(AQO 1596/01)

Mr M McGuinness: I visited Finland because it is one of the countries which performed best in the PISA research into educational standards. I also visited the German education system and I intend to learn more about the French education system. The information gathered will be helpful in considering the way forward in the post-primary review.

(AQO 1606/01)

Mr M McGuinness: My Department, through the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI), continually monitors the provision of Physical Education, including sport, as part of the statutory curriculum in schools. An ETI report on Physical Education in Secondary Schools, published in 2000, has identified areas of good practice in teaching and learning, standards of performance and planning. A Survey of Good Practice in Primary Physical Education, published in 2001, provides a number of good practice case studies to help promote health related physical education in primary schools.

(AQO 1574/01)

Mr M McGuinness: There are 34 statutory nursery units on which building work has yet to be completed under my Department’s Pre-School Education Expansion Programme. This will involve estimated capital expenditure of £4.3 million spread over this financial year and the next. The recurrent resources required to support these places amount to £4.2 million over the next three years.

(AQO 1577/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Since the introduction of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice in 1998, my Department has made available additional funding to enable the employment of more Educational Psychologists in each Education and Library Board. In the case of the Western Education and Library Board there are now 22 full time and 4 part time educational psychologists covering the whole area.

I am aware of the need for the earliest possible assessment, diagnosis and provision for children with autism. This was highlighted in the recently published report of the Task Group on Autism. I shall be bringing all interested parties together at a Conference in the autumn, to discuss how best we can take the recommendations forward.

(AQO 1586/01)

Mr M McGuinness: A recent NI Audit Office report recommended the publication of a range of statistical indicators, including on literacy and numeracy, in each Education and Library Board. This was discussed by the Public Accounts Committee and my Department will respond to the PAC’s report in due course. However, the Department has already indicated that it accepts this recommendation. It will be necessary to discuss with the Boards, and the Education Committee, what form this statistical compendium should take.

(AQO 1601/01)

Mr M McGuinness: You asked me to outline any progress which has been made on introducing e-Government methods and programmes within my Department over the last 3 years and any plans which are in place for further developments in the next 3 years. In my answer I advised you that I would write to you with the information.

I trust the following will give you an idea of the work undertaken to date, and of our outline plans for further work in this area.

During this period the Department of Education launched the Northern Ireland Network for Education (NINE) to provide teachers with information and an on-line discussion facility. Using NINEConnect, we linked 1280 schools in Northern Ireland to the National Grid for Learning (NGFL).

We also commenced the publication of all DE reports, including school inspection reports, on the DE website.

Circulars were provided to schools electronically.

We also contributed to the ‘Moving House’ Life Event for UKOn-Line by providing a simple schools portal which allowed members of the public to click on a post code on a map of Northern Ireland and access details of schools in that post code area.

An on-line consultation facility was provided for key initiatives, including the Review of Post Primary Education.

Electronic forms were piloted for a school survey on drugs for the Education and Training Inspectorate.

The DE website was redeveloped to reflect key customers’ information needs and was relaunched in February 2002.

The CLASSROOM 2000 project began providing additional computers to schools.

In relation to plans for e-government development in the next 3 years my department intends to agree and refine further targets for electronic services delivery with our partner bodies across the Education Service, including access to pupil services.

An e-business strategy has been commissioned in the Education and Library Boards and from this more specific key targets will be defined which will include aspects of cross-departmental working, for example, the provision of pupil information to the Schools Medical Programme (DHSSPS), and to the Department for Employment and Learning.

We will increase access to information and technology in schools by providing 40,000 internet ready PCs to 350,000 students and 20,000 teachers in NI schools in the CLASSROOM 2000 project.

The current departmental website is being enhanced to incorporate features which will afford greater access to the visually impaired, and will allow for provision of feedback from the general public.

The NI schools portal will be further developed to provide additional information about schools and services.

The capability for electronic information collection for example, school surveys on all aspects of education, will be increased, as will the capacity for electronic consultation relating to DE policy issues and key initiatives.

We will continue with preparations for the replacement of the Teachers’ Payroll and Pensions Systems which, in addition to paying teacher salaries and pensions, will provide an on-line facility to enable teachers to access general and personal information about salaries and pensions.

(AQO 1595/01)

Mr M McGuinness: Only grammar schools may select pupils on the basis of academic ability. I am not aware of any grammar schools which have moved away from the system of academic selection.

