.

(AQW 1756/00)

Ms Rodgers: Approximately 40% of reactor animals show signs of infection on post mortem examination.

(AQW 1808/00)

Ms Rodgers: There is no formal strategy for the harvesting of shellfish from Belfast Lough. Development is industry led, with full departmental input when licence applications are received. The Department’s long-term aim, however, is to develop a sustainable aquaculture industry in Northern Ireland with minimum additional environmental impact. To this end, the Department has licensed 11 sites covering some 750 hectares of seabed in Belfast Lough for the culture of bottom dredge mussels. These sites have been re-laid with seed mussels using purpose-built mussel dredgers. The mussels are harvested once they have reached marketable size and by the end of this year it is expected that some 2,000 tonnes will have been harvested mainly for the Dutch and French markets. Due to marketing considerations, harvesting tends to take place during the winter months.

Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to outline his plans to assist local authorities in improving their cultural facilities.

(AQW 1587/00)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): My Department has initiated a process of engagement with district councils, non-departmental public bodies and education and library boards, the aim of which is to produce guidance for local authorities on the development of local cultural strategies. My intention is that this guidance will assist councils to plan for cultural services and will encourage a strategic approach to the provision and improvement of cultural facilities.

(AQW 1588/00)

Mr McGimpsey: I should explain that I announced the introduction of the interim safe sports grounds scheme in August 2000. The scheme, administered by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, was funded initially by the Sports Lottery Fund and the Sports Foundation. I then secured additional funding of £2 million under the Agenda for Government for the 2000-01 year for priority safety improvement works at all sports grounds in Northern Ireland. I recognise the fact that further major investment is needed to carry out all the safety improvement work required and funding secured for 2001-02 will enable the scheme to continue. I will be considering how longer-term problems can be addressed and the outcome of the work I put in place to develop a soccer strategy for Northern Ireland will also be relevant in dealing with the problems of facilities at all levels.

You may wish to note that soccer clubs may also apply to the Sports Lottery Fund, through the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, under the club sport programme.

(AQW 1616/00)

Mr McGimpsey: Appropriate funds from my Department have already been fully committed to the planned programme of bicentenary events, which I outlined at the inaugural event at the Ards Arts Centre/Town Hall, Newtownards, on 22 January 2001. Therefore, I cannot offer any financial assistance to community groups wishing to commemorate the bicenentary of the Act of Union.

However, community groups may wish to approach the Community Relations Council (CRC) to see if it would be willing to grant aid any locally produced bicentenary events. The CRC runs a cultural diversity programme, which aims to develop understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity through the arts, history and language.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail discussions he has had with Government officials in relation to events to celebrate the bicentenary of the Act of Union.

(AQW 1636/00)

Mr McGimpsey: Senior officials within my Department have been in touch with their counterparts in the Department of Education (DE) in order to seek co-operation as regards the Act of Union bicentenary education initiative, that is, workshops for A-level history students to be held in the NTL Studio, Waterfront Hall, Tuesday 16 October 2001. As a result DE has agreed to make available to the organisers a contribution of £3,000 to help to cover the cost of the fees, expenses and accommodation of academics engaged to run the education workshops.

Discussions have also taken place with officials in the devolution unit at the Cabinet Office, who have signalled their support for bicentenary activities, in particular, the acquisition of space within the Palace of Westminster in which to display the travelling version of the Act of Union bicentenary exhibition.

(AQW 1633/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The new opportunities fund (NOF) was established as a lottery distributor by the National Lottery Act 1998 to make grants to health, education and environment projects. NOF is a UK-wide body and distributes 4·5% of its allocations to Northern Ireland.

Within the fund’s community access to lifelong learning programme £100 million has been reserved for the development of the people’s network across the UK including £4·5million for Northern Ireland. The people’s network aims to link every public library in the UK to the Internet and the National Grid for Learning by 2002.

The five education and library boards are currently working on a project electronic libraries for Northern Ireland. An important element of the project will be the connection of all libraries to the National Grid for Learning, and through that to the University for Industry. The Department funds the public library service at 100% through the education and library boards.

(AQW 1807/00)

Mr McGimpsey: My Department has initiated a process of engagement with district councils, nondepartmental public bodies and education & library boards, the aim of which is to produce guidance to local authorities on the development of local cultural strategies. My intention is that this guidance will assist councils to plan and improve their cultural services.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister of Education to detail, by education and library board area, the cost of educating a child with special care needs in a mainstream school as opposed to the cost in a special education unit.

(AQW 1544/00)

The Minister of Education (Mr M McGuinness): The education and library boards inform me that the average costs of educating pupils with moderate learning difficulties in special education units attached to primary and secondary schools are as follows:

It is not possible to give average costs for similar pupils attending mainstream classes in primary and secondary schools since this varies according to the amount of additional support each pupil requires, as detailed in their statement of special educational needs.

