(AQW 1560/01)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Dr Farren): Information in the Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin, which is published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, indicates that in the period from 1995 to 2000 there was a general increase in the value of Construction output.

Although final outturn figures for 2001 will not be available until 25 April 2002, I am aware from representations made by the Construction Employers Federation and the Construction Industry Group that the industry has concerns about perceived reductions in output and enquiries for new work in the last quarter of 2001 and I anticipate meeting representatives from both bodies in the near future to discuss these concerns.

(AQW 1580/01)

Dr Farren: No decision has yet been taken on future policy on age of retirement in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. Consideration of a range of business and equality issues is ongoing and one element that will inform deliberations is the report of the independent team reviewing appointment and promotion procedures to the Senior Civil Service. Once that report is available an informed decision will be taken on the way forward.

(AQW 1581/01)

Dr Farren: It is not possible to state definitively the number of staff who will be required to retire at age 60 in the years 2002 and 2003. This is because a number of staff are entitled to work beyond age 60 due to transitional arrangements which were introduced when the age of retirement was last changed in 1996 plus a number of staff may be retained beyond age 60 due to particular business needs.

(AQW 1587/01)

Dr Farren: The Office of Law Reform has not developed a general policy on physical punishment in the home. A wide-ranging consultation has taken place from 11th September 2001 until 31st January 2002, and policy will only be developed when all responses to the consultation have been analysed and taken into account.

Although it is the usual practice of the European Court of Human Rights to limit its examination to the specific facts of the case before it, it is normal legal practice to apply European case-law to a wider category of analogous situations.

(AQW 1597/01)

Dr Farren: I can confirm that the Department of Finance and Personnel have not used the services of W & G Baird Ltd in the period since Devolution.

(AQW 1635/01)

Dr Farren: All appointments to executive NDPBs and HPSS bodies must conform with the Code of Practice and Guidelines published by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA).

The Department of Finance and Personnel has no executive NDPBs or HPSS bodies. However it has responsibility for two Advisory NDPBs and the Lay Observer who do not fall within the remit of the OCPA.

The Department is committed however, to the principles that form the basis of public appointments and applies the OCPA Code of Practice and Guidelines as far as is practicable. Appointees are also expected to conform with the seven principles of public life identified by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (previously the Nolan Committee, now the Neill Committee), a copy of which is attached.

(AQW 1048/01)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): The Revised Budget allocation for 2002-03 represents an 8.9% increase in my Department’s spending power. I estimate that, in contrast, England’s equivalent expenditure will increase by approximately 10.5% next year.

Since almost all the HPSS cost drivers originate in England, and since our health needs are actually greater than theirs, it is important that increases in my budget should at least keep pace with those in England. Where that does not happen, it is inevitable that we shall have less service development and that our service-users will suffer by comparison.

Per capita figures alone do not take account of our poor health status and various other factors, which mean that our need for HPSS expenditure is much higher than the GB average. My aim in the coming Spending Review will be to secure an increased level of funding which will provide our population with a modern, accessible and effective service.

Is méadú 8.9% i gcumhacht caiteachais mo Roinne an Buiséad Athbhreithnithe do 2002-03. Measaim, i gcodarsnacht leis, go méadóidh chaiteachas coibhéiseach Shasana le 10.5% go garbh ar an bhliain seo chugainn.

De thairbhe go n-eascraíonn tiománaithe costais na RSSS ó Shasana agus de thairbhe gur mó ár riachtanais shláinte, déanta na fírinne, ná a chomhionann i Sasana, is tábhachtach gur cóir go mbeidh méaduithe sa bhuiséad s’agam ar comhchéim ar a laghad leo siúd i Sasana. Nuair nach dtarlaíonn a leithéid is cinnte gur lú an fhorbairt seirbhíse a bheidh againn agus go mbeidh ár n-úsáideoirí seirbhísí féin thíos nuair a chuirtear an dá sheirbhís sa mheá.

Ní chuireann na figiúirí per capita amháin san áireamh an stádas íseal sláinte s’againn agus fachtóirí éagsúla eile, a chiallaíonn gur mó i bhfad ár riachtanais féin ar chaiteachas na RSSS ná an meán sa BM. Is é an aidhm atá agam san Athbhreithniú Caiteachais atá le teacht leibhéal méadaithe maoinithe a chinntiú a thabharfadh seirbhís nua-aimseartha, ionrochtana agus éifeachtach dár muintir.

(AQW 1543/01)

Ms de Brún: On the limited information available, I am unable to comment at present. New drug treatments are subject to rigorous examination before they are approved for use and I will await further information before making any comment.

Mar gheall ar an eolas teoranta atá ar fáil, ní féidir liom trácht air faoi láthair. Tá cóireáil nua le drugaí faoi réir scrúdaithe dhéin sula dtugtar cead chun iad a úsáid agus fanfaidh mé ar thuilleadh eolais sula ndéanfaidh mé trácht.

