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| Friday 12 April 2002 Decentralised Administration Mr Oliver Gibson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel what plans he has to ensure that all areas of Northern Ireland enjoy the benefits of a decentralised administration. (AQW 2582/01) The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Dr Farren): I am conscious of the contribution that public sector jobs can make to the economic and social development of local communities. However, until the conclusion of the strategic review of Civil Service office accommodation, which includes an examination of the scope for decentralisation of Civil Service jobs, it would be wrong to prejudge the outcome or to speculate as to the locations that might be involved in any subsequent dispersal of Civil Service jobs. On 11 March 2002, I announced the issue of an interim report on the accommodation review for public consultation and this was made available to all Members on that day. Reduction in Rates : Community Halls Mr Danny Kennedy asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the criteria by which community halls may receive a reduction in rates. (AQW 2585/01) Dr Farren: The current legislation permits a measure of rate exemption on any hall where the wider community uses its facilities. Typically uses such as Sunday schools, community based youth clubs, OAP clubs, playgroups and church meetings are considered ‘charitable’ and apportioned out as exempt. The degree of exemption available is in direct proportion to the use of the facility for charitable and broad community purposes. There is no ceiling on the level of exemption available and a number of community halls already enjoy a substantial element of rate exemption on these grounds. Local Strategy Partnerships : Political Representation Mr Jim Wells asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to give a detailed breakdown of the political affiliation of the District Council representatives on each of the Local Strategy Partnerships. (AQW 2597/01) Dr Farren: In accordance with the requirements of the PEACE II Operational Programme the Special EU Programmes Body as Managing Authority for the Programme was responsible for overseeing the establishment of the 26 Local Strategy Partnerships (LSPs) and for ensuring that the process for nomination to them was open and transparent and that there was agreement at local level. A total of 627 Members are currently serving on the Local Strategy Partnerships of which 154 are District Council representatives. These include: 37 UUP, 35 SDLP, 35 DUP, 25 SF, 10 ALL, 1 UUAP, 1 PUP, 9 IND, 1 UKUP. A detailed breakdown of the political affiliation of District Council representatives for each Local Strategy Partnership is set out in the attached table.
Official Cars Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail (a) those Ministers that have been using a contracted-out official car service; (b) what this has cost individually for each Minister over the past 2 years; (c) those Ministers that have been using the in-house official car service; and (d) how much this has cost individually for each Minister over the past 2 years. (AQW 2598/01) Dr Farren: In relation to those Ministers whose transportation requirements have been the responsibility of the Department of Finance & Personnel’s Centralised Transport Branch, the following arrangements have applied within the last 2 years:
Information on the cost of provision of this service for each Minister/ Department, for the 2 year period requested, can only be provided at disproportionate cost. Strategic Spending Priorities : 2002-03 Mr Sammy Wilson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel what consultations he is having regarding strategic spending priorities for 2002-03. (AQW 2657/01) Dr Farren: There will be a number of phases of consultation in the preparation of both the Programme for Government and the Budget 2002 which will identify the Executive’s key policy priorities and associated strategic spending priorities for 2002-03 and beyond. In preparing its Position Report for publication in late May, the Executive will take account of initial comments from Assembly Committees in relation to departmental contributions. The Position Report will also seek views on the overarching priorities and key policy areas that might be addressed in the Programme for Government. Over the Summer the Position Report will be the subject of consultation with Committees and views will also be sought from other key local interests. The draft Programme for Government and draft Budget, which will be informed by feedback from the Position Report, will be presented to the Assembly on 23rd September and this will be followed by formal consultation (including on the equality aspects of both documents) with Assembly Committees and the wider public. The comments received will be taken into account in the preparation of the final Programme for Government and Budget 2002 in December. NICS Recruitments Dr Esmond Birnie asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline the percentage of new recruits to the Northern Ireland Civil Service in (a) 1999-2000; and (b) 2000-01 which were (i) male/female; and (ii) Catholic/Protestant. (AQW 2691/01) Dr Farren: The information is as follows:
The figures include casual and industrial staff: community background figures exclude staff whose community background is not determined. Aggregate Tax Mr Tommy Gallagher asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel for an update on his negotiations concerning the aggregate tax; and to make a statement. (AQW 2707/01) Dr Farren: Aggregates tax is an excepted matter and HM Treasury (Customs & Excise ) has responsibility for implementation. The Treasury remains committed to the timetable announced in the Pre-Budget Report (PBR November 2001) with the tax being implemented from 1 April 2002. Virgin aggregate will be subject to the tax at £1.60 per tonne, whereas aggregate used in processing in Northern Ireland will be exempt from the tax in the first year (2002/03) and thereafter will be phased in on a incremental basis, with full implementation envisaged by 2007/08. This is subject to State Aid approval by the European Commission and although not yet granted, HM Treasury have given assurances that the first-year exemption will be backdated to the introduction of the tax on 1 April 2002. My officials are currently involved in negotiations with industry representatives to produce a draft strategy, which will outline an alternative to that proposed in the Pre Budget report. Once this draft strategy has been agreed with the industry I propose to correspond with HM Treasury outlining the proposals and seek agreement to take the case forward to the European Commission. Health, Social Services and Public Safety Official Correspondence The Lord Kilclooney asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she forbids the use of the term 'Northern Ireland' in official correspondence from her Department; and to make a statement. (AQW 1799/01) The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): Whilst it is not a term which I personally use there is no restriction on civil servants in the department using it in official correspondence. Cé nach téarma é a úsáidim go pearsanta níl bac ar státseirbhísí sa Roinn é a úsáid i gcomhfhreagrachas oifigiúil. Dental Provision Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety how much was spent on dental provision, per Board area, in each of the last 3 years. (AQW 1806/01) Ms de Brún: The expenditure by Board area for dental services in each of the last three years is shown in the table below. The figures include general dental services, hospital dental specialties and community dental services. However, the figures do not include some minor elements of provision such as oral surgery and dental work in plastic surgery as this information was not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. DENTAL PROVISION BY HEALTH BOARD AREA
Léirítear an caiteachas de réir ceantar Boird le seirbhísí déadacha i ngach bliain de na trí bliana anuas sa tábla thíos. Cuimsíonn na figiúirí gnáthsheirbhísí déadacha, speisialtachtaí déadacha otharlainne agus seirbhísí déadacha pobail. Ní chuimsíonn na figiúirí roinnt mionghnéithe de sholáthar áfach amhail máinliacht bhéil agus obair dhéadach i máinliacht phlaisteach mar nach raibh an t-eolas seo ar fáil go réidh agus ní fhéadfaí é a chur ar fáil ach ar chostas dhíréireach. SOLÁTHAR DÉADACH DE RÉIR CHEANTAR AN BHOIRD SHLÁINTE
Bed Complement : Erne and Tyrone County Hospitals Mr Pat Doherty asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, with reference to the Acute Hospital Review Group Report of June 2001, to detail (a) the current total bed complement and configuration for the Erne and Tyrone County Hospitals; and (b) if the figures in the report relating to acute beds were correct at the time of publication. (AQW 2302/01) Ms de Brún: (a) The current total bed complement for the Erne and Tyrone County hospitals, and their current configuration, are given in the table below. They are for the year 2000/2001, the latest year for which figures are available.
(b) The figures quoted for Acute Beds in the Acute Hospitals Review Group report were for 1999/2000 and are consistent with the information held by my Department. (a) Tá cuóta iomlán leapacha d’Otharlanna na hÉirne agus Thír Eoghain, agus a socruithe faoi láthair, tugtha sa tábla thíos. Is do na blianta 2000/01 atá siad, an bhliain is déanaí a bhfuil figiúirí ar fáil di.