The average costs for pupils in special units, as shown above, fluctuate according to the number of pupils attending each unit and this applies both within board areas as well as between them.

(AQW 1628/00)

Mr M McGuinness: I shall be announcing the next capital programme for schools later this month

(AQW 1752/00)

Mr M McGuinness: I issued statements on the following dates about attacks on schools:

• 25 January 2001
  30 November 2000
  27 November 2000
  24 November 2000
  11 October 2000
  30 August 2000
  19 July 2000
  15 June 2000

(AQO 792/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The school improvement programme is a comprehensive programme to raise the standards of pupils’ attainment in all schools. It includes the school support programme, which provides additional support for low and underachieving schools. There are no support programmes specifically for small primary schools but the school improvement programme impacts on them and a number of these schools are included in the school support programme. My officials are currently reviewing the operation of the school support programme in consultation with the education and library boards and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).

Individual schools decide whether they wish to offer out-of-school-hours learning opportunities. Such provision is funded either from the school’s own budget or from resources currently being provided by the new opportunities fund.

Under the literacy and numeracy strategy my Department provides resources to support summer literacy and numeracy schemes. I am pleased to be able to inform the Member that the resources available in 2001 will enable up to 150 schemes to operate compared to 106 in 2000.

(AQO 752/00)

Mr M McGuinness: I do not accept that the capital programme announced last year reflects any such ratio and I again refute any suggestion of inequality in the allocation of capital resources. The allocation of capital funding is not determined on any school sector basis but rather on an objective assessment of educational needs across all schools sectors.

(AQO 749/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Details of the proposals in relation to 52-week contracts continue to be the subject of negotiation. The cost implications of implementing any agreement are not yet known. However, as indicated to the Assembly on 28 November, I will look sympathetically at helping schools meet the associated costs.

(AQO 772/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The statutory school curriculum here requires all secondary schools to offer pupils the opportunity to study one of the main European languages. There is currently no official requirement to teach a language in primary schools; many schools choose to do so, on an informal basis. The year 2001 has been designated European Year of Languages; I have expressed my support for that initiative and recently took part in its launch here.

(AQO 791/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The number of children in each education and library board area currently receiving home tuition provided by the relevant board is as follows:

Home tuition is provided because of medical problems, pregnancy or the young person is awaiting a suitable alternative educational placement. The numbers in each category in each board area are as follows:

(AQO 765/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The returns from schools at October 2000 indicate 846 pupils in primary schools (including nursery and reception classes) and 443 pupils in post-primary schools as having English as an additional language. In addition, in Irish-medium schools English is taught as a second language and the numbers were 1,159 pupils in primary (including reception classes) and 332 pupils in post-primary schools.

(AQO 789/00)

Mr M McGuinness: I am due to attend the meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in plenary session which is scheduled for 2 March 2001.

(AQO 777/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Forty-nine per cent of student teachers qualifying in 1993 obtained permanent teaching posts that year. The equivalent percentages for each of the years from 1994 to 1997, the last date for which figures are available, are 49·7, 37·1, 28·1 and 26·3.

(AQO 803/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Bullying, for whatever reason, including homophobic bullying, has no place in schools. It is unacceptable behaviour and as such falls to be dealt with under a school’s discipline policy.

All schools are required by law to have a discipline policy and to implement it.

(AQO 763/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The proposed common funding formula does not change the financial management responsibilities of school governors. The consultation document containing the new proposals will be published soon and will explain the formula, as will the common LMS scheme which will be prepared on foot of the consultation process. Existing training arrangements should therefore be sufficient. Any new governors appointed to schools in due course will of course receive appropriate training.

(AQO 755/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The schools capital budget for 2001-02 is some £95 million. The largest part of that budget will be directed to major capital works across all sectors, but substantial funds will also be available for minor capital works. I shall be announcing details of the new starts programme later this month.

(AQO 781/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Responsibility for the promotion of Ulster Scots lies with the Ulster-Scots Agency, set up as part of the North/South language implementation Body. The agency hopes to appoint an education officer by December 2001 to develop resources for use in the classroom. Scope already exists within the statutory curriculum for schools to introduce aspects of Ulster Scots language, literature and culture as part of the cultural heritage and education for mutual understanding crosscurricular themes, and resource material is available from the Ulster-Scots Heritage Council.

(AQO 794/00)

Mr M McGuinness: I understand that the review body on post-primary education will be considering arrangements and structure in a range of countries including the Republic of Ireland. Extensive knowledge and expertise on post-primary education on these arrangements is already available to the review body from within its own membership and from the panel of education advisers.