(AQW 3890/01)

(a) My reply assumes that the question concerns all people with disabilities not just staff within my Department. My Department funds a wide range of training provision available to people with disabilities. This includes provision in Jobskills, Further Education, New Deal for Disabled People (and other New Deals), and a range of specialist providers.

(b) The organisations funded by my Department, which provide training for people with disabilities include Further Education Colleges, Jobskills providers, New Deal consortia, and specialist providers. Other bodies providing funding for training of people with disabilities include Health and Social Services Trusts, the European Social Fund and other EU programmes.

(AQW 3893/01)

Ms Hanna: My Department has introduced a number of funding measures to encourage universities to widen participation, including funding premia and the funding of special projects to allow the universities to develop partnerships with schools with traditionally low levels of participation in HE. The universities have been required to produce new three year Strategies and Action Plans which detail activities, targets and performance indicators associated with widening participation.

(AQW 3901/01)

Ms Hanna: Schedule 2 of the NI Act 1998 lists ‘excepted matters’, and these include international relations and, specifically, observing and implementing international obligations. It is therefore a matter for the UK Government to ratify, observe and implement international agreements.

The UK Government has not ratified the UN Convention For the Suppression of Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (1949).

I am advised that the UK Government has signed up to the UN Protocol To Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking In Persons, Especially Women And Children which supplements the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime, and has negotiated a European Union Framework Decision on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings which will be adopted shortly.

Earlier this year the UK Government published a White Paper: Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain, setting out a strategy which focuses on strengthening the law; tackling criminals through intelligence and enforcement; international co-operation and prevention in source and transit countries, and dealing appropriately with the victims of trafficking.

There is at present no offence of trafficking, although most of the elements of the offence are already criminalised. For this reason the Government is introducing a new offence of trafficking for prostitution within the current Nationality Immigration and Asylum (NIA) Bill. This offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.

The Home Office is currently developing new and more wide-ranging criminal offences, with the intention of presenting a Bill when parliamentary time permits. The Government is also strengthening the law against people smuggling in the NIA Bill by increasing the maximum penalty to 14 years imprisonment.

I would add that the issues raised by the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation are mainly matters of human rights, serious crime and immigration law and policy, rather than employment law or policy.

(AQW 3910/01)

Ms Hanna: I have no plans to purchase this property. The provision of accommodation for training is a matter for the FE sector or local private or community based training providers.

(AQW 3954/01)

Ms Hanna: Full-time tertiary level courses below degree and HND are deemed to be further education courses. Students undertaking such courses at institutions outside Northern Ireland can apply to the Education and Library Boards for means-tested discretionary awards. An award made under these arrangements provides for the payment of tuition fees; a means-tested grant towards living costs of up to £1,633 and supplementary grants. These grants do not have to be repaid, and I have no plans to replace them with student loans, under the Student Support Regulations, which would have to be repaid.

(AQW 4038/01)

Ms Hanna: Based on available research data, the Department has established a target to engage 25,000 learners by March 2005. The Department has asked CCEA to provide advice on how achievement of learners might be tracked and recorded. This advice is required to ensure providers are consistent in their approaches in collecting data and to determine the usefulness and validity of the information.

(AQW 4088/01)

Ms Hanna: A consultation exercise on the proposed merger concluded on 22nd March 2002. The responses received from consultees have been considered by officials within my Department as have other issues raised by various interested parties. This included the Assembly Committee for Employment and Learning whom I met with on 11th June. I am currently considering all pertinent issues and will advise in due course of my final decision on the proposed merger.

(AQW 3891/01)

(a) None. The use of pension funds and contributions is a reserved matter. The financial assistance that is offered by my Department to help secure inward investment for Northern Ireland is part of the Northern Ireland bloc. However, I understand that Northern Ireland venture capital funds have invested in a small number of inward investment cases. The NI Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Scheme (NILGOSS) has also invested in the new Viridian Growth Fund which became operational in January 2002.

(b) With regard to the investment of overseas funds in NI companies in the wider sense, it would not be possible for the Department to supply this information except at disproportionate cost to the Department.

(AQW 3927/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Although the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) was consulted in 1994 on one wind turbine farm planning application, it is not normal practice for Planning Service to ask NITB to comment on applications which fall outside its statutory remit. Applications for wind turbine farms would fall into this category.

