(AQW 3283/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The Deer Park Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) was declared by my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) on 28 March 2002.

Prior to declaration, as many as possible of the known owners and occupiers of land within the site were visited by EHS and informed about the ASSI proposal. These and other interested parties have now been formally notified and given until 31 July 2002 to lodge objections or to make other representations, before the site is confirmed, with or without modifications, or rescinded. As well as all known owners and occupiers, the following parties have received declaration papers to date:

• Royal Society of the Protection of Birds

• Ulster Wildlife Trust

• Friends of the Earth

• Rural Development Council

• British Association for Shooting and Conservation

• NI Agricultural Producers Association

• NI Birdwatchers Association

• Ulster Museum

• Ulster Farmers Union

• Conservation Volunteers NI

• Strabane District Council

• British Telecom

• Northern Ireland Electricity

Those directly affected by the declaration are primarily the owners and occupiers of land within the designated site. It is not EHS practice to, make publicly available information which it holds on ownership or other interests in land. In the case of registered land, such information can be obtained from the Land Registry offices. To date there have been no meetings with interested parties in connection with this ASSI, apart from visits by EHS officials to individual owners and occupiers.

The site was identified for EHS through research undertaken by the University of Ulster into key glacial landform complexes throughout Northern Ireland. The site was subsequently surveyed in detail by EHS in accordance with established criteria for the selection and delineation of such sites. The key factor in determining the boundaries of an ASSI is the need to protect the special scientific interest of the site. As part of this process, the Department’s statutory conservation adviser, the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, was consulted.

(AQW 3299/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The Deer Park Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) was declared by my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) on 28 March 2002.

Prior to declaration, as many as possible of the known owners and occupiers of land within the site were visited by EHS and informed about the ASSI proposal. These and other interested parties have now been formally notified and given until 31 July 2002 to lodge objections or to make other representations, before the site is confirmed, with or without modifications, or rescinded. As well as all known owners and occupiers, the following parties have received declaration papers to date:

• Royal Society of the Protection of Birds

• Ulster Wildlife Trust

• Friends of the Earth

• Rural Development Council

• British Association for Shooting and Conservation

• NI Agricultural Producers Association

• NI Birdwatchers Association

• Ulster Museum

• Ulster Farmers Union

• Conservation Volunteers NI

• Strabane District Council

• British Telecom

• Northern Ireland Electricity

Those directly affected by the declaration are primarily the owners and occupiers of land within the designated site. It is not EHS practice to, make publicly available information which it holds on ownership or other interests in land. In the case of registered land, such information can be obtained from the Land Registry offices. To date there have been no meetings with interested parties in connection with this ASSI, apart from visits by EHS officials to individual owners and occupiers.

The site was identified for EHS through research undertaken by the University of Ulster into key glacial landform complexes throughout Northern Ireland. The site was subsequently surveyed in detail by EHS in accordance with established criteria for the selection and delineation of such sites. The key factor in determining the boundaries of an ASSI is the need to protect the special scientific interest of the site. As part of this process, the Department’s statutory conservation adviser, the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, was consulted.

(AQW 3300/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The Deer Park Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) was declared by my Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) on 28 March 2002.

Prior to declaration, as many as possible of the known owners and occupiers of land within the site were visited by EHS and informed about the ASSI proposal. These and other interested parties have now been formally notified and given until 31 July 2002 to lodge objections or to make other representations, before the site is confirmed, with or without modifications, or rescinded. As well as all known owners and occupiers, the following parties have received declaration papers to date:

• Royal Society of the Protection of Birds

• Ulster Wildlife Trust

• Friends of the Earth

• Rural Development Council

• British Association for Shooting and Conservation

• NI Agricultural Producers Association

• NI Birdwatchers Association

• Ulster Museum

• Ulster Farmers Union

• Conservation Volunteers NI

• Strabane District Council

• British Telecom

• Northern Ireland Electricity

Those directly affected by the declaration are primarily the owners and occupiers of land within the designated site. It is not EHS practice to, make publicly available information which it holds on ownership or other interests in land. In the case of registered land, such information can be obtained from the Land Registry offices. To date there have been no meetings with interested parties in connection with this ASSI, apart from visits by EHS officials to individual owners and occupiers.

The site was identified for EHS through research undertaken by the University of Ulster into key glacial landform complexes throughout Northern Ireland. The site was subsequently surveyed in detail by EHS in accordance with established criteria for the selection and delineation of such sites. The key factor in determining the boundaries of an ASSI is the need to protect the special scientific interest of the site. As part of this process, the Department’s statutory conservation adviser, the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, was consulted.

