Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail Northern Ireland’s involvement in the European Community Canada Programme for co-operation in higher education and training and to make a statement.

(AQW 1689/00)

The Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (Dr Farren): Since the programme began in 1995, Northern Ireland’s higher education institutions have been involved in a number of projects seeking support, either as a project lead contractor, or as a member of a multilateral partnership. To date, all of these bids have been unsuccessful.

(AQW 1698/00)

Dr Farren: This question has been passed to me as Minister responsible for helping long term unemployed people back into the labour market.

Long term unemployment in Northern Ireland fell by 53% in the period April 1998 to December 2000. Within that overall total, long term unemployment among young people fell by 80% and among males over 45 years by 43%.

The main initiative for tackling long term unemployment is the New Deal programme which has already helped a significant number of young people and adults make the transition from benefit to work. My Department also has other programmes such as Worktrack, Enterprise Ulster and Bridge to Employment which help the long-term unemployed return to work.

The falling trend in unemployment is encouraging but it is important that continuous efforts are made to equip the unemployed, and particularly the long term unemployed, to compete for jobs in today’s labour market. Therefore an enhanced New Deal 25+ programme will be introduced from 9 April this year offering a flexible package of help tailored to meet the individual needs of participants with a strong emphasis throughout on helping them compete for jobs.

Finally, as indicated in the draft Programme for Government, I am setting up a taskforce on Employability, which I shall chair myself, and will examine and propose further measures to tackle barriers to employment among both young people and the long term unemployed.

(AQW 1716/00)

Dr Farren: This information is not available in the format requested.

The Department issues the Northern Ireland School Leaver Destination survey, detailing the destinations of Year 12 pupils. Of the annual cohort of 26,000, 6% directly enter employment. Information on the numbers entering civil aviation is not available and could only be obtained at an excessive cost.

(AQW 1717/00)

Dr Farren: Departmental Careers Officers help clients explore their interests and abilities, linking these to relevant opportunities. Those interested in commercial aviation can discuss the range and level of jobs available, training to NVQ Levels 2 and 3 under New Deal and Jobskills and sponsorships for pilot training with the commercial airlines.

(AQW 1718/00)

Dr Farren: The Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL) is achieved through attendance at private training courses lasting up to 70 weeks. The individual pays the cost of the training, approximately £30,000. Funding is not available from this department.

Sponsorship schemes with commercial airlines are available for pilot training. Competition for sponsorship places is intense.

(AQW 1720/00)

Dr Farren: My Department makes available postgraduate studentships for research and for approved courses of advanced study in the fields of Humanities, Science and Technology, and the Social Sciences. It also provides for bursary awards for the Masters in Fine Art and Applied Art courses at the University of Ulster and for the vocational course at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queen’s University. Under delegated arrangements, the Education and Library Boards provide a range of means-tested discretionary awards for approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and the University of Ulster offers a number of Adult Education Bursaries.

(AQW 1758/00)

Dr Farren: I fully recognise the importance of the engineering industry to the Northern Ireland economy. The Northern Ireland Skills Task Force has identified engineering as one of the five key sectors having the potential to strengthen and develop the local economy.

My Department has undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure that people have the skills required to meet the needs of the sector and to encourage and facilitate future development. At the graduate/professional level we have increased the number of university places available and there are 2300 students currently undertaking courses in engineering disciplines. We have also recently introduced a Technician Training Initiative supporting 20 training places at a cost of £166,000 over a four-year period. At craft level approximately 2100 people are receiving training in engineering trades, including 750 people on MA apprenticeship frameworks. The total cost of support is £9 million per annum.

The Northern Ireland Economic Research Centre’s Priority Skills Unit has been commissioned to carry out research into the skills needs of the five sectors mentioned above. A major study on electronics is nearing completion and a study on mechanical engineering has been scheduled which will help the Department to focus on the requirements of the sector.

(AQW 1890/00)

Dr Farren: The Callender & Kemp Survey confirmed that undergraduate students in the United Kingdom are generally receiving the support they need from loans, grants and contributions from their parents, but indicated that some further targeted support is needed for some disadvantaged groups. The proposals which I recently announced, in particular the introduction of non- repayable Access Bursaries in higher education for students from low income families, recognise those needs.

