Friday 2 March 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to outline his proposals to address the difference between the current pay scales for lecturers and that of teachers on the same point scale.

(AQW 1893/00)

The Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (Dr Farren): The terms and conditions of service, including salaries, of lecturers in further education are a matter for the governing bodies of the colleges.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail which educational initiatives are currently operating in the Republic of Ireland, are currently under consideration by his Department.

(AQW 1895/00)

Dr Farren: There are no specific educational initiatives under consideration.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail the steps he is taking to encourage more students to remain in full time education after the age of 16 years.

(AQW 1899/00)

Dr Farren: My Department’s policy is to promote lifelong learning, encouraging anyone over 16 years of age to engage in education and training to support economic, community and personal development, irrespective of the mode of attendance.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail his projected spend on consultancy services in the 2001/02 financial year.

(AQW 1954/00)

Dr Farren: The projected spend on consultancy services by my Department in the 2001/02 financial year is £782,500.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail the steps he is taking to reduce unemployment figures to meet the United Kingdom Government’s target of 3% - 4%; and to make a statement.

(AQW 1976/00)

Dr Farren: The policies, programmes and services of my Department are geared towards the Executive’s priorities of Securing a Competitive Econony, Investing in Education and Skills and Growing as a Community, and therefore make a significant contribution to the creation of jobs and the reduction of unemployment. Investment in higher and further education, the promotion of lifelong learning and the implementation of welfare to work and welfare reform measures are all of central importance to the reduction of unemployment levels.

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail the steps he has taken to ensure that expenditure on consultancy services represents value for money.

(AQW 2036/00)

Dr Farren: In August 2000, my Department issued to staff a revised system for the use and control of consultants to replace guidance issued previously by DED and DENI. The system complies with guidance issued by the Department of Finance and Personnel. A key element is the need to obtain value for money. The Department has a service level agreement with the Government Purchasing Agency for the provision of professional purchasing services.

Mr Dallat asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to outline details of his student support proposals and to make a statement.

(AQO 899/00)

Dr Farren: Further work on the detail of my proposals is in hand with the Department of Finance and Personnel and they will then go back to the Executive for final clearance. I hope that this process can be completed very soon.

Mrs Courtney asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail the number of Individual Learning Accounts taken out in Northern Ireland.

(AQO 902/00)

Dr Farren: From 4 September 2000, when they first became available, to the end of January a total of 10,890 Northern Ireland residents have opened an Individual Learning Account. This is an encouraging start to this important new initiative supporting lifelong learning.

Dr McDonnell asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to outline his plans for the use of electronic methods to improve efficiency and public access to information within his Department.

(AQO 873/00)

Dr Farren: My Department will have developed a comprehensive e-Business Strategy by May 2001. The strategy will identify those internal processes and key services to the public that can be delivered efficiently and effectively through electronic means. The strategy will also establish an implementation plan taking account of priorities and available resources.

Ms E Bell asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to confirm that his policy with regard to tuition fees for students has been equality proofed under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

(AQO 907/00)

Dr Farren: I can confirm that my proposals, including those relating to tuition fees, have been subject to a preliminary equality impact assessment under my Department’s equality scheme. That Assessment will be available as part of the equality consultation under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which I will carry out once the Executive’s clearance of my proposals has been given.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail the progress made in establishing the Taskforce on Employability outlined in the Programme for Government.

(AQO 898/00)

Dr Farren: The first meeting of the Taskforce on Employability and Long-Term Unemployment is arranged for 12 March. I have commissioned a scoping study, now underway, to review the existing evidence on employability, develop workable definitions and identify potential areas for action. This study, due for completion in April, will help inform the work and direction of the taskforce.

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to outline his policy to ensure fair employment opportunities for older workers.

(AQO 928/00)

Dr Farren: Employers are encouraged to follow the guidance in the voluntary Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment, circulated by the then Department of Economic Development in June 1999. My Department also helps older workers back into employment through "New Deal 50 Plus". There is currently no legislation on discrimination in employment on grounds of age, though I would expect this to be considered in the context of the proposed Single Equality Bill.

