In addition, since 2001/02, extra earmarked funds have become available through the Executive Programme Funds for initiatives in Special Education:

(AQW 211/02)

Mr M McGuinness: The Department’s budget for 2002/03 includes £53.1m for home to school transport, £29.6m for the school meals service, and £3.6m for community relations. As there is a close link between social need and educational need, action to Target Social Need is considered to be a direct and integral part of mainstream educational provision.

(AQW 212/02)

Mr M McGuinness: The Department’s budget for 2002/03 includes £4.2m from sources other than budgetary provision. This relates to grant from the European Union.

(AQW 237/02)

Mr M McGuinness: Pre-school places in the statutory sector are, as has been the case since the early 1970s, open to children from 2 years old to the lower limit of compulsory school age. In all cases, however, applications from children in their immediate pre-school year are given priority ahead of younger children. Children in their penultimate pre-school year who attend nursery schools and units are therefore occupying places that would otherwise be unfilled.

In the 2001/02 academic year, 1,423 children attending statutory nursery schools and units had not attained the age of 3 by the date of the School Census. This number represents 11% of children in statutory settings at that time and 7% of the children in all types of funded pre-school education.

(AQW 378/02)

Mr M McGuinness: There were some 12,436 subject entries from Northern Ireland to GCE A Level examinations run by Examination Boards other than CCEA, representing approximately 45% of all subject entries from local candidates. Information on the number of candidates who took these examinations is not available.

The independent inquiry ordered by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills will have implications for the National Qualifications Framework, and so will be of direct relevance both here and in Wales as well as in England. I will consider the report carefully and the implications that any recommendations may have for students here.

CCEA have not been involved in the marking and grading problems in England, and I am not aware of any concerns having been raised about CCEA’s 2002 examinations service. I have every confidence that CCEA will continue to provide a robust and reliable examinations service for our young people.

(AQW 379/02)

Mr M McGuinness: The criteria used are laid down in the GCSE, GCE, VCE and GNVQ Code of Practice 2001/02 (Second Edition), which is issued by the 3 Regulatory Authorities (CCEA, ACCAC in Wales and QCA in England), and is available on CCEA’s website (www.ccea.org.uk/gce.htm). All the awarding bodies have agreed to implement the Code in full.

While there is potential for human error in any marking procedure, I am advised that the sampling procedure used to adjust marks for coursework is subject to stringent scrutiny and checking procedures, ensuring that the level of errors is negligible.

(AQW 381/02)

Mr M McGuinness: Although in summer 2002 some 45% of A level entries from candidates here were to examining boards in England, these were in the main to Edexcel and AQA examining boards: the Oxford and Cambridge examining board, where most of the problems in England seem to have arisen, was used by only a very few centres here for a limited number of low-entry subjects. I am advised therefore that our candidates have been affected by the English problems only to a very minor extent.

CCEA, as regulatory body, and my Department are monitoring the situation closely and are aware of a small number of examination centres where some problems have arisen, although it is not clear at this stage the circumstances involved. The examination centres in each case are taking the matter up with the examining board concerned.

The independent inquiry ordered by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills will have implications for the National Qualifications Framework, and so will be of direct relevance both here and in Wales as well as in England. I will consider the report carefully and the implications that any recommendations may have for students here.

(AQW 24/02)

The Minister for Employment and Learning (Ms Hanna): I have visited the Community Outreach Centre and regard it as an excellent new resource for North and West Belfast. In discussion between my officials and the Springvale Board it was agreed that a better time for the official opening would be the early Autumn. I look forward to performing the ceremony in the near future.

The management of the Centre of the Springvale project is the responsibility of Springvale Educational Village; they have assured the Department that the Centre was open and available for use by Community Groups throughout the school holiday period.

(AQW 112/02)

Ms Hanna: My Department currently contracts with Bombardier Shorts to offer 55 Modern Apprenticeships in the aircraft industry. As engineering is classified as a priority skills sector the number of allocated training places can be increased to meet the demands of this industry. In addition, within the Greater Belfast Area there are a number of Training Organisations offering a further 200 Modern Apprenticeships in affiliated engineering disciplines.

(AQW 158/02)

Ms Hanna: Information on the number of people, diagnosed as having Asperger’s Syndrome who have entered further education since 1999 is not held by the Department.

(AQW 247/02)

Ms Hanna: Student accommodation and student housing rights are matters for the Department for Social Development and are outside the remit of my Department.

It would therefore, be inappropriate for me to make representation to the Minister for Social Development regarding student accommodation and student housing rights in respect of the new Housing Bill.

