The Northern Ireland Assembly - Written Answers to Questions: Friday 1 February 2002

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of passenger miles travelled by (a) bus; and (b) train, for which latest figures are available, and for each of the last three years.

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr P Robinson): Translink has advised that the numbers of passenger miles travelled by train over the 3 financial years 1998-1999, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 were 134·9, 137·7 and 141·1 million respectively and that during the first six months of 2001-2002 the total passenger miles travelled by train was 65·9 million.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development how many (a) gritters (b) snow ploughs and (c) other types of machinery were available to treat winter conditions on trunk roads during December 2000 and December 2001.

Mr P Robinson: My Department’s Roads Service has advised me that the vehicles and plant listed in the table below were available for winter maintenance activities during December 2000 and December 2001 (none of the items is used exclusively on trunk roads):

Also, last year Roads Service entered into contracts with farmers and private contractors in all council areas to ensure that additional assistance would be available, if required, for snow clearing activities. As a result of these contracts, 237 additional pieces of equipment were available for use during December 2001.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development whether there is a statutory requirement placed on local councils to grit roads and pedestrian routes.

Mr P Robinson: There is no statutory requirement on either local councils or my Department’s Roads Service to salt roads and footways during periods of snow or icy conditions. Roads Service does, however, earmark funds each year to provide a salting service on main through routes to help the safe and convenient movement of traffic in wintry conditions.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development if he has any plans to review the content, design and location of motorway and road signs to achieve greater safety and clarity for drivers.

Mr P Robinson: My Department’s Roads Service will be reviewing the Traffic Signs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 based on the introduction, later this year, of revised GB Regulations by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions. It is likely that the review will result in amendments to some existing signs and incorporate new signs to provide for improved safety and convenience of traffic.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to outline the difference in objectives of traffic calming initiatives and road safety initiatives.

Mr P Robinson: Road safety initiatives are aimed at reducing the number of people killed or injured on our roads. Such initiatives take the form of education, training and publicity as well as enforcement and road engineering measures.

Mr Clyde asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail what consideration he has given to the creation of a quality bus corridor on the A8(M) Larne line at Sandyknowes.

Mr P Robinson: My Department has no plans to provide a Quality Bus Corridor along the A8(M) route as it is a relatively short stretch of road, with only 5 buses per day in each direction and no bus stops or footways.

Mr Clyde asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of responses received to the equality impact assessment of the proposed discontinuance of services on the Antrim to Knockmore railway line.

Mr P Robinson: In total 24 responses were received to the consultation document; 14 from organisations, 3 from local government councils, one from an MLA and 6 from interested members of the public. Of these 24 responses, 12 raised specific points of concern relating to aspects of equality arising from the proposed discontinuance of services.

Mr Clyde asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the percentage of male and female respondents to the equality impact assessment of the proposed discontinuance of services on the Antrim to Knockmore railway line.

Mr P Robinson: In total 24 responses were received. Of these 17 were received from organisations, 2 of which were woman’s organisations and 15 were from organisations that were not gender specific. Of the 7 individuals who responsed 6 were male (86%) and one was female (14%).

Mr Weir asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (a) the number of buses based at Bangor Bus Station; and (b) the number of these which are over 5 years old.

Mr P Robinson: Translink has advised that 46 buses are based at the Bangor integrated bus and rail centre, 36 of which are over 5 years old.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister for Social Development to detail, by constituency, the number of lone parents who (a) have accessed places on the New Deal scheme for lone parents; and (b) are in receipt of the child care component.

The Minister for Social Development (Mr Dodds): The figures on New Deal for Lone Parents are not available on a constituency basis. The total number who have agreed to participate in the programme in Northern Ireland from April 1998 to date is 8,809.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister for Social Development if the Housing Executive has any plans to (a) replace solid fuel heating systems in parts of the Foyle constituency with oil, due to the dangers associated with right-vented chimney flues; and (b) inform home purchasers of the danger; and (c) provide compensation.