(AQW 3947/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Sixty responses were received in response to the consultation document, including 7 nil returns.

Six supported the introduction of a legislative provision to enable refinancing of costs within the electricity and gas industries in Northern Ireland. Seven respondents objected to refinancing that would impose burdens on future customers.

(AQW 3948/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Except where a respondent requested confidentiality, responses have been published in full on my Department’s website, located at www.detini.gov.uk/energy/. A summary of these responses will also be published alongside the draft energy strategy later this year. An analysis of the responses relating to priority areas requiring legislation is included in the recently issued consultation paper on the draft Energy Bill.

(AQW 3949/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I am currently considering recommendations from consultants about options to reduce electricity prices in Northern Ireland. I am in the process of sharing these recommendations with the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee and engaging with the Regulator and key industry players. I expect to announce an action plan in due course.

(AQW 3950/01)

Sir Reg Empey: I refer to my answer to Question 3949/01. Since analysis of the issue is not complete, I have not included a provision for legislation backed financing in the initial Energy Bill proposals on which my Department is now consulting.

(AQW 3958/01)

Sir Reg Empey: DETI and Invest NI are broadly supportive of the concept of teleworking provided it is supported by a sound business case which demonstrates that employment issues have been addressed.

Teleworking relies heavily on the availability of affordable broadband and both the Department and Invest NI have initiated a range of pro-active promotion and support measures. These include, inter alia, establishment of the E-Solutions Centre; regional business demonstration events; funding of the SME Broadband Satellite programme; the provision of ICT advisors; funding pilot studies to demonstrate the commercial application of various broadband technologies. And, if they so wish, "e-workers" can locate in their nearest Enterprise Centre where high speed connections are available to all tenants.

(AQW 4019/01)

Sir Reg Empey: The development of renewable energy projects is a matter for the private sector. However it is known that planning permission is being sought for 2 wind farms (one in Co Tyrone and one in Co Fermanagh). A consultation exercise and environmental assessment are underway in respect of another proposed wind farm in Co Fermanagh.

In November last year, under the Building for Sustainable Prosperity Programme, my Department introduced an Energy Demonstration Scheme. This offers grant aid towards the capital cost of small scale renewable energy projects. To date, 3 projects have received grant aid to a total of almost £35,000. These projects involved wind turbines, solar panels and a heat pump.

(AQW 4094/01)

Sir Reg Empey: Prior to the announcement of the closure of the Warners factories in Keady and Dromore, the Company’s management met with staff in Invest NI. At this meeting the possibility of Invest NI intervention was discussed to save the NI operations and associated jobs. However, it was made very clear that a corporate decision had already been made and there was no possibility of it being reviewed.

As the decision is final, my Department, through Invest NI, is working in partnership with relevant interests, namely Armagh City & District Council, Banbridge District Council and the respective Enterprise Agencies. Through this partnership various initiatives will be offered to former Warners employees. These include:

1. Business clinics - where information and advice will be provided to allow employees to consider the option of self-employment.

2. Through the Building Sustainable Prosperity programme and other European Funding, the councils have planned various initiatives which have potential to impact on the employability of the workforce.

My colleague, Minister for Education and Learning, will also have a role to play in the reintegration of the workforce into employment.

(AQW 3850/01)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Nesbitt): My Department protects the marine environment by means of a range of legislative, contingency planning and research measures.

The legislative measures are contained in European, UK and Northern Ireland legislation. Northern Ireland also contributes to meeting the UK’s obligations under international conventions.

A number of European Directives are targeted at bathing waters, coastal waters vulnerable to nutrient enrichment, waters which support shellfish, and marine natural habitats and wild birds. My Department’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) has comprehensive programmes of designations for Northern Ireland’s coastal waters under each of these Directives, together with action plans and monitoring systems.

The Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 is designed to control deposits of materials and substances in the sea, and thereby protect the marine environment, by means of a licensing system. This Act is administered in Northern Ireland by EHS.

In addition to the Northern Ireland regulations which implement the European Directives, the Water (NI) Order 1999 enables EHS to control discharges of effluent to waters within three nautical miles of the coastline.