(AQW 1896/00)

Dr Farren: There is no statutory curriculum within the Further Education (FE) sector in Northern Ireland. In the first instance, it is a matter for an individual college to determine whether there is sufficient demand for such provision. As regards higher education generally, course provision and method of delivery are a matter for the universities as autonomous bodies.

My Department, however, funds initial teacher training through the medium of Irish at St Mary’s University College, on the advice of the Department of Education.

(AQW 1897/00)

Dr Farren: There is no funding earmarked specifically for this purpose. However, the Department provides capital funding to Further Education Colleges for a range of purposes and initiatives, including funding to upgrade and replace capital equipment in priority areas of the curriculum. Colleges may use this funding to update their science laboratory facilities.

(AQW 1898/00)

Dr Farren: My Department contracts, usually for 3 years, with a wide range of training providers, for the delivery of its various programmes. Contracts are awarded based upon performance and quality criteria and identified training needs and bids received from training providers, for new contracts, are assessed accordingly.

Given the competitive nature of this process, the changing economic climate here, and not least in the interests of equity and value for money, it would be wholly inappropriate for my Department to attempt to ensure the continuity of any particular training provider.

Mr Taylor asked the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to resign as Minister and to make a statement.

(AQW 1436/00)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr Campbell): I have no immediate plans to resign.

(AQW 1449/00)

Mr Campbell: The financial assistance given to Northern Ireland Railways by the Department of the Environment (NI) and subsequently the Department of Regional Development, in the last 3 complete financial years is detailed below:

Similarly detailed information is not available for rail operating companies in Great Britain but the following table shows the subsidies given to those companies by the Strategic Rail Authority in 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 and by its predecessor, the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising in 1997/1998. These figures exclude incentive payment by the Authority, but include franchise payments to certain companies by local Passenger Transport Executives. The figures do not include subsidies given to Railtrack for improvement of railway infrastructure in GB.

(AQW 1606/00)

Mr Campbell: Traffic surveys carried out in July 1999 on the A24 Belfast to Newcastle road show the following 2-way daily traffic flows:-

• North of the A21 ~Saintfield Road junction – 9,600 vehicles per day;
• In Ballynahinch at the Assumption Grammar School – 15,800 vehicles per day; and
• South of the B2 Downpatrick Road junction – 8,530 vehicles per day.

The traffic volumes at the three points are independent and cannot be analysed as total traffic volumes for the town.

As regards proposals to improve traffic flow through Ballynahinch, you are aware that my Department’s Roads Service has a proposal to construct a bypass of the town and that that scheme is currently being assessed for possible inclusion in the Department’s 10-year Forward Planning Schedule. I hope to publish details of the Schedule later this year.

(AQW 1627/00)

Mr Campbell: A planning requirement for the development at Mossley West halt is the provision of a footbridge across the track in order to facilitate safe pedestrian access to the station. Translink is currently engaged in consultation with interested parties with a view to ensuring that the access problem is resolved as soon as possible. Once the safety issue is resolved and the Mossley West halt becomes operational it will be included in the NIR timetable.

(AQW 1676/00)

Mr Campbell: It is my Department’s Roads Service policy to attend Councils’ Planning Committee meetings only when roads advice is a major component of a planning application and attendance has been specifically requested by Councils and where the Department of the Environment’s Planning Service regard such attendance to be necessary. Roads Service is a statutory consultee of the planning process and makes recommendations to Planning Service on roads matters associated with development proposals. Planning Service officials attend these meetings and in the vast majority of cases can deal adequately with roads advice relevant to the recommended decisions.

I am satisfied that the Roads Service opinion can be adequately reflected by this arrangement.

(AQW 1677/00)

Mr Campbell: Translink has advised that, while it is not providing a Railway Station at Global Point, it hopes, as part of the Antrim to Bleach Green line reinstatement, to provide a new halt at Mossley West located on the corner of the business park site. In advance of the opening of this halt, Translink will certainly be advertising the new rail service and seeking to encourage as many people as possible to travel by rail.