Dr Birnie asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail the proportion of persons from a family where the occupational background is unskilled or unemployed gaining access to higher education.

(AQO 927/00)

Dr Farren: There were 9,876 NI domiciled students accepted for degree place through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in 1999, of whom 2·6% were from an unskilled occupational background.

The Department is not able to discern whether persons gaining access to higher education come from a family where the occupational background is unemployed.

Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to give his assessment of the take-up to date, of the Individual Learning Accounts within Northern Ireland.

(AQO 933/00)

Dr Farren: From 4 September 2000, when they first became available, to the end of January a total of 10,890 Northern Ireland residents have opened an Individual Learning Account. This is an encouraging start to this important new initiative supporting lifelong learning.

Mr McGrady asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail when the assessment of the economic appraisal in respect of the new building for East Down Institute of Further and Higher Education in Downpatrick will be completed, and to make a statement.

(AQO 881/00)

Dr Farren: On 22 January 2001, East Down Institute provided clarification on a range of issues in relation to their economic appraisal. The Department’s economic and technical advisers are considering the latest response. Subject to the clarification of any further issues, it is expected that the economic appraisal will be approved within the next six to eight weeks.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail (a) the remuneration paid to the chairperson and board members of the Training and Employment Agency (b) the terms of reference of the board and (c) the timescale of service.

(AQO 876/00)

Dr Farren: The annual remuneration paid to the chairperson is £23,035 and to each of the board members is £4,300.

The terms of reference of the board are that it advises the chief executive on:

• current and future training and employment requirements of the Northern Ireland economy;
• the relevance of the agency services to the needs of employers and individuals;
• promotion of training, including management development within industry;
• encouragement of training by private sector organisations.

The timescale of service is up to three years per term.

Mr Ford asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail discussions he has had with the Minister of Education on links between schools with sixth-form and further education colleges.

(AQO 917/00)

Dr Farren: I met with the Minister in June 2000 to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest to our two departments including the 14-19 curriculum and the strategic planning for post-16 provision were both discussed at the meeting. Close contact between the Departments continues at official level.

Mr Neeson asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to outline his plans to attract business sponsorship for vocational training.

(AQO 908/00)

Dr Farren: Most business sponsorship for vocational training takes the form of "in-kind" support through the employment of modern apprentices or through the availability of real work placement opportunities for trainees. I have no plans to change this arrangement bearing in mind the predominance of small firms here and the pressures they currently operate under and their willingness to provide the real work environment needed by trainees to complete their National Vocational Qualifications.

Occasionally, commercial sponsorship is obtained for specific seminars particularly in the IT or management areas and I will of course seek to maximise the input of the private sector in those areas.

Mr Armstrong asked the Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to detail the steps he is taking to provide skills training to improve the employability of people in rural areas.

(AQO 929/00)

Dr Farren: My Department offers a varied choice of skills training measures through approved providers who are located right across Northern Ireland. In addition to the 26 New Deal Consortia, the Jobskills Programme is accessible at over 120 locations with a wide-range of National Vocational Qualifications at levels 1 to 3 available. Furthermore, the further education sector provides an extensive range of vocational courses to suit most ability levels.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the commencement date for the free travel for pensioners scheme.

(AQW 1844/00)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr Campbell): The free travel scheme will commence on 1 October 2001. From that date men and women aged 65 and over will be able to travel free on all scheduled bus and railway services throughout Northern Ireland at any time.

Mr Clyde asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of road accidents occurring at the intersection of Station Road, Doagh, Longshot Road and the main Larne to Templepatrick Road in each of the last five years for which figures are available and to outline his plans to improve road safety at this junction.

(AQW 1876/00)

Mr Campbell: The provision of information in relation to road accidents is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office and I have therefore asked that Department to respond directly to the member on this issue.

My Department’s Roads Service is currently carrying out a minor works scheme to improve the sightlines for motorists exiting Station Road, Doagh onto the A57 Templepatrick Road. The scheme, which commenced on 12 February 2001, is due to be completed by the end of March 2001.

