(AQW 3648/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The figures below set out per capita allocations for Catholic Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools based on their LMS formula allocations.

(AQW 3649/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The information requested is not available, and could only be collected at disproportionate cost.

(AQW 3658/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The location and number of nursery places available in North Down is set out below:

(AQW 3662/01)

Mr M McGuinness: It is a matter for the North Eastern Education and Library Board to determine its staffing needs within the totality of its approved budget.

(AQW 3663/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I am aware of the financial difficulties being faced by the North Eastern Education and Library Board this year and have already met with the Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive to hear of their difficulties at first hand. Following that meeting, at my request, my officials have commenced working with Board officers in a detailed examination of the Board’s financial situation in order to determine whether there is room for further flexibility within its current budget, and to report their findings to me.

(AQW 3664/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I am aware of the financial difficulties being faced by the North Eastern Education and Library Board this year and have already met with the Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive to hear of their difficulties at first hand. Following that meeting, at my request, my officials have commenced working with Board officers in a detailed examination of the Board’s financial situation in order to determine whether there is room for further flexibility within its current budget, and to report their findings to me.

(AQW 3665/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The level of resources delegated to its schools is primarily a matter for the NEELB. I am aware of the financial difficulties that have been identified by the Board in relation to its schools and my officials are currently working closely with Board Officers to examine the position in detail.

(AQW 3666/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I want to hear the full range of views on the Burns proposals and I have been engaged in a series of meetings with key interests. Differing views have been expressed at these meetings.

I have met with the Governing Bodies Association, which has expressed its opposition to the Burns recommendations, and a meeting is being arranged with representatives of grammar school principals. I am prepared to meet any other groups that wish to discuss the issues.

I have also invited all the political parties to discuss the review with me and I hope they will accept this invitation.

(AQW 3687/01)

Mr M McGuinness: The Youth Education Social Inclusion Partnership has not yet approved funding to any projects for minor capital works.

(AQW 3691/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I have invited comments on the Burns proposals, suggestions for modifications or for alternative arrangements. Decisions on new arrangements will not be taken until I have considered the responses. I cannot comment about piloting any new arrangements before decisions are taken on the form they will take.

(AQW 3692/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Decisions will not be made on the Burns proposals until I have considered all the responses to consultation. However, grant-aided schools cannot simply opt to change their status: proposals for such changes are subject to a statutory defined process.

(AQW 3697/01)

Mr M McGuinness: No applications were sought and no funding was made available by the Youth Education Social Partnership for minor capital works in the last three years.

(AQW 2930/01)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Ms Hanna): An economic appraisal which addresses the accommodation needs of the East Down Institute’s Downpatrick Campus has been approved. However my Department is currently examining recently presented economic appraisals in respect of the Ballynahinch and Newcastle campuses of the Institute. Funding cannot be considered for the Downpatrick Campus until the economic appraisals for the Newcastle and Ballynahinch campuses have been cleared.

(AQW 3115/01)

Ms Hanna: From the introduction of New Deal in April 1998 in Northern Ireland, the total number of people in the New Deal target groups claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) has fallen from 25,792 to 9,138 in March 2002, a decrease of 65%.

Over the same period the total number of long-term unemployed has fallen from 25,805 to 10,369, a decrease of 60%.

By contrast the total number of people claiming JSA in Northern Ireland (target and non-target group) has fallen from 56,749 to 37,105, a decrease of 35%.

(AQW 3428/01)

In 2002/03 the universities will receive £132m and the further education sector £147m. These are considerable investments of public money. I have, nevertheless, bid for additional support in the budget 2002 process to cover inflation and to promote other developments.

In relation to student support:

(a) My predecessor, Dr Sean Farren, carried out a thorough review of student support measures, in 2000, which resulted in a £65m package of additional support over 3 years.

(b) The Department for Education and Skills is currently carrying out a similar exercise in Great Britain and I will not be considering any additional modifications here in Northern Ireland until I have studied the GB proposals, which should be announced in July.

(AQW 3509/01)

Ms Hanna: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is the lead Department for Golden Jubliee Celebrations.

I am pleased to have participated in the events which took place during the Queen’s recent visit to Northern Ireland to mark her Golden Jubilee. In addition, 20 staff from my Department were nominated to attend the Queen’s Garden Parties and our offices will be closed on 3 June to enable staff and customers to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.

(AQW 3602/01)

Ms Hanna: To encourage greater community use of college sports facilities by community groups, my Department has written to all colleges of Further Education encouraging them to negotiate with outside organisations such as District Councils and youth clubs in order to promote the availability of their PE/sports facilities.

I understand, also, that the universities make their facilities available to other organisations and to the general public at a charge.

(AQW 3622/01)

Ms Hanna: The duration and content of child protection training given to medical undergraduates at Queens University is a matter for the university, as an autonomous institution.

(AQW 3645/01)

Ms Hanna: The breakdown of students by religion for the University of Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast has been placed in the Assembly library.