Mr Dodds: Rite-vent is a proprietary metal chimney flue which has a life span of up to 15 years. There is no question of a latent defect in the product. However, following an incident in Kinsale Park in the Waterside area of Londonderry, the Housing Executive decided to identify all dwellings with heating systems served by Rite-vent flues. This identified 217 dwellings, all of which are in Londonderry. These flues are generally 11 years old, however, taking into account their age and the heating replacement policy, the Housing Executive decided to convert the dwellings to oil, rather than replace the flues. The contract started recently and will be completed in 3 months. During the contract, sections of the removed flues will be examined in detail.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Social Development how many applications have been made for free central heating installation under the Warmer Homes Grant Scheme.

Mr Dodds: To date 1,532 applications have been made for free central heating installation under the Warm Homes grant scheme.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the average length of time which elapses between (a) the submission of an application for; and (b) the installation of free central heating under the Warmer Homes Grant Scheme.

Mr Dodds: The average length of time which elapses between (a) the submission of an application for; and (b) the installation of free central heating under the Warm Homes Grant Scheme is 3½ months.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister for Social Development what steps he has taken to introduce an agreement with NIE that reflects the full costs of the service provided by the Social Security Agency as recommended in the NIAO Report (NIA 71/00).

Mr Dodds: There are no plans at present to change the current arrangements which are in line with those operating in Great Britain. However this particular recommendation is being considered together with others contained in the report.

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister for Social Development what action he proposes to take to provide for wheelchair adapted bungalows in the Foyle constituency as a result of the suspension of the Housing Common Selection Scheme.

Mr Dodds: There has been no suspension of the Common Selection Scheme. However I understand that, pending the out come of a judicial review, a Housing Association has temporarily suspended allocations to one of its schemes in the Foyle area. This action does not affect the availability of wheelchair adapted bungalows in the Foyle constituency and does not require the provision of further accommodation than that already planned.

Mr Clyde asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the timetable for the demolition of Housing Executive properties at Chaine Walk, Ballycraigy, Antrim.

Mr Dodds: The Chaine Walk, properties cannot be demolished until the complex is vacated. The process of re-housing the existing occupants is on going but until this is completed, a timetable for the demolition cannot be drawn up.

Mr Weir asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of Housing Executive households currently awaiting home adaptations in the borough of North Down.

Mr Dodds: T he number of Housing Executive households currently awaiting home adaptations in the borough of North Down is 76.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development how many pensioners will receive the winter fuel allowance.

Mr Dodds: So far in this financial year just over 256,000 Pensioners in Northern Ireland have received a Winter Fuel Payment.

Mr Gibson asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the number of unemployed people in West Tyrone who are claiming incapacity benefit.

Mr Dodds: Unemployed people cannot claim Incapacity Benefit. Incapacity Benefit is payable to people who are sick or disabled, have been incapable of work for 4 or more days in a row, and who are not entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. Jobseeker’s Allowance is payable to unemployed customers who are available for and actively seeking work.

At August 2001 there were 6,587 Incapacity Benefit claimants and 2,859 Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants in the West Tyrone constituency.

Mr M Robinson asked the Minister for Social Development to detail, by electoral ward, the total number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in the South Belfast constituency.

Mr Dodds: The number of persons claiming Jobseeker’ s Allowance by electoral ward in the South Belfast constituency area is 1,701 and is detailed in the table below.

Mr R Hutchinson asked the Minister for Social Development to outline (a) the effectiveness of measures currently being implemented to combat benefit fraud; and (b) the areas of Northern Ireland which have the highest levels of fraudulent claims.

Mr Dodds: I am totally committed to a robust approach to tackling fraud and abuse of the social security system wherever it occurs.

Mr McGrady asked the Minister for Social Development what discussions have taken place with his ministerial counterparts concerning an inter-departmental approach in respect of neighbourhood renewal and regeneration in Ballyhornan and Bishopscourt in Co Down.