(AQW 1548/01)

Ms de Brún: The total estimated annual inpatient costs to the health service of smoking related diseases is in excess of £22m. In addition, there are further costs associated with outpatient and primary care which cannot readily be identified.

Is é breis agus £22m na costais iomlána bhliantúla mheasta déanta ag an tseirbhís sláinte le hothair chónaitheacha ar thóg siad galair bainteach le caitheamh tobac. Chomh maith leis sin, tá costais bhreise ann bainteach le cúram éisothair agus príomhchúram nach féidir a mheas go réidh.

(AQW 1551/01)

Ms de Brún: 98 approved couples are currently waiting to be matched with a child. The average age of adoptive parents when they are approved as suitable to adopt is 38.

Tá 98 lánúin cheadaithe ag fanacht faoi láthair le bheith curtha le páiste. Is é 38 bliain meánaois na dtuismitheoirí mar dhaoine oiriúnach le haghaidh uchtaithe.

(AQW 1552/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department’s Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan 2002-2005 was launched on 30 January 2002. It contains recommendations for action by Boards, Trusts and other agencies, both statutory and voluntary to address the problem of antibiotic resistance, and, in particular, its hard-to-treat infection aspect.

I am setting up a multi-disciplinary steering group under the auspices of the Department’s Regional Advisory Committee on Communicable Disease Control to oversee the report’s implementation.

Lainseáil Plean Gníomhaíochta ar Fhrithbheart Frithmhicróbach 2002 – 2005 de chuid mo Roinne ar 30 Eanáir 2002. Istigh ann tá moltaí le haghaidh gnímh ag Boird, Iontaobhais agus gníomhaíochtaí eile, idir reachtúil agus dheonach le dul i ngleic leis fadhb an fhrithbhirt fhrithmhicróbaigh, agus, go háirithe, an gné ar doiligh cóir leighis a dhéanamh ar an ionfhabhtú.

Tá mé ag bunadh grúpa stiúrtha ildisciplíneach faoi phátrúnacht na Comhairle Réigiúnaí Chomhairlí de chuid na Roinne ar Smachtú Galair Tógálaigh le maoirseacht a dhéanamh ar chur i bhfeidhm na tuairisce.

(AQW 1586/01)

Ms de Brún: South & East Belfast Trust currently provide six regional adolescent psychiatric beds. A further 10 beds will be provided by the Trust.

Cuireann Iontaobhas Bhéal Feirste Theas & Thoir sé leaba síciatracha réigiúnacha ar fáil d’ógánaigh i láthair na huaire. Cuirfidh an tIontaobhas 10 leaba breise ar fáil.

(AQW 1590/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department will shortly start a review of the Agency. The review group, whose membership includes both customers of the Agency and staff representatives, will be supported by consultants. The first stage of the review will be a period of consultation (3 months) followed by an evaluation of the organisational options for carrying out the Agency’s functions in the future (3 months). If stage 2 confirms that the Agency’s functions are still required and that the Agency remains the best vehicle for delivering those services, then the third and final stage will be a forward looking examination as to how to develop and improve its performance and the operation of its relationship with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. It is planned that the review will be completed by the end of 2002.

(AQW 1594/01)

Ms de Brún: Treatment is provided to people with injuries, irrespective of how those injuries were inflicted. Current systems within hospitals cannot readily identify the information sought and to establish a dedicated system for the purpose would involve disproportionate cost to the service.

Tugtar cóireáil do dhaoine ar bhain gortuithe dóibh, beag beann ar an dóigh a ndéarnadh na gortuithe sin orthu. Ní thig leis na córais reatha laistigh d’otharlanna an t-eolas iarrtha a fháil go réidh agus dá mbunófaí córas tiomnaithe don chuspóir seo, bheadh an costas i gceist ar an tseirbhís leis seo a dhéanamh díréireach.

(AQW 1603/01)

Ms de Brún: Information on the number of primary courses of MMR vaccination completed in each Board is detailed in the table below.

(AQW 1617/01)

Ms de Brún: Since the establishment of the Executive, my Department has not awarded any contracts directly to W & G Baird.

Ó bhunú an Fheidhmeannais, níor thug an Roinn s’agamsa conradh ar bith go díreach do W & G Baird.

(AQW 1624/01)

(a) information is detailed in the table below. These figures should be interpreted with caution, as there is currently no regional standardisation of screening. As parental consent is not always granted, figures may be affected by the percentage of children it is not possible to screen.

(b) average number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in 5 year olds in Great Britain and here in 1997/8 was 1.68.

(a) Tá an t-eolas seo léirithe sa tábla thíos. Ba chóir na figiúirí a léirmhíniú go faichilleach, mar faoi láthair níl caighdeán reigiúnach scagthástála ann. Toisc nach dtugtar cead ó thuismitheoirí i gcónaí, is dócha go mbeadh tionchar ag céatadán na bpáistí nach féidir iad a scagadh ar na figiúirí.