(b) Don bhliain 1999/2000 a bhí na figiúirí a tuairisiodh do Ghéarleabacha i dtuairisc an Ghrúpa Athbhreithithe ar Ghéarotharlanna agus tá siad comhsheasamhach ar fad leis an eolas ag mo Roinn. Central Salaries and Wages Department Mrs Joan Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if she will consider the provision of a central salaries and wages department to administer all salaries and allowances in the health service. (AQW 2320/01) Ms de Brún: My Department has commenced a review of the HPSS financial systems including payroll. This will include the preparation of business cases which will explore not only a range of IT solutions, but also how the salaries and wages function can be delivered in the most cost-effective way. Chuir mo Roinn tús le hathbhreithniú ar chórais airgeadais na SSSP, párollaí san áireamh. Cuimseoidh sé seo ullmhú cásanna gnó nach scrúdóidh réimse réiteach TE amháin ach dóigheanna ar féidir leis na pánna agus na tuarastail a dhéanamh níos costas-éifeachtaí chomh maith. District Nursing Services Mr Tommy Gallagher asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans she has to ensure that there is equal access to District Nursing services across Northern Ireland and in particular rural areas. (AQW 2325/01) Ms de Brún: There is currently open access to district nursing services here across all areas including rural areas. District nurses will take referrals from various sources including general practitioners, hospitals and self-referrals from clients. My Department’s Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Group has established a Regional District Nursing Group to examine a range of issues. An objective of the Group is to set more systematic, standardised referral criteria for access to district nursing services that will be applied consistently. Tá rochtain oscailte faoi láthair do sheirbhísí altranais dhúiche anseo agus fud fad gach ceantar, ceantair thuaithe san áireamh. Glacfaidh altraí atreoraithe ó fhoinse éagsúla dochtúirí ginearálta, otharlanna agus féin-atreorú ó chliaint san áireamh. Bhunaigh Grúpa Comhairleach Altranais agus Mná Cabhrach na Roinne s’agam Grúpa Altranais Dhúiche Reigiúnaí le hamharc ar roinnt ceisteanna. Is é cuspóir amháin atá ag an grúpa ná critéir atreoraithe níos córasaí agus níos caighdeáinaí faoi choinne rochtain ar sheirbhísí altranais dhúiche a chuirfear i bhfeidhm go seasta.
Improving Primary Health Care Mr David Hilditch asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what plans she has to improve primary health care. (AQW 2353/01) Ms de Brún: Central to my plans to improve primary health care is the removal of the last elements of the internal market and the establishment of new Local Health and Social Care Groups. These new Groups will create a framework which will support primary care professionals to work in partnership with each other and with other parts of the health and social services in order to improve primary care services for the populations they serve. In addition, they will create opportunities for primary care to link with other statutory, community and voluntary agencies that can contribute to improving health and well-being. The new Groups will support primary care in making its contribution to the implementation of other policies being pursued by the Department, such as securing input from local communities to the planning and commissioning of services at local level; implementing the Investing for Health strategy; and implementing any proposals that emerge from the Best Practice – Best Care consultation paper. The new Groups will contribute to the development of Health and Social Services Boards’ Health and Well Being Investment plans and draw up their own plans to address local priorities to improve primary health and social care. I plan for an orderly run down of the GP Fundholding scheme and for services currently supported by GP Fundholding monies to be maintained. My plans include arrangements for dealing with the human resource implications of ending the GP Fundholding Scheme. My plans also include the redistribution of some of the resources currently tied up in the GP Fundholding Scheme to front line primary care services. I have plans to introduce measures to improve quality in primary care which include the introduction of clinical and social care governance, the promotion of life long learning and enhanced professional regulation. Negotiations on a new GP contract and appraisal system are ongoing. This values achievements as well as