Northern Ireland contributes to meeting the targets set for the UK by two international conventions - the London Convention on the Prevention of Global Marine Pollution, and the OSPAR (Oslo and Paris) Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic. In addition, a number of marine environment issues are addressed in the report Biodiversity in Northern Ireland: Recommendations to Government for a Biodiversity Strategy, published in October 2000 in compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

EHS has in place a range of measures to provide an effective response to marine pollution incidents. These include comprehensive incident response procedures, and contingency plans covering the NI coastline and its ports and harbours. EHS also participates in the UK-wide National Contingency Plan for large-scale marine pollution incidents.

Finally, EHS has commissioned several major research projects on the marine environment. Details of these are available on the EHS website www.ehsni.gov.uk

(AQW 3936/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The information sought is not held centrally by my Department and therefore I am unable to provide the information requested.

(AQW 3957/01)

Mr Nesbitt: My Department does not have any responsibility for foxhunting. This activity is allowed under the terms of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 which is administered by DARD.

(AQW 3978/01)

Mr Nesbitt: My Department’s plans for waste management, including recycling, are set out in the Waste Management Strategy for Northern Ireland published in March 2000. The Strategy sets targets to increase recycling to meet the requirements of the EU Landfill Directive.

Among the actions planned in the Strategy to increase recycling is the establishment of a Market Development Programme to stimulate local demand for recycled materials and products.

The Programme consists of a number of elements, including an Industry Fund and membership of the UK-wide Waste to Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

I was pleased to launch the Industry Fund on 6 June 2002. This will provide grant-aid to businesses to encourage sustainable markets for recovered and/or recycled materials. I am also pleased that taking membership of WRAP will allow Northern Ireland to benefit from a comprehensive UK approach to market development.

Under the auspices of the North/South Ministerial Council, work is underway to develop an all-island strategic approach to market development for recyclable material throughout the island, taking account of developments in Great Britain and making appropriate linkages between the Market Development Programme in the two jurisdictions.

Final draft Waste Management Plans are due to be submitted by District Councils to my Department by 28 June 2002. These will provide the basis for the establishment of an integrated network of facilities to meet the targets for recycling/recovery set out in the Strategy and in the Landfill Directive.

My Department has also set up the Waste Management Advisory Board to assist with the promotion and implementation of the Strategy and to oversee the Market Development Programme. The Board comprises a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in waste management. The Board has established a number of sub-groups, one of which focuses on Reduction, Recycling and Recovery.

I am confident that these measures will help to stimulate expansion of the market for products utilising recycled materials.

(AQW 3994/01)

Mr Nesbitt: There are currently 2 members of staff from the Ards Development Control Section on sick absence. One Officer has been out of the office since 6 May 2002 and the other since 10 June.

The staff complement in the Ards Section is based on current workload. Indeed the complement, which is kept under review, has recently been increased by one Higher Professional and Technical Officer post and it is expected that this new post will be filled from a promotion board held last month. While, therefore, there is no staff shortage in the Section, sick absences can cause short term difficulties.

(AQW 3995/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The current approved staff complement for dealing with planning applications for the Ards District Council Area is 10. It consists of one Senior Planning and Technology Officer (SPTO), 3 Higher Professional and Technology Officers (HPTO), 4 Planning and Technology Officers (PTO) and 2 Administrative staff.

The complement is based on current workload and is kept under regular review.

(AQW 4031/01)

Mr Nesbitt: The numbers of single dwellings in the countryside, including replacement dwellings, which were granted planning permission, are set out below.

(AQW 4112/01)

Mr Nesbitt: During the periods 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 and 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 a total of 68 and 65 appeals respectively, were submitted to the Planning Appeals Commission by property developers. Details of the progress of these appeals are set out below.

(AQW 3827/01)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Dr Farren): I attended the following engagements on the morning of 29 May 2002:

(AQW 3835/01)

Dr Farren: The table below shows the number of cases in each of the last 10 years where Epilepsy was recorded as the main cause of death.

Coding of deaths registered in 2001 is not yet finalized.

(AQW 3872/01)

Dr Farren: Under the direction of the Department of Finance and Personnel’s openness champion a departmental information manager has been appointed to progress corporate information matters, including the preparation of a departmental publication scheme. This is well-advanced in draft with contributions coming from information managers who have been appointed within each business area to help prepare for freedom of information requirements.

The Department’s NDPBs are also on track to complete their Schemes on time.