(AQW 3653/01)

Ms Hanna: Information on applications to degree courses is collected by UCAS. Information on subject of study is only available at subject group level. All requested subject areas fall under the Engineering and Technology group. Information on subject group by domicile and institution is only available for the 2000/01 and 2001/02 academic years.

Source: UCAS

(AQW 3668/01)

Ms Hanna: The Department’s Training Programmes are, in the main, delivered by a variety of training providers, both public and private sector. Contracts for this delivery are awarded as a result of open competition, having due regard to considerations of cost, quality and effectiveness.

(AQW 3669/01)

Ms Hanna: The purpose of the Construction Industry Training Board is to encourage the appropriate training of persons employed in, or intending to be employed in, the construction industry. This is achieved by direct training, using CITB facilities, by grant aiding participation in approved courses, or through work based training. Training in construction skills is also available through the Department’s training programmes. I am satisfied that, overall, there is sufficient capacity to meet the demand for skills training in the industry.

(AQW 3670/01)

Ms Hanna: The Department encourages the provision of cost effective, quality training provision, from public and private sectors alike, by openly contracting for the delivery of its training programmes.

(AQW 3671/01)

Ms Hanna: I understand from the Construction Industry Training Board that no such report exists. There is an annual report published by the CITB and this is in the public domain.

(AQW 3672/01)

Ms Hanna: Because of the volume of training provided "on the job", it is impossible to calculate accurately the percentage provided by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). However, in the last full training year for which figures are available, 2000/01, a total of 3645 persons received direct training in construction skills by the CITB. This represents 57% of the total number of people whose training was either provided or grant aided by the CITB. In addition, the CITB provided health and safety training to 4630 persons in the same year. These figures do not include unemployed people undertaking construction related training courses.

(AQW 3698/01)

Ms Hanna: A table which shows the relevant projects ranked in order of their selection panel scores, along with their economic appraisal scores has been placed in the Assembly Library for your information.

Subject to a satisfactory appraisal the purpose of the selection scoring was to identify those projects which best met the policy objectives of the measure.

(AQW 3699/01)

Ms Hanna: Following my announcement on 21 March 2001 of the outcome of the selection process unsuccessful applicants were given until 12 April 2002 to appeal. Organisations had the right to appeal on one or both of the two grounds outlined in the detailed guidance to applicants, as follows;

• The outcome was a decision no reasonable person would make on the basis of the information provided in the application; and/or

• There was a failure in adherence to procedures or systems.

Following the initial selection the full annual allocation was awarded to projects under each Measure. Funding for any successful appeals would be sought through a bid to in-year monitoring.

The Appeal Panel consisted of two Civil Servants from this Department and a representative from the Managing Authority for the Programme. The Appeal Panel had access to the same papers as the Selection Panels and the correspondence from the appellants outlining the ground(s) on which they wished to appeal.

(AQW 3700/01)

Ms Hanna: None of the persons on the Appeals Panel sat on either of the two selection panels for the above Measure, or were otherwise involved in the selection process for that Measure.

(AQW 3706/01)

Ms Hanna: It might be helpful if I began by setting out the legal context regarding age discrimination. At present there is no legislation specifically outlawing discrimination against older people seeking employment. A European Directive outlawing age discrimination is required to be implemented by 2006, and this is a matter for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

However, my Department encourages employers to follow guidance in the voluntary Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment, which was issued by the then Department of Economic Development in 1999. The Code sets the standard for non-ageist approaches in employment in relation to recruitment, selection, promotion, training, redundancy and retirement.

My Department is also responsible for New Deal 50+, which aims to help older people gain employment.

Finally, as I have said previously, it makes good business sense to base employment decisions on skills and abilities, rather than on preconceived ideas about age. Older workers often have talents and abilities that are in short supply, and employers who ignore them deprive themselves of a valuable resource.

(AQW 3510/01)

(a) Whilst there have been no official plans within my Department to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, I as Minister of Enterprise Trade & Investment, had the great honour of accompanying HRH Prince Philip to Fisher Engineering, Ballinamallard, Co Fermanagh during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Trip to Northern Ireland.

(b) The NICS has awarded its entire staff the additional Bank Holiday, set for Monday 3rd June 2002, to celebrate the Queens Golden Jubilee. Staff will also enjoy the normal Spring Bank Holiday, which has been moved to 4 June this year to coincide with the Jubilee celebrations.

(AQW 3540/01)

Sir Reg Empey: IDB’s Trade International had lead departmental responsibility for trade missions and the figures below are based on these activities. While former non-departmental public bodies, which are now part of Invest NI, may have supported other trade missions the relevant statistics are not considered to add substantially to those provided and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

The number of IDB supported trade missions for each year since 1997 are therefore:

(AQW 3541/01)

Sir Reg Empey: IDB’s Trade International had lead departmental responsibility for trade missions and the figures below are based on these activities. While former non-departmental public bodies, which are now part of Invest NI, may have supported other trade missions the relevant statistics are not considered to add substantially to those provided and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

The number of IDB supported trade missions in which West Belfast based businesses participated from 1997/98 is therefore as follows:

(AQW 3542/01)

Sir Reg Empey: IDB’s Trade International had lead departmental responsibility for trade missions and while former non-departmental public bodies, which are now part of Invest NI, may have supported other trade missions the relevant statistics to answer this question could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

I would refer the Member to the answer contained in his related question 3543/01.

