Friday 8 June 2001
Written Answers to Questions

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the number of (a) livestock Marts in Northern Ireland (b) people whose livelihood depends on Marts and (c) people laid off as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis and to outline the steps she is taking to ensure adequate compensation for this sector.

(AQW 2894/00)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ms Rodgers): There are 46 licensed livestock markets in Northern Ireland. I am not in a position to detail the number of people whose livelihood depends on Marts nor the number of people laid off as a result of the Foot and Mouth crisis as my Department has no reason to hold this information. In relation to compensation for Livestock Markets, the Executive has announced a "Help for Business Scheme" which aims to provide a grant to cover non-domestic rates to those businesses which can demonstrate that they have suffered financial hardship as a result of the Foot and Mouth crisis. Businesses, such as livestock marts, which were proscribed from operating from 1 March by DARD will automatically be eligible for this grant for the period that the restrictions are in force.

Mrs I Robinson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, pursuant to AQW 2694/00, to detail the number of (a) animals slaughtered to date (b) farmers who have received compensation and how much each was paid (c) valuations carried out and (i) the number disputed and (ii) those still outstanding and (d) claims found to be inaccurate.

(AQW 2895/00)

Ms Rodgers: I confirm that the information you requested is as follows:-

(a) Cattle - 5024
Sheep - 42413
Pigs - 3622
Others - 89
Total - 51,148

(b) Payments have not all been made yet but there are approximately 180 claimants. For reasons of confidentiality it is not possible to disclose how much each was paid. The latest available total figure for compensation is in the region of £5m.

(c) There were 287 valuations carried out by DARD officials and one by an Independent Valuer.

(c) (i) Prior to agreement of valuation the owner has the opportunity to ask for an independent valuation if he/she is not satisfied with the Department’s figure so any disputes are resolved by that process. See answer at (c) above. Once a statement of valuation of animals is signed this is legally binding on both the owner of the animals and the Department.

(c) (ii) There are no valuations outstanding.

(d) None of the claims were found to be inaccurate.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the measures she has taken to ease the financial difficulties currently facing pig producers.

(AQW 3047/00)

Ms Rodgers: The UK obtained EU State Aid approval last December to introduce the Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme. This has two elements – Outgoers and Ongoers. Outgoers has now closed and I’m pleased to report that some £2.85m will be paid to some 410 successful applicants in Northern Ireland. Ongoers remains open to 3 August. To date, just over £1m has been committed to successful Ongoers applicants here.

Mr Leslie asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, pursuant to AQW 2803/00, to detail the highest and lowest amounts of compensation paid per animal culled as part of the foot-and-mouth precautions for (a) rams (b) breeding ewes (c) ewes with lamb(s) (d) lambs and (e) dairy cows.

(AQW 3073/00)

Ms Rodgers: I am sorry that I am unable to provide the above information as statistics on animals culled are not recorded in a format which facilitates the breakdown you requested.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the work carried out by the Rivers Agency on a site owned by a private developer at the junction of Glenkeen Avenue/ Jordanstown Road, Newtownabbey.

(AQW 3090/00)

Ms Rodgers: The works undertaken adjacent to the junction of Glenkeen Avenue and Jordanstown Road, Newtownabbey are part of a more extensive scheme being carried out on various sections of the Lismore Drain to improve its hydraulic capacity and prevent flooding of properties adjacent to it. The works at this particular reach involved the replacement of an existing hydraulically inadequate culvert with a pipe of greater diameter. Final payments have yet to be made, but the cost is of the order of £60,000. The fact that part of the property adjacent to the Glenkeen Avenue/Jordanstown Road junction, through which the watercourse passes, was acquired by a private developer subsequent to the planning of the scheme was coincidental, and had no bearing on the need for the scheme.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail what efforts she made to have the deadline extended for the completion of Integrated Administrative Control Systems forms.

(AQW 3091/00)

Ms Rodgers: DARD, together with the other UK Agriculture Departments, consulted the Commission on a possible extension to the 15 May deadline for IACS applications. However, extending the deadline would have risked delays to IACS related payments later this year. Instead, as a safer option, the UK Departments opted to secure flexibility from the Commission for farmers to amend submitted applications.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to detail the cost of works carried out by the Rivers Agency on a site owned by a private developer at the junction of Glenkeen Avenue/ Jordanstown Road, Newtownabbey.

(AQW 3105/00)

Ms Rodgers: The works undertaken adjacent to the junction of Glenkeen Avenue and Jordanstown Road, Newtownabbey are part of a more extensive scheme being carried out on various sections of the Lismore Drain to improve its hydraulic capacity and prevent flooding of properties adjacent to it. The works at this particular reach involved the replacement of an existing hydraulically inadequate culvert with a pipe of greater diameter. Final payments have yet to be made, but the cost is of the order of £60,000. The fact that part of the property adjacent to the Glenkeen Avenue/Jordanstown Road junction, through which the watercourse passes, was acquired by a private developer subsequent to the planning of the scheme was coincidental, and had no bearing on the need for the scheme.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to give his assessment of men’s senior hockey; and to make a statement.