improving performance. On the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) front, I am planning for Boards and GPs to work with my Department to make available to GPs a greater range of ICT facilities, such as, electronic patient registration, E-mail and internet access, electronic pathology results, radiology reports and items of service claims I also plan to take forward the recommendations arising from the mid-term evaluation of the Oral Health Strategy. My plans will include targets to increase number of 2 - 5 year olds being registered with general dental practitioners and to ensure the adoption of a consistent programme of School Dental Screening. I plan for Boards and Trusts to work with community pharmacies to ensure that the community pharmacy medicines management initiative is expanded to more community pharmacies. More detailed information on my plans for primary care and the key targets against which their achievement will be measured will be published soon in my Department’s Priorities for Action 2002/03 document. Is é atá mar chuid lárnach de mo phleananna chun príomhchúram a fheabhsú ná na gnéithe deireanacha den mhargadh inmheánach a bhaint ar shiúl agus Grúpaí Sláinte Áitiúla agus Cúraim Shóisialta nua a bhunú. Cruthóidh na Grúpaí nua seo creatlach a thacóidh le gairmithe príomhchúraim chun obair i gcomhar lena chéile agus le codanna eile de na seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta le haghaidh seirbhísí príomhchúraim a fheabhsú do na pobail a mbíonn siad ag freastal orthu. Ar a bharr, beidh siad ag soláthar deiseanna i leith príomhchúraim le ceangal a dhéanamh le gníomhaireachtaí eile reachtúla, pobail agus deonacha ar féidir leo cuidiú le sláinte agus folláine a fheabhsú. Tacóidh na Grúpaí le príomhchúram trí chur leis an chur i bhfeidhm polasaithe eile ar mór ag an Roinn iad amhail ionchur a fháil ó phobail áitiúla le haghaidh pleanáil agus coimisiúnú ar bhonn áitiúil; straitéis Infheistíocht sa tSláinte a chur i bhfeidhm; agus moltaí ar bith a eascraíonn as páipéar comhairlithe Sárchleachtadh-Sárchúram a chur i bhfeidhm. Cuideoidh na Grúpaí nua le forbairt pleananna Infheistíochta Sláinte agus Folláine de chuid na mBord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta agus a gcuid pleananna féin a dhéanamh chun dul i ngleic le tosaíochtaí áitiúla chun príomhchúram sláinte agus sóisialta a fheabhsú. Tá sé beartaithe agam breacadh síos ordúil ar airgead scéim Sealbhú Ciste GDanna a choinneáil. I measc na bpleananna tá socruithe chun deileáil le himpleachtaí acmhainní daonna a bheadh mar thoradh ar dheireadh a chur le Scéim Sealbhú Ciste GD. Is é a chuirtear san áireamh le mo phleananna ná athdháileadh cuid de na háiseanna atá tugtha don scéim Sealbhú Ciste GD ar sheirbhísí príomchúraim ar an líne tosaigh. Tá pleananna agam bearta a thabhairt isteach chun caighdeán cáilíochta i bpríomhchúraim a fheabhsú ina n-áirítear riar cúraim chliniciúil agus shóisialta, foghlaim ar feadh an tsaoil agus rialú méadaithe gairimiúil. Tá Idirbheartaíocht ar chóras nua conartha agus meastóireachta DGanna á déanamh faoi láthair. Tréaslaíonn seo gnóthachtáil chomh maith le feidhmiúchán a fheabhsú. I dtaca le Teicneolaíocht an Eolais agus na Cumarsáide (TEC) tá pleananna agam do Bhoird agus do DGanna le hobair leis an Roinn s’agam chun réimse níos mó áiseanna TEC a chur ar fáil amhail clárú leictreonach othair, R-phost agus rochtain idirlín, torthaí paiteolaíochta leictreonacha, tuairiscí raideolaíochta agus éilimh míreanna seirbhíse. Tá plean agam chomh maith moltaí a d’éirigh as meastóireacht lárthéarma ar an Straitéis Sláinte Béil a thabhairt chun tosaigh. Áireofar sna pleananna s’agam spriocanna chun líon na bpáistí idir 2 agus 5 bliain d’aois atá cláraithe a mhéadú chun cinntiú go dtabharfar isteach clár comhsheasmhach Scagthástáil Fiaclóireachta Scoile. Tá plean agam le Boird agus Iontaobhais chun obair le cógaslanna pobail chun cinntiú go leathnófar tionscnamh bainisteoireachta um chógais cógaslann pobail chuig níos mó cógaslann pobail. Foilseofar eolas níos grinne ar phleananna le haghaidh príomhchúraim agus na heochairspriocanna lena dtomhaisfear a gcuid gnóthachtála gan mhoill i ndoiciméad mo Roinne Tosaíochtaí le hAghaidh Gnímh 2002/03. External Link Disclaimer: The Northern Ireland Assembly does not exercise any editorial control over the websites listed above and therefore cannot be held responsible for the information, products or services contained therein. |
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