Mr Dodds: I have had some discussion at Ministerial level about this issue. As this is a rural area where the main problems relate to roads and sewerage, these issues clearly fall outside my Department’s area of responsibility. However, I am concerned about the serious difficulties faced by the residents of Ballyhornan and Bishopscourt and I have agreed to visit the area on a fact-finding exercise. I understand that the Ministers for the Environment and Regional Development visited Ballyhornan recently and I would intend to visit the area in the very near future.

Mr J Kelly asked the Assembly Commission to detail (a) the number of visits The Speaker has undertaken in his official capacity; (b) the destination of the visits; (c) the dates the visits took place; (d) the duration of the visits; and (e) who funded the visits.

The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Mr Fee): I am attaching a schedule listing the information which you requested in the above Assembly Question. As you will see, I have included the purpose of each of the Speaker’s visits which I hope you will find helpful:

Destination	Date of visit	Duration	Purpose	Funder
Dublin	2 September 1998	1 day	Meetings with Ceann Comhairle and Cathaoirleach	NI Assembly
Brussels	3/5 November 1998	3 days	Leading an Assembly delegation on a familiarisation visit to the European Parliament and European Commission	Transition Programme
Boston	22/25 November 1998	3 days	Leading a delegation of Assembly Members on a familiarisation visit to Boston and Hartford, Connecticut	Boston College
London	10/12 February 1999	3 days	Led a visit by the Assembly Commission to Westminster for various meetings with House of Lords and House of Commons officials	NI Assembly
Dublin	24/25 February 1999	1 day	Meetings in the Oireachtas and speaking engagement at UCD	Belfast to Dublin travel paid for by the Assembly, remainder of costs paid by Lord Alderdice
Washington	15/19 March 1999	5 days	Attendance at Speaker’s St Patrick’s Day event and various other meetings and engagements in Washington	NI Assembly
Florence	16/18 May 1999	3 days	Annual meeting of the Conference of Presiding Officers of the Regional Legislative Assemblies of Europe	NI Assembly
Cardiff	26 May 1999	1 day	Official Opening of the Welsh Assembly	London/Cardiff return only paid by NI Assembly, remainder of costs paid by Lord Alderdice
Dublin	31 May	evening	Engagement at Dublin Castle	NI Assembly
Oxford	12 November 1999	evening	Speaking engagement at Corpus Christi College Oxford	London/Oxford return only paid by NI Assembly, remainder of costs paid by Lord Alderdice
London	24/25 November 1999	overnight	Buckingham Palace reception	NI Assembly
Canberra	3/11 January 2000	9 days	Biennial Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference	NI Assembly
Oxford	9 March 2000	overnight	Speaking Engagement – Oxford University	London/Oxford return only paid by NI Assembly, remainder of costs paid by Lord Alderdice
Boston/Washington	15/18 March 2000	4 days	Speaking engagement at Boston College, attendance at Speaker’s St Patrick’s day event and various other meetings in Washington	NI Assembly
Dublin	23 May 2000	½ day	Meeting with the Ceann Comhairle	NI Assembly
Edinburgh	11/12 June 2000	2 days	Speaking engagement at Commonwealth Conference	NI Assembly
Isle of Man	5/6 July 2000	1½ days	Tynwald Ceremony	NI Assembly
Glasgow	18 October 2000	1 day	Donald Dewar’s funeral	NI Assembly
Washington	7/14 March 2001	7 days	Led Business Committee delegation to Washington	Part travel costs paid by NI Assembly, remainder of travel and all accommodation and subsistence costs paid by Center for Democracy, Washington
Brussels/London	16/18 May 2001	3 days	Meeting of the Steering Group of the Conference of Presiding Officers of Regional Legislative Assemblies of Europe. Meeting in London with College of Arms re Assembly Award to Fire Service.	NI Assembly
London	23 May 2001	part day	Meeting with Secretary of State	NI Assembly
Madeira	28/31 October 2001	3 days	Annual Conference of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Legislative Assemblies of Europe	NI Assembly
Botswana	7-13 January 2002	6 days	Biennial Commonwealth Speaker’s Conference	NI Assembly

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