(AQW 3543/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The number of businesses, by constituency, that participated on IDB supported trade missions for each year since 1997 is therefore as follows:

(AQW 3592/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I am not aware of the specific problems referred to in the Honourable Member’s Question.

I am aware however that a number of businesses in Northern Ireland are having difficulty in obtaining public and employers liability insurance. As a result, I have drawn it to the attention of the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and written directly on behalf of a number of businesses to the Association of British Insurers.

I have also tasked my officials to undertake research to better quantify the scope, nature and scale of the problem as a prelude to developing a strategy to seek to address the causes of high insurance costs – or even its non-availability – and to help stabilise or reduce the rate of increase in premiums.

In the meantime, I would encourage any businesses experiencing difficulty in obtaining insurance to write directly to the Association of British Insurers, 51 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HQ to obtain details of potential sources of cover.

(AQW 3593/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Competition from the Far East resulted in a sizeable cost undercutting of Contex’s products and the Transpo organisation in reviewing all of its businesses worldwide has decided due to these cost advantages to source all die for diode manufacture externally.

Contex local management presented a plan to Transpo to sustain die manufacture only at the Antrim facility that would have retained a core number of jobs. This would have resulted in all die production from Contex being sent to Orlando for diode manufacture, however Transpo rejected the on going cost viability of this proposal based on the savings they had identified from moving to 3rd party supply.

Invest NI had been in discussion since late December 2001 with both the local Company and the parent regarding sustaining the Antrim operation. However Transpo’s plans to move to 3rd party supply, and the reliance of Contex on its internal sales to Transpo, mean that the Antrim operation does not have a viable future.

I do not believe anything further could have been done by Invest NI to save the company.

(AQW 3596/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I would refer the honourable member to my answer to AQW No 3592/01. While the regulation of financial services, including insurance, is a reserved matter, I am keen that my department should examine the evidence of high commercial insurance costs and, if appropriate, take the lead in developing a strategy to address its causes.

(AQW 3597/01)

Sir Reg Empey: There are no incentives available specifically for this purpose. I would however refer the Honourable Member to my answers to AQW No 3592/01 and AQW No 3596/01

(AQW 3617/01)

Sir Reg Empey: We would hope that the impact of the closure of St Angelo Airport on the Tourism sector would be minimal, given that the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau and City of Derry Airport have been working closely with IT Ireland Tours to secure the charter flight which the company operated into St Angelo airport each summer since 1998.

I am pleased to say that from May 2002, the charter service has been successfully re-routed to the City of Derry Airport and arrangements are in place to transfer tourists to the Fermanagh area. Negotiations are continuing to consolidate and expand the service for future years.

Therefore, businesses in the area should not suffer unduly as a result of this closure.

(AQW 3618/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I would hope that the impact of the closure of St Angelo Airport on the Tourism sector would be minimal, given that the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau and City of Derry Airport have been working closely with IT Ireland Tours to secure the charter flight which the company operated into St Angelo airport each summer since 1998.

I am pleased to say that from May 2002, the charter service has been successfully re-routed to the City of Derry Airport and arrangements are in place to transfer tourists to the Fermanagh area. Negotiations are continuing to consolidate and expand the service for future years.

Therefore, businesses in the area should not suffer unduly as a result of this closure.

Invest NI provides a wide range of support to manufacturing, tradeable services and tourism businesses and works closely with the Fermanagh Local Action Group, the Fermanagh Enterprise Agency, the Fermanagh Local Strategy Partnership and the Fermanagh District Council – all of whom are key players in the development and long term success of the county.

A number of major investments within the area are currently being considered. Should these investments proceed a significant number of jobs will be secured and additional jobs created.

(AQW 3637/01)

Sir Reg Empey: There is no record of any involvement by Enron in the development of renewable wind energy in Northern Ireland. However, a separate company called Enron Wind is involved with Airtricity in the proposed development of two wind farms in Northern Ireland. Earlier this month Enron Wind was taken over by a US company called General Electric and has been renamed GE Wind Power. This renamed company will be providing turbines to the two proposed wind farms at Binn Mountain, Co Tyrone and at Tappaghan Mountain, Co Fermanagh for which planning approval is currently being sought.

(AQW 3638/01)

Sir Reg Empey: All wind farm developments are commercially operated and there is no requirement to record or inform Government of any lightening strikes. However according to operators, there are no instances of lightening strikes on wind turbines in Northern Ireland in the past 6 years.