(AQW 3318/01)

Mr Nesbitt: I have not had discussions with the Acting Chief Constable in relation to road safety policy. However, I have met Superintendent Ian Hamill, Head of Road Policing Development Branch, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on 12 April 2002, to discuss the partnership between the Department and the Police Service to deliver road safety improvements.

There is a long established constructive working relationship among the organisations primarily involved in road safety – which includes my Department, the PSNI and the Department for Regional Development’s Roads Service. I am keen to see this co-operation developed further within the framework of the Road Safety Strategy to 2012, which I expect to publish in the Summer, in order to maximise the contribution to reducing deaths and serious injuries on Northern Ireland’s roads.

The PSNI makes a vital and significant contribution to road safety through the education of road users and enforcement of road traffic legislation. The presence of police officers on the roads also has a beneficial deterrent effect which assists greatly in reducing the number and severity of road casualties.

The deployment of Traffic Branch officers is an operational matter for the Acting Chief Constable. I have been assured that reducing road traffic collisions and deaths and injuries on our roads continues to be a high priority for the Police Service.

Road safety is a responsibility of all PSNI officers. Traffic Branch officers and police officers in all 29 policing districts of Northern Ireland will continue to enforce road traffic legislation, with particular emphasis on the major causes of road casualties – excessive speed, drinking and driving, failure to wear seatbelts and general carelessness.

I was pleased to join with the Police Service recently in launching new advanced digital camera technology which I am confident will enhance the ability of the police to make the roads of Northern Ireland safer for everyone to use. I look forward to continuing close co-operation with the Police Service, within the context of the new Road Safety Strategy.

(AQW 3319/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The most recent comprehensive information on air quality monitoring in Northern Ireland is available in the attached report "Air Quality Monitoring in Northern Ireland - 1999". This report, which was produced by the District Council Chief Environmental Health Officers Pollution Sub-Group (CEHOPSG), provides details, by site, of the results from all District Council and Departmental air quality monitoring sites for 1999.

Other information on air quality in Northern Ireland, and elsewhere in the UK, is available on the National Air Quality Archive web site
http://www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual/.

My Department’s Environment and Heritage Service, has now agreed to fund, in partnership with CEHOPSG, a report on air quality in Northern Ireland during 2000/01, which it is planned to publish by March 2003. This report will draw together all air quality monitoring results and will include trend analysis and discussion in relation to EU limit values and National Air Quality Objectives.

A similar report will thereafter be published annually and will eventually include the data from the new District Council sites, which my Department is funding through its local air quality grant scheme. Copies of the 2000/01 and subsequent reports will be placed in the Assembly Library.

Air quality in Northern Ireland is generally good, however, there are short-lived instances, where from time to time in certain areas, a combination of cold Winter weather and local topography can trap pollutants in natural basins like that created by Belfast hills. Under these conditions, levels of pollutants, such as particulates (smoke and PM10) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), can rise significantly.

I expect to introduce in this Assembly session a Local Air Quality Management Bill which will give District Councils powers to draw up action plans to remedy local air quality problems. In advance of this legislation, all twenty-six District Councils are undertaking air quality reviews and assessments.

I am pleased that my Department has been able to provide grant-aid to District Councils to assist in this work. Almost £1m was paid out for 2001/02 and a further £1.025m is available for this financial year.

(AQW 3320/01)

Mr Nesbitt: ASSIs which have been declared in West Tyrone are as follows:

• Corbylin Wood

• Silverbrook Wood

• Owenkillew River

• Owenkillew and Glenelly Wood

• Black Bog

• Strabane Glen

• McKean’s Moss

• McKean’s Moss Part 2

• Deer Park

• Grange Wood

• Drumlea and Mullan Wood

• Essan Burn and Mullyfamore

• Moneygal Bog

• Moneygal Bog Part 2

• Fairy Water Bogs

• Straduff

• Tonnagh Beg Bog

• Cranny Bogs

• Deroran Bog

• Tully Bog

• Upper Ballinderry River

ASSIs which have been surveyed in West Tyrone for future possible designation are as follows:

• Glenelly River

• Boorin Wood and Heath

• Gortnasoal Glebe and Meenadoan

• Sloughen Glen

• Lough Corr

• Lough Lee

• Croagh

• Foyle River

• Murrins

• Dooraa River

• Dunnaree Hill

• Lisdoo

Any proposals for further designations will be the subject of consultations with all interested landowners and occupiers.