(AQW 259/02)

Ms Hanna: No. It is not normal practice when new policy is announced to introduce arrangements retrospectively.

(AQW 402/02)

Ms Hanna: The number of academic staff employed at Queen’s University, Belfast, whose principal subject of academic discipline is either medicine or subjects allied to medicine, from 1997/98 to 2000/01 is provided in the table below:

Source: HESA

¹ Refers to pre-clinical (A1) and clinical medicine (A3) subjects, taken from the HESA medicine and dentistry subject group.

² The HESA subject group including anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, pharmacy, ophthalmics, audiology, nursing and other medical subjects.

(AQW 403/02)

Ms Hanna: The number of students enrolled on Medicine¹ courses at Queen’s University, Belfast from 1997/98 to the 2001/02 academic year is provided in the table below:

Source: HESA

¹ Refers to students enrolled on pre-clinical (A1) and clinical medicine (A3) courses, taken from the HESA medicine and dentistry subject group.

² 2001/02 figures are provisional.

(AQW 122/02)

(a) The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has already provided funding towards the development of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s facilities at Whitehead and would be happy to consider any further proposals the Society may have. In the wider context, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) is giving consideration to the development of a sustainable support infrastructure for the heritage sector generally.

(b) Neither NITB or DCAL have had any recent discussions with the Society nor are any currently planned.

(AQW 136/02)

Sir Reg Empey: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board had no knowledge of a company called BA Publishing Services and has never awarded any contracts to that company. As already stated in information supplied in May 2002 to the Public Accounts Committee W G Baird Group acquired Corporate Document Services Ltd (CDS) in December 2000. We now understand that this company had been previously called BA Publishing Services (The name change occurred in May 1998). NITB’s first contract with CDS was awarded in August 2000.

(AQW 137/02)

Sir Reg Empey: NITB has never awarded any contracts to BA Publishing Services. We understand that BA Publishing Services was renamed as Corporate Document Services Ltd in May 1998. The share capital of CDS Ltd was bought by the Baird Group in December 2000.

NITB’s first contract with CDS Ltd was in August 2000 (Details of NITB’s contracts with CDS were provided to the PAC in May 2002).

(AQW 142/02)

Sir Reg Empey: My Department has worked with our colleagues in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the Department of the Environment (DOE) to develop and implement policy that capitalizes on the unique qualities of the County Antrim coastline, while protecting those same resources for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.

My Department, through the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), will continue to work with DARD and DoE both directly and in partnership with others such as the Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, which is actively involved in tourism product development, environmental and visitor management, and research and education in the area.

The NITB is also represented on the Working Group for the Management Plan for the Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a study being undertaken by the Department of the Environment’s Environment and Heritage Service.

(AQW 179/02)

Sir Reg Empey: DETI through the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Invest NI provides support for the promotion and development of rural accommodation businesses. Support available ranges from the provision of business advice and mentoring through to the provision of financial assistance for the establishment, development and marketing of B&B’s.

In the 5-year period to 31 March 2002 the Department offered financial support of £567k to B&B’s located in rural Northern Ireland. £145k was offered specifically to the farmhouse B&B sector of which £54k was offered to assist with capital development and upgrading and £91k to assist with strategic and tactical marketing through the Northern Ireland Farm Country Holidays Association (NIFCHA). The annual breakdown of this is contained in the table below.

(AQW 191/02)

Sir Reg Empey: Figures are not available for the percentage of companies conducting "the majority of their business" on the Internet. However, in its International Benchmarking Report (2001), DTI provides UK regional results which are weighted by company size. On this basis, 30% of NI businesses facilitate either online orders or payments (which is close to the UK average); 24% of NI companies trade electronically by interacting with their supplier base online. This is the lowest proportion of all UK regions.

At international level, statistics are based on a simple count of businesses. On this basis, 24% of UK companies are both ordering and paying online. Germany, Canada and Australia are comparable at 23 - 25%. Ireland (21%), USA (20%), Sweden (18%), Italy (11%), France (10%) and Japan (9%) lag behind.

(AQW 192/02)

Sir Reg Empey: 65% of Northern Ireland businesses have websites. This figure is 15% below the UK national average, which is reported at 80% in the 2001 DTI International Benchmarking Report. The Report also shows that the figure of 65% places Northern Ireland in a central position between the world’s leaders and laggers. The leaders - UK, Sweden, Germany, US and Canada - report that 73-80% of businesses have websites whilst Ireland, Australia, Italy, Japan and France lag with 56-64% of their businesses having websites.

(AQW 245/02)

(a) The budget allocated to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) for the financial year 2002/03 is £3,166,000. HSENI also has a complement of 87 professional and administrative staff.