(AQW 1678/00)

Mr Campbell: I am addressing commuter problems in Newtownabbey and Antrim, and elsewhere, by pursuing an integrated transportation strategy which will make the best use of the existing road network and develop and encourage the use of alternative modes of transport.

In this context, a number of measures are currently being progressed which will offer some benefits to commuters, for example:

• the Antrim to Bleach Green railway line is expected to be re-opened later this month and, as part of this project, a new railway halt is planned at Mossley West;
• part-time traffic signals with an associated bus lane are being introduced at the Shore Road/Station Road junction to assist peak hour traffic progressions; and
• work is underway to extend the Roads Service motorway control system on the M2 motorway to display information to drivers and adjust traffic signals to cope with the prevailing traffic flows.

The longer-term needs of commuters in Newtownabbey and East Antrim will, however, be addressed as part of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan and I would refer you to the answer I gave to your written Assembly Question (AQW 147/00) on 30 October 2000.

(AQW 1694/00)

Mr Campbell: The M2 motorway from Belfast becomes the M22 motorway close to Dunsilly Roundabout at Antrim until it ends in the vicinity of Randalstown. My Department’s Roads Service has no plans at present to extend the M22 motorway to Londonderry.

I can, however, confirm that Roads Service is continuing to progress a scheme to provide a dual carriageway bypass of Toome through the necessary statutory procedures. Assuming there are no objections to the Vesting Order and funds are available for the scheme, work on site is due to commence in early 2002.

(AQW 1696/00)

Mr Campbell: There are presently no sewage treatment facilities at Ballyhornan. The trunk sewer serving the village and the former RAF Bishopscourt site discharges at low water mark into the Irish Sea.

The Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995, which implement the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, require the provision of appropriate treatment for wastewater at locations, such as Ballyhornan, by 31 December 2005.

Consulting Engineers engaged by Water Service have prepared a preliminary report outlining proposals for the provision of wastewater treatment at Ballyhornan and these are presently being considered. The scheme will then progress to the detailed design stage. Due to other priorities and current levels of funding, it is unlikely that the scheme can commence before the 2003/2004 financial year.

(AQW 1699/00)

Mr Campbell: Roads in new housing developments, that have been determined through the planning process but not yet adopted, are the responsibility of the developer. I understand that the total length of such roads within the South Antrim constituency is approximately 136km.

The timing of adoption of these roads by Roads Service depends on the developer bringing them up to the required standard and so it is not possible to predict how many will be adopted within the next twelve months.

Existing private roads which have not been subject to the street planning process are the responsibility of the owners or frontagers of the roads. Roads Service does not hold details of these roads nor the total length involved. Roads Service will consider requests for adoption of such roads provided they are brought up to the required standard.

(AQW 1703/00)

Mr Campbell: I am committed to consulting fully with the local Councils and to keeping the public fully informed of the proposals for new waste water treatment facilities for the North Down/Ards area. Water Service has engaged in extensive consultation with representatives of the Councils and members of the local community. A number of presentations have been made to the Ards Borough Council and meetings have been held with Council officials and consultants engaged by the Council. This series of meetings is ongoing.

There has also been significant consultation and inter- action with the local community through presentations and both public and private meetings. Water Service officials have had a number of direct meetings with local groups, individual residents and all of the landowners affected by the proposals. All letters have been responded to and assurances have been given that the concerns of local residents will be given proper consideration.

In March 1999, copies of a study, into the most appropriate way of providing waste water treatment facilities in the North Down/Ards area and which also identified possible sites, were issued to all local elected representatives, local action groups and a number of individuals. Copies were also placed in local libraries and Council Offices for public perusal. An information booklet on the situation was also circulated. In September 1999 an information leaflet was delivered to all properties within a 2-kilometre radius of the two shortlisted sites.