(AQO 1333/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The Regional Development Strategy (RDS) allocates 9000 houses to the rural areas of the 6 District Council areas comprising the BMAP area. BMAP will allocate this total housing growth to locations, taking account of the Strategic Planning Guidelines in the RDS specifically

• the identification of 3 towns in the BMAP rural area for significant growth – Carryduff, Moira and Ballyclare; and

• the ability of the other smaller towns and settlements in the rural area to accommodate

• additional housing will also be assessed.

The Regional Development Strategy sets a target that 60% of urban housing growth must be provided on ‘brownfield’ sites. This target applies to towns of 5000 population and above. In the BMAP rural area it will apply to Carryduff, Moira and Ballyclare – specific sites will be identified through urban capacity studies.

The Regional Development Strategy does not set a ‘brownfield’ target for settlements below 5000 population. Possible sites in the smaller settlements can be considered during the preparation of the BMA Plan. However, it is not possible to state at this stage what the overall proportion of dwellings within the rural area will be.

(AQW 2814/01)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Dr Farren): [holding answer 23 April 2002]: On the basis of returns from Departments, I have placed a list of all properties controlled by the NI Civil Service that are not currently using Water Service ‘Hippo Bags’ in the Assembly Library. The use of ‘Hippo Bags’ is being promoted by DRD Water Service, which has pointed out that toilets fitted with modern cisterns do not need ‘Hippo Bags’.

(AQW 3024/01)

Dr Farren: The Department of Finance and Personnel has a number of specialised buildings for its direct use and within my Department, Office Accommodation Branch provides and maintains accommodation on behalf of Northern Ireland Departments and Agencies for the conduct of their business.

Within the Office Estate there are at present 21 properties which are shared with other public sector bodies including the Assembly, NIO, NIHE, Inland Revenue, Courts Service, Education and Library Boards and Health and Social Service Boards, which pay for the occupation and use of the premises. Those properties are:

We have 3 additional properties which are vacant, including Armagh House and Prince of Wales Gate Lodge which are due for refurbishment and Massey Avenue Gate Lodge which is being considered for new occupants.

(AQW 3145/01)

Dr Farren: The Northern Ireland Civil Service makes no corporate provision for private health care insurance for staff.

Staff are, of course, free to take out private health insurance cover. However, the nature and cost of such insurance is a matter for the individual member.

(AQW 3171/01)

Dr Farren: All members of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) are required to comply with the NICS Pay and Conditions of Service Code. The Code stipulates that a civil servant who wishes to take part in any activity involving the disclosure of official information or the use of official experience must obtain prior authority from their Department. Such activities might include, publication of books or articles, contacts with the press, broadcasts, speeches or lectures and participation in outside conferences.

Civil servants should not make public statements or remarks in terms which their employing Department could find objectionable, about individuals (whether officials, Ministers or private persons) or organisations. In addition, they must not take part in activities, including discussion of matters of current or political controversy, which conflict with the interests of the Department; bring the name of the Department, or the Northern Ireland Civil Service into disrepute; or bring into question the impartiality of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

(AQW 3203/01)

(a) A draft Marriage Bill is being prepared and it is expected to be introduced in the Assembly during June 2002. If agreed and passed by the Assembly it is estimated that it will receive Royal Assent before the end of the year. When it comes into operation will be dependent on the making of regulations by the Department of Finance and Personnel, but it is envisaged that the new system will take effect during the first half of 2003.

(b) The Marriage Law proposals have been the subject of extensive consultation and views have been received from a number of bodies including the Religious Society of Friends in Ireland. The views received from all consultees have been given consideration in the framing of the new legislation. The General Register Office has also written to the Society of Friends in Ireland responding to points made by them and offering to provide further assistance if requested. The provisions in the new legislation will detail the civil requirements relating to marriage. The requirements of individual Churches for a marriage to proceed according to their particular rites and ceremonies will be in addition to these and will be a matter for the individual Churches concerned.

(AQW 3207/01)

Dr Farren: The table below shows the birth, death and life expectancy rates for (i) males; and (ii) females in each year from 1995 to 2000.

* Per 1,000 population

Coding of deaths registered in 2001 will not be finalised until May 2002.

(AQW 3256/01)

Dr Farren: For 2002/03 the following key performance targets have been set for the Agency:

• To have at least 95% of customers say they are satisfied with the service and products, with at least 55% reporting they are very satisfied.

• To have at least 25% of customers who received NISRA services in 2001/02 report an improvement in 2002/03.

• To produce no fewer than 70 statistical and 16 research publications during 2002/03.

• To process 98% of postal and personal applications for GRO certificates within 8 and 3 working days respectively.

• To produce key statistics from the 2001 Census by December 2002 and Standard Tables by early 2003.