(AQW 3059/00)

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Mr McGimpsey): Responsibility for the development of sport in the province rests with the Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI). The Sports Council is working with the Governing Body of the Sport, the Irish Hockey Association, on a development plan for hockey. This plan is being taken forward by hockey’s Development Officers, engaged with assistance from SCNI.

Hockey has served the community well, but there is still potential for development and hopefully this can be realised through the planning process now in hand.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to give his assessment of women’s senior hockey; and to make a statement.

(AQW 3060/00)

Mr McGimpsey: Responsibility for the development of sport in the province rests with the Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI). The Sports Council is working with the Governing Body of the Sport, the Irish Hockey Association, on a development plan for hockey. This plan is being taken forward by hockey’s Development Officers, engaged with assistance from SCNI.

Hockey has served the community well, but there is still potential for development and hopefully this can be realised through the planning process now in hand.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to give his assessment on the future of junior soccer in the Greater Belfast area given the reduction in the number of soccer pitches available; and to make a statement.

(AQW 3061/00)

Mr McGimpsey: Firstly, I should explain that under Article 10 of the Recreation and Youth Service (NI) Order 1986, it is the responsibility of District Councils to ensure that there are adequate facilities for recreational, social, physical and cultural activities.

You will be aware that the Department is currently considering how longer term problems facing football can be addressed and the outcome of the work I have put in place to develop a Soccer Strategy for Northern Ireland will also be relevant in dealing with the development of the game at all levels.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail what assistance has been offered to the Fernhill Museum at Glencairn Park, Belfast.

(AQW 3086/00)

Mr McGimpsey: My officials met with the manager of Fernhill House Museum on 25 May 2001 to discuss the funding difficulties that the museum now faces. Following the meeting, officials are currently engaged in gathering the information they need to support an in-year bid for resources to address Fernhill’s immediate need. I understand that the museum’s manager is also in contact with other funding providers.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail when he will officially announce the moneys available for motorcycle road racing in Northern Ireland and will the announcement be made before the funding for motorbike circuits is released.

(AQW 3098/00)

Mr McGimpsey: I fully recognise the need for funding to carry out the improvements at road circuits as recommended in the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland commissioned Road Race Task Force Report.

Work will be carried out on a partnership basis between the Department of Regional Development, Northern Ireland Electricity, British Telecom, Sports Council for NI and the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland. My Department is coordinating their efforts and work is ongoing to establish the funding required. An announcement will be made regarding distribution arrangements when the total funding needed is known.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail the method of distributing finance to improve safety for each motorcycle racing event as recommended by the motorcycle task force.

(AQW 3099/00)

Mr McGimpsey: I fully recognise the need for funding to carry out the improvements at road circuits as recommended in the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland commissioned Road Race Task Force Report.

Work will be carried out on a partnership basis between the Department of Regional Development, Northern Ireland Electricity, British Telecom, Sports Council for NI and the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland. My Department is coordinating their efforts and work is ongoing to establish the funding required. An announcement will be made regarding distribution arrangements when the total funding needed is known.

Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, pursuant to AQW 1986/00, to detail the arrangements in place to ensure that talented individuals throughout Northern Ireland have equality of access to the specialist services provided through the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland.

(AQW 3146/00)

Mr McGimpsey: The Sports Institute will consist of specialist facilities and services based mainly at the Jordanstown Campus of the University of Ulster. The very nature of the Institute is that it will be primarily for the development of Northern Ireland’s elite, and potential elite athletes, to allow them to increase their performance in major competitions. While the Institute will, in the first instance, develop specialist facilities for only a limited number of sports there will be generic training facilities and specialist services available to all of Northern Ireland’s top athletes irrespective if their sport, their gender or their level of ability/disability.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to detail any plans he has to develop greyhound racing.

(AQW 3167/00)

Mr McGimpsey: Greyhound racing is not recognised as a sport in Northern Ireland, nor indeed in any other part of the United Kingdom, and I am not aware of any plans to develop this activity at present.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Education to detail what steps he is taking to (a) decrease the time taken to have pupils statemented in schools and (b) ensure mutual recognition of statements between the Education and Library Boards so that when a child moves from one area to another he/she does not need to be re-statemented.

(AQW 3056/00)

The Minister of Education (Mr M McGuinness): The time specified for statutory assessments in regulations is 18 weeks from the date when an Education and Library Board writes to parents proposing to carry out an assessment, or parents request one, until the Board issues a copy of the proposed statement. The regulations provide that this period may be exceeded in certain circumstances. The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice recommends that no more than eight weeks should elapse between the issue of the proposed and final statements. Both measures aim to reduce the overall time taken and I have no plans to change them.

Under the same regulations where a child with a statement of special educational needs moves from one Board area to another, the old Board must transfer the statement to the new Board which in turn must inform parents within six weeks that the statement has been transferred and whether it proposes to carry out its own assessment. Even if a new assessment is carried out, the original statement remains in force until the new one has been completed. A new assessment will of course ensure that current provision is still suitable to meet the child’s needs and this can only be to the child’s benefit.