Mr Clyde asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of incidents of raw sewage overspill in the Newtownabbey Borough Council area in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1878/00)

Mr Campbell: Raw sewage overspills from Water Service infrastructure can occur in a variety of ways. These include discharges from the normal operation of combined sewer overflows during periods of heavy rainfall, overflows to sea or waterways arising from problems at treatment works or pumping stations, small overspills arising from sewer blockages and out of sewer flooding resulting from equipment failures, sewer collapses, or inadequate capacity to deal with the volume of rainfall.

Water Service does not have records of the number of incidents in each of these categories. The available information in respect of incidents in the Newtownabbey Borough Council area is as follows:

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Regional Development if, pursuant to AQW 1419/00, he will detail the geographical areas where off-street car parking charges were imposed.

(AQW 1886/00)

Mr Campbell: My Department’s Roads Service imposes parking tariffs in its charged off-street car parks in the following towns/cities:-

As this question is a follow up to AQW 1419/00, I should make it clear that excess and alternative charges are only applied in Pay and Display car parks. As Roads Service does not have such car parks in Armagh, Belfast and Newry, it does not receive any revenue from excess and alternative charges in those locations.

Also, in my earlier answer to AQW 1419/00, I stated that Roads Service received revenue totalling approximately £283,000 from excess and alternative charges in 1999/2000. I am advised that that figure should have read £329,000. The mistake — a clerical error — was noticed in researching the answer to the Member’s recent question for which I apologise.

Mr Savage asked the Minister for Regional Development whether he has any plans to restrict or prohibit the erection of arches, bunting or other street decoration associated with the Loyal Orders on property belonging to his Department.

(AQW 2089/00)

Mr Campbell: It is an offence under the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 for any person to erect an arch along or across a public road without the consent of my Department. In May 2000, my Department’s Roads Service held a meeting with the Orange Order to discuss this matter and to encourage improved compliance from member lodges. Roads Service also published notices in the local press in June 2000 reminding anyone who wished to erect a traditional arch of the requirements of the legislation, particularly in relation to insurance and safety. This was done in the knowledge that the vast majority of arches are not officially sanctioned Orange Order arches. It is intended that similar notices will be published this year.

I do not condone any unauthorised use of Departmental property and my Department’s Roads Service will remove materials that have been erected illegally on its property and are a danger to road users. Where there is no danger, Roads Service will seek to remove such materials on the advice of the police and where there is strong local support. To act without local support is likely to lead to a proliferation of such materials and put at risk the safety of staff tasked with the removal work. There is also the question of cost.

Mr McGrady asked the Minister for Social Development if he intends to establish a support unit for dealing with enquiries in respect of Disability Living Allowance similar to the Incapacity and Pensions Support Unit established by Social Security Agency.

(AQW 1842/00)

The Minister for Social Development (Mr Morrow): There is already a team within Disability Living Allowance Branch who deal with enquiries and complaints from MPs, MLAs and customers relating to Disability Living Allowance, as well as Attendance Allowance, Invalid Care Allowance and Child Benefit.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister for Social Development to detail (a) the number of appeals received where incapacity benefit has been withdrawn and (b) the outcome of the appeals in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1909/00)

Mr Morrow: The number of Incapacity Benefit cases disallowed and the number of appeals received for each of the last 5 years are outlined in Table 1 below.

The outcome of the appeals heard in each of the last 5 years is broken down in Table 2 below.

NB: All the appeals received in one year will not necessarily be heard in that year. Therefore, the total number of appeals received is not the same as the total number heard in the same year.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister for Social Development to detail, by parliamentary constituency, the number of people receiving Disability Living Allowance in each of the last five years.

(AQW 1911/00)

Mr Morrow: The number of people receiving Disability Living Allowance, in each of the last 5 years, by parliamentary constituency is detailed in the Table below.

Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of payments of Winter Fuel Allowance that are outstanding and how many of these he expects to have been paid by the end of February 2001.

(AQW 1917/00)

Mr Morrow: There are just over 770 outstanding claims for Winter Fuel Allowance. Nearly all these claims were received in January and the vast majority will receive their payment in early March.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister for Social Development to detail his projected spend on consultancy services in the 2001/02 financial year.