• To achieve a minimum 3% efficiency saving.

• To maintain expenditure within cash limits and approved budgetary plans.

Copies of the Agency’s Corporate and Business Plan will be placed in the Assembly Library at the end of June.

(AQW 3400/01)

Dr Farren: The Business Development Service (BDS) is an Executive Agency of the Department of Finance and Personnel. I have set the following key performance targets for the Agency to achieve by April 2003:

• 95% of customers to be satisfied with the services they receive;

• 95% of customers to be satisfied with the way in which services are provided;

• people development to be consistent with the principles of Investors in People (IIP);

• secure on a notional basis and within the context of Service Level Agreements (where they apply), 90% recovery of the cost of its operation from its customers; and

• demonstrate an efficiency saving of 3%.

Copies of the Agency’s Strategic Plan 2002-2005 and Business Plan 2002-2003 will be placed in the Assembly Library when they become available.

(AQW 3443/01)

Dr Farren: PEACE II makes no assumptions about the existing funding arrangements of its applicants. When submitting applications groups are asked to identify all costs related to their project and assistance can be provided towards all that are eligible under the Measure for which they are applying. The Intermediary Funding Bodies have a role to advise groups on eligible costs under each Measure and to offer advice on project proposals to help ensure that they are presented in a way that best meets that Measures’ objectives and eligibility criteria. The 30 April deadline relates to what was the end date for Gap Funding and I have now agreed to extend these arrangements until a decision is taken on Gap funded projects’ formal application to the PEACE Programme.

(AQW 3481/01)

Dr Farren: The SEUPB has made significant progress in recent months to implement the PEACE II Programme. All Intermediary Funding Bodies have now been appointed and, following calls for projects, the process to select those that best meet the relevant criteria is currently ongoing. All 26 Local Strategy Partnerships were established by the 31 December 2001 target date and most have recently developed and agreed an Integrated Local Area Strategy for their area.

Gap funding arrangements were due to finish on 30 April but, as the SEUPB has now informed me that all of the necessary decisions have not yet been taken, I have agreed that the Gap funding arrangements can continue on the following basis:

(i) extensions can be offered to projects who have made an early application to the Programme;

(ii) with the exception of Priority 3 and Measures 2.3 and 2.11, Implementing Bodies will be pressed to take most decisions by 30 June 2002 and to complete their work by 30 September 2002. For the excepted Measures, a target date of 31 December 2002 will apply;

(iii) extensions can apply only until the date that the relevant Implementing Body informs a project of its decision on their application. Implementing Bodies will inform projects immediately after their decision;

(iv) where Measures are open and where there is no closing date for applications, projects who have not made an application by 30 April will be advised by the Departments responsible that they are in breech of the condition to make an early application to the Programme. Gap Funding will terminate from that date unless, exceptionally, the reasons for an application not having been made are considered sufficiently strong to merit further consideration;

(v) where projects have not made an application to open Measures with closing dates after 30 April 2002 the same arrangements as at (iv) will apply. Where closing dates have passed then Gap Funding should have ceased from the closing date for applications;

(vi) where a project has applied under a different Measure to that for which it received Gap Funding this can be considered as meeting the condition of having made an early application if the project can demonstrate that the objectives of the project application and gap project are substantially similar.

(AQW 2284/01)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): Resources are allocated to Health and Social Services Boards on a capitation formula basis and it is then a matter for Boards to decide, on the basis of local priorities, how these resources should be allocated to the various Programme of Cares for the populations in their areas. However, expenditure on the learning disability programme of care, by Board populations, for 2000-01, the most recent financial year for which audited figures are available, was as follows:

Leithdháiltear acmhainní ar na Boird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta ar bhonn fhoirmle caipitlíochta agus ansin is faoi na Boird a bhíonn sé cinneadh a dhéanamh, ar bhonn tosaíochtaí áitiúla, mar ba chóir na hacmhainní sin a leithdháileadh chuig na Cláir éagsúla Cúraim do na pobail ina gceantair. Is mar seo a leanas, áfach, a bhí an caiteachas ar an gclár cúraim maidir le míchumas foghlama, ag pobail Boird, do 2000-01, an bhliain airgeadais is déanaí a bhfuil figiúirí iniúchta ar fáil ina leith:

(AQW 2484/01)

Ms de Brún: I refer the Member to my answer to AQW 2284/01.

Treoraím an Ball do mo fhreagra a thug mé ar AQW 2284/01.