I expect to approve the draft DFP Scheme in early September, following which it will be submitted to the Information Commissioner for approval. A copy will also be forwarded to the Departmental Assembly Committee for information.

(AQW 3917/01)

Dr Farren: Senior Civil Service recruitment competitions are administered by Recruitment Service, Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP). The Permanent Secretary, DFP, is the Accounting Officer in respect of the generality of Recruitment Service expenditure.

In the conduct of competitions for specific senior posts, Recruitment Service acts as the agent of the employing Department, which retains direct responsibility for some aspects of the arrangements. These include responsibility for direct expenditure such as advertising costs, panel expenses etc. The Head of NICS is employed by the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister, and the employing department is accountable for that expenditure.

(AQW 3921/01)

Dr Farren: The Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service was a member (not chairperson) of the selection panel for the current HOCS recruitment competition. The choice of panel members is a matter for the employing Department, but any such competition has to adhere to the Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland Recruitment Code. This stipulates that all selection panels for posts at senior level in the Civil Service must be approved by Commissioners. The necessary approval was obtained for this competition.

(AQW 3931/01)

Dr Farren: I understand that the Department of Education, in conjunction with the education and library boards, plans to commence an equality assessment on the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme this year. There is, however, no specific requirement for Equality Impact Assessments to be forwarded to the Department of Finance and Personnel.

With regard to new TSN guarantees, the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme is an important element of both the interdepartmental childcare strategy and the Department of Education’s strategy for Targeting Social Need (TSN). The Department of Education are therefore using an appropriate method for targeting financial allocation based on social need.

(AQW 3946/01)

Dr Farren: In line with the requirements of the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Code, it is the responsibility of the selection panel to determine eligibility criteria which are justifiable against the requirements of the job. The criteria set for this competition reflect the skills and experience which the panel believes are necessary for this high level post, which includes a major leadership role in a large, diverse organisation. The present Comptroller and Auditor General has raised the same point and has been advised that a full response to his letter will be issued once the present process has been completed.

(AQW 3967/01)

Dr Farren: Until decisions have been taken in the autumn on the way forward it would be premature to speculate about the introduction of transitional relief. However, I can confirm that, for any change in the rating system, consideration will be given to carefully planned transitional arrangements to avoid hardship.

(AQO 1611/01)

Dr Farren: The public consultation exercise on the Interim Report was completed in May and I am currently awaiting advice from the consultants in relation to the responses received. The initial consultation period, until 19 April, was extended, by 2 weeks, primarily to allow sufficient time for individual Assembly Committees to respond.

(AQO 1608/01)

Dr Farren: The outcome of the national Spending Review is expected to be announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July. We are continuing to press the Treasury for additional resources over and above the Barnett formula to make it possible for us to match the rate of increase on, for example, spending on health and educations services now being made available in England. Although, I stress again that it is for the Executive and the Assembly to set our own spending priorities as part of the budgetary process. The first stage of our own Budget 2002 process concluded recently with the presentation of the Executive’s Position Report to the Assembly on 5 June.

(AQO 1578/01)

Dr Farren: PEACE II funds will be targeted at areas, sectors, communities and or groups adversely affected by political unrest and which demonstrate that they will contribute to the Programme’s objectives. In targeting these groups project promoters must have due regard to equality of opportunity and balanced intervention which is one of a number of horizontal principles that govern the way the PEACE II Programme will be implemented. Compliance with horizontal principles and Section 75 requirements will be monitored by the Special EU Programmes Body.

(AQO 1607/01)

Dr Farren: Following the Executive’s recent Review of the Executive Programme Funds, a call for bids was issued under the Innovation and Modernisation Fund, the Social Inclusion/Community Regeneration Fund and the Children’s Fund (departmental allocations). These bids are in the process of being scrutinised and this process will involve discussions between DFP, OFMDFM and departments. We are also currently evaluating the bids which have been received under the Infrastructure EPF and the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative and DFP will again be liaising directly with departments on these bids, in conjunction with OFMDFM.

(AQO 1612/01)

Dr Farren: The Executive are undertaking a detailed consultation on the issues it faces in relation to investment in Public services in the future with a specific focus on the report published on 21 May on the "Review of Opportunities for Public Private Partnerships in Northern Ireland".

The locations for the public consultations are as follows: