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Written Answers to Questions (Continued) Departmental Underspend Mr Beggs asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to account for his Department’s £2.4 million underspend in the 2001-2002 financial year, including a breakdown of those projects which did not proceed in that year. (AQW 4445/01) Dr Farren: The £2.36m which has been made available under the EYF arrangements will apply to the following:
Mr Morrow asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel, pursuant to AQW 4376/01, to detail the community background of each of the staff listed in the Water Service’s Western Division. (AQW 4472/01) Dr Farren: In line with statutory requirements and a code of practice which has been agreed with the trade unions, information on community background is not published at this level of detail. Purchase of Ministerial Cars Mr K Robinson asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline (a) the purchasing procedures for the purchasing of Ministerial cars, where cars have been purchased outside of the normal in-house provision of Ministerial cars; (b) if the previous provider was afforded an opportunity to tender to the same specification as others who submitted tenders; (c) if the successful tender was lower than all other tenders submitted and (d) the criteria adhered to in the award of the tender. (AQW 4473/01) Dr Farren: Questions about the arrangements for the acquisition of Ministerial cars, other than those provided by my Department, should be directed to the Departments concerned. Departmental Underspend Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel, in light of the underspend in 2001-02 of £365 million, what action is being taken to avoid a recurrence in the future. (AQW 4479/01) Dr Farren: In the course of my Statement to the Assembly on 1 July, I announced a three point plan to address the underspend issue. In summary, the first point is the continuation of the policy of no spend being better than bad spend. Departments have a clear responsibility to secure value for money and it would be wrong to promote bad use of public expenditure in order to reduce the levels of underspend. The second point is the consideration of some form of target for the upper level of underspend. Finally, the Executive will continue to anticipate some underspending, in order to facilitate the optimum allocation of funding. Peace II Funding Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline the timescale for the distribution of Peace II funding. (AQW 4480/01) Dr Farren: In accordance with EU Regulations, the funding available under the PEACE II Programme must be fully committed by 31 December 2004 and all monies spent by 31 December 2006. The European Commission has stipulated that all monies committed under the Programme must be spent by the end of the second year after the one in which the commitment is made. Distribution of funding under the PEACE II Programme has begun and will continue as more calls for projects are issued. Allocation of Ministerial Drivers Mr Foster asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel to outline (a) if the method of allocating ministerial drivers is the same throughout the NI Executive; (b) if any Ministerial Department is treated differently; (c) the reason for any disparity; and (d) if all transport regulations in relation to Ministerial drivers are adhered to. (AQW 4525/01) Dr Farren: The Department of Finance and Personnel provides driving services for the Deputy First Minister and seven Ministerial Departments in the NI Executive, namely DARD, DCAL, DEL, DETI, DFP, DOE and DSD. The method of allocating drivers to Ministers was the same in each case. The Department’s Centralised Transport Unit also adheres to all transport regulations. Questions about the arrangements applied by the remaining three Departments should be directed to the Department concerned.
Health, Social Services and Public Safety Hospital Boards/Trusts Mrs Carson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what action she has taken to reduce the number of Boards, Trusts and other relevant agencies within the remit of her Department over the past 3 years. (AQW 2665/01) The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): In my consultation paper "Developing Better Services – Modernising Hospitals and Reforming Structures", which I published for consultation on 12th June, I have made proposals for reforming health and personal social services administration arrangements. I mo pháipéar comhchomhairleoireachta "Seirbhísí Níos Fearr A Fhorbairt - Otharlanna A Nuachóiriú agus Struchtúir a Leasú" a d’fhoilsigh mé do chomhchomhairleoireacht an 12 Meitheamh tá moltaí déanta agam d’athchóiriú ar shocruithe riaracháin na seirbhísí sóisialta, sláinte agus pearsanta. Consultancy Firms/Consultants Mr Weir asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, pursuant to AQW 1953/01, to detail the level of expenditure, in each of the last three years, on consultancy firms/consultants that are based in (a) Northern Ireland (b) the Republic of Ireland (c) the rest of the UK and (d) outside the British Isles. (AQW 3272/01) Ms de Brún: This information is not recorded in