(b) Ba é 1.68 an mheán-uimhir fiacla lofa, ar iarraidh nó líonta ag páistí sa Bhreatain Mhór agus anseo i 1997/8 .

(AQW 1626/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department incurred costs of £75,948.27 in regard to the second judicial review on the Jubilee Maternity Hospital. These are outlined below.

Bhí costais £75,948.27 ar an Roinn s’agam maidir leis an dara hathreithniú breithiúnach ar Otharlann Mháithreachais na Iubhaile. Tá siad siúd léirithe thíos.

(AQW 1627/01)

Ms de Brún: Under their Terms of Services (General Medical Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997) GPs are required to comply with the HPSS Complaints Procedures. These procedures, however, do not make it mandatory for GPs to implement the recommendations of an Independent Review Panel. This has been recognised as a basic weakness in the Complaints Procedures and has also been highlighted in a recent evaluation of NHS Complaints Procedures which covered complaints procedures in England, Scotland, Wales and here.

Most GPs here willingly take on the implementation of the Independent Review Panel’s recommendations but there have been a few isolated incidents where this has not been the case. HPSS Complaints Procedures are currently being reviewed and this issue will be looked at as part of that review.

De réir a Terms of Services (General Medical Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997) ní mór do Ghnáthdhochtúirí déanamh de réir Ghnáthaimh Ghearán na SSSP. Ní chuireann na gnáthaimh seo iachall ar Ghnáthdhochtúirí áfach moltaí an Phainéil Athbhreithnithe Neamhspleách a chur i bhfeidhm. Aithníodh é seo mar bhunlaige sna Gnáthaimh Ghearán agus aibhsíodh é seo fosta i measúnú déanach ar Ghnáthaimh Ghearán na SNS a clúdaigh gnáthaimh ghearán i Sasana, in Albain, sa Bhreatain Bheag agus abhus anseo.

Tá formhór na nGnáthdhochtúirí anseo toilteanach moltaí an Phainéil Athbhreithnithe Neamhspleách a chur i bhfeidhm ach tharla sé cúpla uair nuair nárbh amhlaidh a bhí an scéal. Tá athbhreithniú á dhéanamh ar Ghnáthaimh Ghearán na SSSP i láthair na huaire agus smaoineofar ar an cheist seo mar chuid den athbhreithniú sin.

(AQW 1629/01)

Ms de Brún: I refer the Member to my answer to AQW1623/01.

Treoraím an Ball do mo fhreagra a thug mé ar AQW 1623/01.

(AQW 1645/01)

Ms de Brún: My objective is to ensure that service users are happy with the quality of services they receive from Trusts. Where this is not the case, I want to ensure that the complaints procedures are accessible and are easy to both understand and use, with the aim of achieving a satisfactory resolution as speedily as possible.

The fact is that the underfunding of the health and social services and the continued and substantial rise in demand for services have combined to leave an increased number of people unhappy with the services. This is reflected in a rise in the number of complaints. I am working to improve the services and will continue to seek the additional funds needed to make this happen.

I am also determined to ensure that quality is reflected throughout the HPSS and that any shortcomings which are identified through the complaints procedure or the work of the Ombudsman are properly addressed.

Is é mo chuspóir le cinntiú go bhfuil úsáideoirí seirbhísí sásta le caighdeán na seirbhísí a fhaigheann siad ó na hIontaobhais. Nuair nach bhfuil seo amhlaidh, is mian liom cinntiú gur féidir teacht ar na gnáthaimh ghearán agus go bhfuil siad furasta a thuiscint agus a úsáid agus an aidhm agam réiteach sásúil a bhaint amach a ghaiste agus is féidir.

Déanta na fírinne, is iad fomhaoiniú na seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta agus an méadú leanúnach mór sa ráchairt ar na seirbhísí araon is cúis leis an mhéadú i líon na ndaoine míshásta leis na seirbhísí. Léirítear seo sa mhéadú i líon na ngearán déanta. Tá mé ag obair chun na seirbhísí a fheabhsú agus leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh le hiarraidh ar an airgead breise a bheidh de dhíth leis seo a bhaint amach.

Tá mé meáite fosta a chinntiú go léirítear feabhas ar fud na SSSP agus go dtugtar faoi locht ar bith aitheanta ag na gnáthaimh ghearán nó mar gheall ar obair Chosantóir an Phobail mar is ceart.

(AQW 1648/01)

Ms de Brún: This information is detailed in Table 1 below. Knee replacement operations are carried out in two Boards only.

Tá an t-eolas léirithe i dTábla 1 thíos. Ní dhéatar obráidí malartaithe glúine ach amháin i ndá Bhord.