On 21 August 1999, I met with Ards Borough Council to discuss the proposals for the new works and to hear directly the views of the Council. I visited Eastbourne on the 8 February 2001 to see how large wastewater treatment works can be constructed and operated in close proximity to residential areas. I was accompanied on the visit by Alan McFarland, Vice Chairman of the Regional Development Committee, representatives of Ards and North Down Borough Councils and representatives of the local media. The party met with the Mayor of Eastbourne and heard how the scheme has impacted favourably on the town, despite earlier public disquiet and opposition. My impression is that all concerned found the visit useful and reassuring.

Following the visit I announced that I would be inviting both North Down and Ards Borough Councils to join a Working Party to be chaired by Water Service which would review all aspects of the criteria and processes used in the site selection process. I will give detailed consideration to the findings which will emerge from this further study before final decisions are taken on the most appropriate site for the new works.

(AQW 1719/00)

Mr Campbell: I have no immediate plans to meet Eurotrack Ireland to discuss their proposals for the future of the railway network. Northern Ireland Railways is currently engaged in a programme of works to implement urgent safety work recommended in the A D Little Review. Beyond that, the Assembly has allocated resources to enable work to be started on the consolidation option for the rail network contained in the Railways Task Force Report. Work is also proceeding on the preparation of the Regional Transportation Strategy and I do not envisage any major change of policy on railways before the Strategy is finalised. I do appreciate, however, Eurotrack Ireland’s continued interest in the rail network for Northern Ireland.

(AQW 1726/00)

Mr Campbell: I would refer the Member to my response to his oral Assembly Question (AQO679/00) on 5 February 2001.

The tables attached to my earlier answer are for both commercial and residential developments. For the purpose of consulting the tables, I should add that the A2 route carries in excess of 3000 vehicles per day.

(AQW 1731/00)

Mr Campbell: My Department’s Roads Service has no plans to introduce traffic calming measures outside all primary and secondary schools.

The aim of traffic calming is to reduce the number and severity of road accidents in built up areas by reducing the volume and speed of vehicles. In assessing the need for such measures, priority is given to those schemes having a road accident history. In this assessment, additional weighting is afforded to accidents involving children and the elderly. This has resulted in the introduction of a number of traffic calming schemes in residential areas in the vicinity of some schools.

Also, in conjunction with public and private sector bodies, Roads Service has established a School Travel Advisory Group to co-ordinate the introduction of a number of Safer Routes to Schools pilot projects across Northern Ireland. This initiative will seek to overcome problems caused by the school run by improving children’s safety on school journeys and by encouraging more children to walk, cycle or use public transport when travelling to and from school. Individual schemes may involve the introduction of traffic calming and other traffic management measures at some schools.

(AQW 1739/00)

Mr Campbell: Although Translink is fully aware of the value and benefits of Park and Ride facilities in encouraging a modal shift from private to public transport, Translink does not at present have any specific plans to introduce a Park and Ride Scheme at Trooperslane. Such a Scheme would not rank sufficiently high on Translink’s list of priorities to warrant the necessary expenditure from their limited resources. The matter will, however, remain under consideration by Translink.

(AQW 1780/00)

Mr Campbell: The operating costs of the Strangford/ Portaferry car ferry for the year ended 31 March 2000 are detailed in the table below:

* Other includes general Administrative Expenses and accommodation.

(AQW 1800/00)

Mr Campbell: Water Service is aware of the problem with biofilms being experienced by a small number of householders including residents of Housing Executive properties in Rathcoole. Over the past seven years, the Housing Executive has commissioned a number of investigations into the cause. These generally identified the problem to be the formation of biofilms on the inside of hot water cylinders. Unfortunately, the reports could not offer a long-term solution to counteract the formation of the biofilms.

Analysis has confirmed that the water supply is satisfactory and complies with the requirements of The Water Quality Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994. Water Service has considerable sympathy for the difficulties being experienced by the residents but does not have a responsibility for dealing with the problem. However, Water Service has met the Housing Executive on a number of occasions to discuss the matter, and has undertaken further investigations in an effort to assist the Housing Executive. The most recent investigations, involving scientific tests, consultation with scientific experts and reference to research papers on the subject, were completed in November 2000. They again confirmed that the problem was an internal one and was not related to the water supplied to the properties. The Housing Executive has been informed of the findings of these latest investigations.