the format requested and it would not be possible to supply the information except at disproportionate cost to my Department. Ní thaifeadtar an t-eolas seo san fhormáid a iarrtha agus ní bheadh sé indéanta an t-eolas a sholáthar ach ar chostas díréireach don Roinn s’agam. Litigation Cases Mr S Wilson asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail (a) if there are any particular patterns in relation to litigation cases; and (b) the number of litigation cases connected with (i) clinical negligence; (ii) faulty instruments; and (iii) standard of cleanliness. (AQW 3722/01) Ms de Brún: (a) Information available is as follows : Professional Negligence: Obstetrics, gynaecology, accident and emergency and general surgery are the specialties where claims are more likely to arise. Employers Liability: there has been an increase in the number of claims as a result of needlestick injuries. Public Liability: injuries resulting from slips, trips and falls are the main source of litigation. (b) The number of litigation cases connected with (i) professional negligence; (ii) faulty instruments; and (iii) standards of cleanliness for the period 1997/98 to 2001/02 are set out in the tables below : (i) The number of Professional Negligence claims received by HPSS bodies are as follows:
(ii) The number of claims received by HPSS bodies as a result of faulty instruments over the last five years is as follows:
(iii) The number of claims received by HPSS bodies due to failure to meet standards of cleanliness over the last five years is as follows:
(a) Seo a leanas an t-eolas atá ar fáil: Neamart Gairmiúil: Is iad cnáimhseachas, gínéiceolaíocht, timpiste agus éigeandáil agus máinliacht ghinearálta na speisialtachtaí is mó is dócha ina mbeidh na héilimh. Dliteanas an Fhostóra: bhí méadú ann i líon na n-éileamh de dheasca gortuithe snáthaide. Dliteanas Poiblí: is iad gortuithe ó shleamhnuithe, thuislí agus ó thitim na príomhfhoinsí dlíthíochta. (b) Tá líon na gcásanna dlíthíochta bainteach le (i) neamart gairmiúil; (ii) gléasanna lochtacha; agus (iii) le caighdeáin ghlaineachta don tréimhse 1997/98 go 2001/02 leagtha amach sna táblaí thíos: (i) Seo a leanas líon na n-éileamh Neamairt Ghairmiúil faighte ag comhlachtaí na SSSP:
(iii) Is iad a leanas líon na n-éileamh faigthe ag comhlachtaí SSSP de bharr gur theip orthu caighdeáin ghlaineachta a bhaint amach le cúig blaina anuas:
Mr Shannon asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline (a) the implications for public safety arising from shortages of fire service personnel in (i) Newtownards; (ii) Comber; (iii) Donaghadee; (iv) Ballywalter; (v) Portaferry; and (b) how she intends to alleviate the current crisis in staffing levels. (AQW 3804/01) Ms de Brún: The Fire Brigade monitors the availability of all its fire appliances on an ongoing basis to ensure that adequate fire cover arrangements are provided to all areas. A minimum of two fully crewed fire appliances is sent to every identified property fire. The Brigade mobilises appliances from adjacent fire stations to provide back up to those stations with unavailable crew. During week commencing 27th May, the Fire Brigade commenced an advertising campaign to attract potential recruits into the retained fire-fighter ranks, aimed particularly at those stations where staffing levels are below establishment levels by more than 10%. This recruitment drive will continue until adequate staffing levels have been attained. Portaferry has not been included in this recent recruitment drive as the current staffing levels there are satisfactory. Déanann ar infaighteacht a fearais dóiteáin ar bhonn leanúnach le cinntiú gur leor na socruithe soláthraithe do gach ceantar le dóiteáin a chlúdach . Seoltar ar a laghad dhá fhearas tine le criú iomlán chuig gach tine maoine aitheanta. Baineann an Bhriogáid Dóiteáin leas as stáisiúin dóiteáin in aice láimhe le cúnamh a thabhairt do na stáisiúin sin nach bhfuil criú acu. Le linn na seachtaine dar tús 27ú Bealtaine, thosaigh an Bhriogáid Dóiteáin feachtas fógraíochta le hearcaigh poitéinsiúla a mhealladh isteach i ranganna coimeádta an bhriogáid dóiteáin, dírithe go sonrach ar na stáisiúin sin a bhfuil leibhéil fóirne níos lú ná leibhéil bhunaithe le breis agus 10% acu. Leanfaidh an iarracht earcaíochta seo go dtí go ngnóthaítear leibhéil sásúla fóirne. Níor áiríodh Port an Pheire san iarracht earcaíochta seo le déanaí mar go bhfuil leibhéil fóirne ansin sásúil faoi láthair. Adolescent Psychiatry Service Mr Bradley asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline (a) the number of young people being treated within adult psychiatric wards; and (b) any progress being made by the Adolescent Psychiatry Service to provide additional beds for children and adolescent in-patients. (AQW 3836/01) Ms de Brún: There are currently 16 children aged 16 years or under being treated within adult psychiatric wards. It is planned to have the 10 additional adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds by September. Faoi láthair, tá 16 páiste 16 bliain d’aois nó níos óige á gcóireáil laistigh de bhardaí síciatracha do dhaoine fásta. Tá sé beartaithe 10 leaba shíciatrach othair chónaithigh a chur ar fáil d’ógánaigh faoi Mheán Fómhair. |