(AQW 1928/00)

Mr Morrow: The projected spend by my Department for consultancy services in the 2001/02 financial year is £1,817,700.

Mr Derek Hussey asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of rural cottages awaiting replacement or multi - element improvement (MEIs) schemes by local council area and the average waiting time in each local council area.

(AQW 1938/00)

Mr Morrow: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but the chief executive has advised that this information is not readily available in the format requested. However, the following table illustrates the number of rural cottages requiring either replacement or an MEI Scheme, by local council area:

A breakdown between replacement and MEI Schemes is not available, as the type of scheme to be carried out will depend in each case on the outcome of an economic appraisal.

Information on average waiting times within a local council area could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, the Chief Executive has advised that most of the 363 properties listed in a scheme are programmed to commence within the next three years.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Social Security.

(AQW 2026/00)

Mr Morrow: Under Section 87 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 I am required to consult from time to time with the Secretary of State for Social Security on social security, child support and pension matters. In this context I met recently with Jeff Rooker MP, the Minister of State at the Department of Social Security. We discussed matters of mutual interest such as social security fraud.

Mr Ford asked the Minister for Social Development to detail what cross-departmental plans are in place to mark the United Nations International Year of Volunteering.

(AQO 956/00)

Mr Morrow: The United Nations has designated 2001 as an International Year to recognise, promote and develop volunteering. The International Year chimes with the Department for Social Development’s cross-cutting Active Community Initiative, which will receive funding totalling £1.8 million over the next 3 years.

The United Nations International Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV) was launched at an event in Parliament Buildings on 5 December 2000, hosted by the Chairperson of the DSD Assembly Committee.

An event publicising IYV is being arranged for the end of March 2001, to take place in Cookstown. The Department for Social Development is funding this event.

The Department is also funding the production of quarterly newsletters to publicise activities/events associated with IYV throughout the year

Dr McDonnell asked the Minister for Social Development to outline his plans for the use of electronic methods to improve efficiency and public access to information within his Department.

(AQO 874/00)

Mr Morrow: My Department makes widespread use of electronic technologies and is actively seeking to modernise further its ways of working and to improve interfaces with customers and partners. The Department is co-operating fully in efforts being co-ordinated by the Central Information Technology Unit for Northern Ireland, to develop a strategic approach to the delivery of e-Government services to the people of Northern Ireland. We are also working with other Departments on the development of appropriate strategies, initiatives, policies and procedures relating to electronic service delivery.

Mr Dallat asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the total number of families who are tenants of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and who have been rehoused in the private sector due to sectarian attacks and how many of these were in the Coleraine District Housing area.

(AQO 924/00)

Mr Morrow: I wish to make my position absolutely clear on the increasing number of sectarian attacks on people’s homes. This is an outrage and a scandalous state of affairs, and I have no hesitation in condemning it and those cowardly individuals responsible for it.

As to the number of attacks, the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has advised that, since November 2000, a total of 112 applicants have been accepted as homeless due to intimidation in Northern Ireland. Most of these would have been Housing Executive tenants. Of this total, 14 applicants have rehoused themselves in the private sector.

In the Coleraine area, a total of 8 Housing Executive tenants have been accepted as homeless due to intimidation since November 2000. Only one of those applicants is believed to have made his own rehousing arrangements in the private sector.

Mr Ervine asked the Minister for Social Development to confirm that the new Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme (DEES 2) will result in at least the same spend in the North Belfast parliamentary constituency as under DEES 1.

(AQO 923/00)

Mr Morrow: Funding for the Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme is not allocated on a constituency basis. The existing DEES is very much demand led. Funding is provided to the Scheme Manager who responds to requests from individual clients for the installation of energy efficiency measures.

In some respects the new scheme will be similar but greater emphasis will be given to focusing and targeting those in greatest need. This will be achieved through publicising and marketing the scheme and through the development of an effective referral network. In the circumstances, therefore, I cannot predict what the future allocation of funding will be.

Mr Wells asked the Minister for Social Development to give his assessment on the future of the Housing Benefit Review Boards and to make a statement.

(AQO 888/00)

Mr Morrow: At this time it is proposed to abolish Housing Benefit Review Boards.