(AQW 2544/01)

Ms de Brún: During 2000-01, the most recent financial year for which audited figures are available, the Southern Health and Social Services Board spent some £19.8m on services for people with learning disabilities. The learning disability programme will benefit from the additional resources made available this year for community and residential care. In addition, my Department will be logging substantial bids in the 2002 Spending review process to fund the implementation of the Learning Disability Strategy which is designed to provide 150 additional community and 150 day care places in the next three years for people in long-stay hospitals, as well as multi-disciplinary community support teams to sustain those resettled and to provide an urgent response when crises occur.

I rith 2000-01, an bhliain is déanaí dá bhfuil figiúirí iniúchta ar fáil ina leith, chaith Bord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Deiscirt £19.8m ar sheirbhísí do dhaoine faoi mhíchumais foghlama. Bainfidh an clár míchumais foghlama sochar as an acmhainn bhreise a cuireadh ar fáil i mbliana do chúram pobail agus cónaithe. Chomh maith leis sin, beidh mo Roinnse ag tuairisciú tairiscintí substaintiúla sa phróiseas athbhreithnithe Caiteachais 2002 chun maoiniú a dhéanamh ar fheidhmiú Straitéise Míchumais Foghlama atá deartha chun 150 áit bhreise pobail agus 150 áit chúraim lae a sholáthar sna chéad trí bliana eile amach romhainn do dhaoine in ospidéil fad-fhanachta chomh maith le foirne tacaíochta pobail ildisciplíneach chun iadsan atá athlonnaithe a chothú agus chun freagairt phráinneach a sholáthar nuair a tharlaíonn géarchéim.

(AQW 2704/01)

Ms de Brún: As part of the interim arrangements for regional sub-fertility services, I have made available £900,000 annually. This money is to provide a comprehensive sub-fertility service, of which counselling is an integral part. No specific allocation has been made for counselling services in this area.

Mar chuid de na comhshocruithe eatramhacha do sheirbhísí réigiúnacha fo-thorthúltachta, tá £900,000 curtha ar fáil agam go bliantúil. Is ann don airgead sin chun seirbhís chuimsitheach fo-thorthúlachta a sholáthar, a mbeidh comhchomhairliú mar chuid lárnach de. Níl aon leithdháileadh sainiúil déanta do sheirbhísí comhchomhairlithe sa réimse sin.

(AQW 2760/01)

Ms de Brún: My Department allocates Sure Start funding to each Childcare Partnership through its respective HSS Board. Boards, in turn, make allocations to individual Sure Start projects through one of the project partners designated as the accountable body for the overall project.

Annual progress reports and audited accounts will also be required from each project and reports must identify how resources have been used and set out the outcomes that have been achieved. These reports will be submitted to the relevant Childcare Partnership and my Department within three months of the end of the year to which they relate.

Leithdháileann mo Roinnse maoiniú Sure Start do gach Comhpháirtíocht Chúram Leanaí trína Bord HSS faoi seach. Déanann Boird, ina seal, leithdháiltí chuig tionscadail aonair Sure Start trí cheann de na comhpháirtithe ainmnithe tionscadail a bhíonn mar an foras cuntasach don tionscadal foriomlán.

Éileofar tuarascálacha bliantúla dhul chun cinn agus cuntais iniúchta chomh maith ó gach tionscadal agus caithfidh na tuarascálacha a shainaithint mar a úsáideadh acmhainní agus leagan amach a dhéanamh na cinní a cuireadh i ngníomh. Cuirfear na tuarascálacha seo faoi bhráid na Comhpháirtíochta Chúram Leanaí ábharthaí agus faoi bhráid mo Roinne laistigh de thrí mhí de dheireadh na bliana lena mbaineann siad.

(AQW 2771/01)

Ms de Brún: Given the limited budget available to health and social services, and the continuing pressures across the whole spectrum of services, it is not possible to provide the funding required to introduce DHAs locally at this time.

Ag glacadh san áireamh an bhuiséid theoranta atá ar fáil do sheirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta, agus an brú leanúnach fud fad speictream iomlán na seirbhísí, ní féidir an maoiniú atá de dhíth le hÁiseanna Digiteacha Éisteachta (ÁDÉanna) a thabhairt isteach go háitiúil ag an am seo.

(AQW 3016/01)

Ms de Brún: The amount of money allocated by the Department to each of the four Health and Social Services Boards to support the development of out-of-hours GP services in each of the last four financial years is shown in the table below.

Léirítear an méid airgid a leithdháil an Roinn chuig gach ceann de na ceithre Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta chun tacú le forbairt eisuaire sheirbhísí Gnáthdhochtúra i ngach ceann de na ceithre bliana airgeadais seo caite sa tábla thíos.