(AQW 1825/00)

Mr Campbell: My Department is fully committed to the NICS targets for e-Government which are that 25% of all key services will be capable of being delivered electronically by 31 December 2002, and 100% by December 2005. The Department has recently revised its Information Systems (IS) Strategy to encompass e-Government requirements and is identifying areas of business suitable for electronic delivery to meet the 2002 target.

Roads Service is currently investigating the potential development of a Contact Centre to enhance responsiveness and efficiency in dealing with telephone, e-mail and Internet communications and information access for the public. Roads Service is also examining ways of enhancing its Internet web-site to provide more comprehensive and up-to-date information for the public.

Water Service is presently designing a new Internet website. When the first phase is completed in June 2001, the public will have access to an extensive range of information about Water Service. This will include published documents such as the Business Plan, and information on topics relating to the supply of drinking water and treatment of wastewater. Members of the public will be able to download application forms for new services etc. A later phase of the website development will permit customers, whose water supplies are metered, to access their account information online. Customers are already able to communicate with Water Service using e-mail. It is expected that this will be much more widely used when it is publicised on the website.

Water Service also makes extensive use of electronic systems to aid efficient operations. For example, most major installations are unmanned outside normal working hours.

Mr Hussey asked the Minister for Social Development to detail, in relation to the Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme (DEES1), the average yearly (a) spend (b) number of applications and (c) number of successful applications by (i) district council and (ii) parliamentary constituency.

(AQW 1691/00)

The Minister for Social Development (Mr Morrow): This information is not readily available in the format requested. However, based on information provided by the Scheme Manager for the Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme (DEES), the attached table illustrates the average yearly DEES expenditure and the average yearly number of successful applications (jobs) from January 1995 to 31 December 2000, on a constituency basis.

(AQW 1702/00)

Mr Morrow: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive whose Chief Executive has advised that 166 properties were sold in the 12 months ending 31 January 2001.

(AQW 1772/00)

Mr Morrow: My officials have been working for some months on a revised strategy for urban regeneration policies and actions, the main plank of which will be a new integrated programme which addresses the most deprived neighbourhoods of our cities and towns, along the lines embraced by new TSN and reflective of the GB National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal.

An over-arching urban regeneration strategy document is currently being finalised for discussion with other Government Departments, whose future co-operation and involvement is vital to the success of the proposed new arrangements. My Department will also be consulting more widely on the new strategy in the coming months. That will involve Assembly structures, other elected representatives, and key partners and stakeholders in the public, private and community/voluntary sectors. Research work has been commissioned to update existing data on areas and levels of multiple deprivation. The outcome of that research will inform the consultation process and largely determine where the limited resources available for urban renewal should be targeted.

(AQW 1773/00)

Mr Morrow: My Department is taking the lead in bringing forward the new funding arrangements under Supporting People. An inter Departmental/Agency working group has been set up to look at the issues and an External Reference Group, consisting of supported housing providers and other interested parties, has been established as an information sharing forum. The Housing Executive, which will be responsible for the administrative arrangements, has established a Supporting People implementation team and I propose to issue the first of a series of consultation documents ‘Towards Supporting People’ very shortly.

(AQW 1783/00)

Mr Morrow: Last year over 254,000 pensioners received a Winter Fuel Payment.

(AQW 1787/00)

Mr Morrow: I have received no recent representations on the impact of means testing on the take-up of benefits.

Means testing is important in ensuring that benefits intended for the least well off reach those who are most in need of this help. My Department encourages all people to claim those benefits to which they may be entitled.

(AQW 1806/00)

Mr Morrow: The policy intent is that support for full-time students is provided primarily from the education support system, which is designed for students’ needs while the Social Security system is not.

Most full-time students are not entitled to housing benefit. However, those students who are in a vulnerable group (for example long term sick, disabled and those with dependent children) are eligible to claim benefit. Students, waiting to rejoin their course, who have recovered from illness or are a former carer, are eligible. Part-time students are also entitled to claim housing benefit.

In the assessment of entitlement to Housing Benefit student loans that have been paid or which could have been acquired had reasonable steps been taken to do so, are taken into account as income.

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