I intend to bring forward legislation which will provide for appeals in relation to Housing Benefit to be heard by Social Security Appeal Tribunals with effect from 2 July 2001.

Mr Neeson asked the Minister for Social Development to explain what provision is in place for claimants whose benefit books are recalled.

(AQO 919/00)

Mr Morrow: There are no specific provisions in place, as different circumstances and different benefits dictate different action. The Social Security Agency is committed to ensuring benefits are paid promptly to customers and systems are in place to identify customers whose books have been recalled and returned. Priority is given to these customers and every effort is made to ensure the minimum of disruption is caused to benefit payments.

Mr Davis asked the Minister for Social Development, pursuant to his answer of 6th February 2001 to AQW 1455/00, to detail any discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive regarding the increased sums being written off due to debtors who cannot be traced and the dates of those discussions.

(AQO 931/00)

Mr Morrow: I met the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on Thursday 22 February 2001 to discuss the write-off of areas due to debtors who cannot be traced.

Mr M Murphy asked the Minister for Social Development to undertake to provide, through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, a gardening service for the elderly and disabled.

(AQO 875/00)

Mr Morrow: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive whose Chief Executive has advised that, under the Housing Executive’s standard tenancy agreement, the maintenance of gardens and hedges is the responsibility of the tenant. There are no plans to amend the agreement. However, the Housing Executive acknowledges that this can be a problem for some elderly and disabled tenants and is therefore examining the possibility of making local service agreements with community groups for carrying out such environmental services.

Mr Poots asked the Minister for Social Development to outline what consideration he has given to allow corporations with vesting powers to be set up by local authorities to regenerate rundown urban areas.

(AQO 879/00)

Mr Morrow: I have not given consideration to the setting up of such bodies for the purpose referred to by the member.

However, my officials are currently in discussions with other Government Departments on proposals for a new overarching regeneration strategy for rundown areas along the lines embraced by new TSN and reflective of the GB National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal. We will be consulting more widely on the new strategy in the coming months including Assembly structures.

Mr Ford asked the Minister for Social Development what criteria he uses to categorise housing estates as mixed.

(AQO 920/00)

Mr Morrow: Whilst there are no set criteria to categorise housing estates as mixed, the definition of a non-mixed or segregated estate is one where the minority grouping constitutes less than 10% of households. This definition is used by social geographers in many countries to address issues of ethnic/religious housing segregation.

Mr Byrne asked the Minister for Social Development to outline his policy in promoting and enabling community development initiatives within large Northern Ireland Housing Executive estates and to make a statement.

(AQO 915/00)

Mr Morrow: I will promote such community development through strategies that draw together all the key players: the tenants, the Housing Executive and my own officials. In addition, my Department and the Housing Executive will continue to fund the Northern Ireland Tenants Action Project, an organisation which provides advice, support and training to community groups to enable them to become involved in their estates.

Mr Fee asked the Minister for Social Development to detail his plans to extend Cold Weather Payments to people who are in receipt of disability benefits.

(AQO 925/00)

Mr Morrow: Cold Weather Payments are intended to help those vulnerable groups who are most at risk during sustained periods of very cold weather and who are the least able to meet higher heating costs. People receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance who are disabled, elderly, long-term sick or have a child under five years in their family are eligible for Cold Weather Payments. There are no plans to further extend the scheme.

The Cold Weather Payments Scheme is sometimes confused with the Winter Fuel Payments Scheme. The Winter Fuel Payments scheme was introduced in January 1998 to specifically help pensioners with their winter fuel bills. This winter, Winter Fuel Payments are being made to most people aged 60 or over including those who are disabled. The qualifying conditions apply equally throughout the United Kingdom and there are no plans to change them.

Mr Shannon asked the Assembly Commission to detail the criteria used to identify those staff entitled to the Assembly Premium.

(AQW 1843/00)

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Mr Fee): The Assembly Premium is payable to all those staff directly employed by the Assembly Commission. This is an interim measure pending a substantive review of the terms and conditions of all staff employed by the Assembly Commission. The Assembly premium applies to staff recruited through open competition and civil servants on secondment and is not payable to contract staff.

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