Mr Fee asked the Minister of Education to detail, by Board area, the number of schoolchildren being taught in temporary classrooms in (a) primary schools; and (b) secondary schools.

(AQW 3057/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Education to make it his policy to increase capital expenditure on schools in West Tyrone.

(AQW 3070/00)

Mr M McGuinness: I am committed to improving the entire schools estate, including schools in West Tyrone, and I shall continue to strive for an increase in capital funding to achieve this.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Education to detail how much capital expenditure has been allocated for (a) new school buildings and (b) repairs and improvement to school buildings in West Tyrone since May 1997.

(AQW 3078/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Capital funding made available for new school major work projects in West Tyrone since 1997 is set out below. Expenditure allocated for repairs and improvements is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Education to detail the level of Pre-school Education Advisory Groups (PEAG) funding made available for each constituency for the years 1999-00 and 2000-01.

(AQW 3084/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The funding made available in each constituency for the years 1999-00 and 2000-01 under the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme (which is planned at education and library board level by the 5 Pre-School Education Advisory Groups (PEAGs)) is shown in the table below. It is important to bear in mind that the Expansion Programme is building upon pre-school provision which existed prior to the commencement of the Programme and that the level of such provision varied from area to area.

The figures include both recurrent and capital expenditure, and are rounded to the nearest thousand pounds.

Mr Hilditch asked the Minister of Education to detail the improvements he intends to make to his school transport policy for the constituency of East Antrim.

(AQW 3088/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The current home to school transport arrangements approved by my Department require Education and Library Boards to provide transport assistance where a pupil is unable to gain a place in a suitable school within statutory walking distance of his or her home (2 miles for primary school age pupils and 3 miles for post-primary pupils). The definition of a suitable school has regard to the well established categories of controlled, Catholic maintained, Integrated, and Irish- medium and in the grammar sector, denominational and non-denominational schools.

The current policy is applied equally to all pupils in attendance at grant-aided schools regardless of the constituency or board area in which they live. I plan to review the policy later this year, and any changes made as a result of that review will apply equally to all areas.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister of Education to detail what financial support was given to playgroups in West Tyrone in the years 1999-00 and 2000-01.

(AQW 3103/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Under my Department’s Pre- School Education Expansion Programme, the voluntary and private playgroup sector is, for the first time, able to access funding for places which have in the past been funded largely from parental contributions or other sources. In the 1999/00 and 2000/01 financial years amounts totalling £174,000 and £249,000 respectively were paid to non statutory settings in the West Tyrone constituency. The figures include the allocation to one private Day Nursery, which has been included for the sake of completeness.

Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 2878/00, to give his assessment on whether there is sufficient funds available to purchase books and materials required by Primary Schools given the percentage of delegated budgets that are allocated to teachers’ salaries.

(AQW 3104/00)

Mr M McGuinness: It is vital that each school has sufficient resources available to provide books and other materials to support teaching and learning.

The budget allocated to each school is unhypothecated and thus the Board of Governors decide the spending priorities including the amount to be spent on teacher salaries, books and equipment. School budgets are augmented from time to time by other financial allocations which can be used to purchase books and materials such as the £20.4m allocated to schools from the Budget Addition this year and the £1.5m allocated last year for reading schemes in the primary sector.

I am aware however that some schools have above average teaching costs and that this can reduce the amount available to the school for spending on items such as books and equipment. I have therefore brought forward proposals in the consultation document on the common formula which, if implemented, would compensate schools for these additional costs.

Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Education to outline the action he will take to lessen the adverse impact to learning support centres in the event that the proposed Common Funding Formula is implemented.

(AQW 3111/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The proposals for special unit funding set out in the Consultation Document on a common funding formula are designed to bring the arrangements for the funding of units and the level at which they are funded on to a consistent footing across all education and library board areas. In developing these proposals we have sought to ensure there is no adverse impact on special units attached to mainstream schools and I would encourage all involved to highlight any evidence to the contrary in their response to the consultation.

Transitional funding arrangements will be in place to help offset any difficulties being experienced by individual schools in coping with changes to their overall budget allocation.

Mr Armstrong asked the Minister of Education whether he has any plans to place greater emphasis on Religious Education tuition within the school curriculum.

(AQW 3133/00)

Mr M McGuinness: Religious Education is a compulsory element of the curriculum for all registered pupils in grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland, which reflects the importance attached to the subject. There are currently no plans to change the amount of time spent teaching Religious Education in the school curriculum.

Mr Armstrong asked the Minister of Education to detail the steps he is taking to improve transport services to rural schools so that they can increase their pool of pupils.

(AQW 3134/00)

Mr M McGuinness: The current policy on home to school transport is applied equally to all pupils in attendance at grant-aided schools. Under the current arrangements pupils will not receive transport to schools outside statutory walking distance, where there is a suitable school within that statutory distance. I intend to review the transport policy later this year and any changes made as a result of that review will apply equally to pupils in rural and urban areas.

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