(b) The resources allocated to HSENI will continue to be kept under review and any decision to allocate additional funding will be taken in the context of the overall public expenditure situation.

(AQW 268/02)

Sir Reg Empey: Following September 11 last year, the entire global airline industry has suffered a severe crisis. Faced with excess capacity many airlines have mothballed aircraft, reduced flights, cancelled orders, cut staff and reined in non-essential work, in an attempt to control costs. Many airlines had substantial debt even before September 11 and events since then have further contributed to a financial crisis within the industry, leading to potential bankruptcy in some major U S airlines. This has a severe knock on effect for aircraft manufacturers and firms servicing the airline industry, including Bombardier. In August this year the company received cancellations for four Challenger wide-body aircraft and four Learjet 45 aircraft.

In these circumstances, I believe that it would be inappropriate for me to implement an independent financial audit along the lines suggested.

I have been working closely with Bombardier since last October when, as a result of current market conditions, they announced the likelihood of up to 2000 redundancies by the end of this year. My Department and I will continue to work closely with the company to help them to consolidate and strengthen their operations in Northern Ireland, in spite of the current crisis facing the aerospace sector.

(AQW 269/02)

Sir Reg Empey: My Department does not provide financial assistance for export guarantees. This is administered by the Export Credits Guarantee Department, which is part of British Trade International under the Department of Trade & Industry. Any questions on this matter should be addressed to the Rt Hon Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H OET, or to the Export Credits Guarantee Department, PO Box 2200, 2 Exchange Tower, Harbour Exchange Square, London, E14 9GS.

(AQW 271/02)

Sir Reg Empey: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment received nine responses by 30 August 2002 to the consultation paper on proposals for converting the NI Companies Register to an e-Government service.

(AQW 279/02)

Sir Reg Empey: I am aware of the situation at the Northern Ireland Plastics plant at Killyleagh. Invest NI officials met with Mr Bill Chambers, NI Plastics’ Managing Director, on 2 September 2002 and have agreed to fund an external review of the company’s financial position with a view to assessing what assistance may be available to help the company. I understand that the present employment at the company is 61.

(AQW 333/02)

Sir Reg Empey: Following September 11th last year, the entire global airline industry has suffered a severe crisis. Faced with excess capacity many airlines have mothballed aircraft, reduced flights, cancelled orders, cut staff and reined in non-essential work, in an attempt to control costs. Many airlines had substantial debt even before September 11th and events since then have further contributed to a financial crisis within the industry, leading to potential bankruptcy in some major U S airlines. This has had a severe knock on effect for aircraft manufacturers and firms servicing the airline industry, including Bombardier.

In August this year the company received cancellations for four Challenger wide-body aircraft and four Learjet 45 aircraft. In spite of this, Bombardier remains fully committed to its aerospace and manufacturing operation in Northern Ireland, which is part of its core business and an integral part of Bombardier Aerospace Inc. In the circumstances, I believe that it would be inappropriate for my Department to implement an audit along the lines suggested.

I have been working closely with Bombardier since October last year, when, as a result of current market conditions, the company announced the potential of up to 2000 redundancies by the end of this year. My Department and I will continue to work closely with the company to help it consolidate and strengthen its operations in Northern Ireland.

(AQW 194/02)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Nesbitt): Applications for the erection of telecommunication masts and wind turbines throughout Northern Ireland are processed under existing planning regulations and are considered on their individual merits against prevailing planning policies, taking account of representations received following normal advertising and consultation arrangements. There is no specific strategy for the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency.

Under existing planning regulations all proposals for the erection of telecommunication masts and wind turbines require planning permission. Where appropriate, under the provisions of the Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (NI) 1999, an Environmental Statement may be required to accompany planning applications for such development.

My Department’s prevailing policy guidance for the development of telecommunication masts is set out in Planning Policy Statement 10 Telecommunications, while the main policy guidance for the development of wind turbines is currently set out in Policy PSU 12 of ‘A Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland’.

I can assure you that my Department gives careful and detailed consideration to all proposals for telecommunications and wind turbine development within the context of the policies and regulations outlined above.

(AQW 215/02)

Mr Nesbitt: In recent months, concerns were raised by the Environment and Heritage Service about the quality of discharges and risks of water pollution from sewage treatment plants and sewerage networks at a number of locations in Northern Ireland. This raised complex legal, environmental and operational issues.

Consequently, a number of planning applications in the areas affected have been held, on a precautionary basis, while urgent discussions are taken forward between my Department and the Department for Regional Development, which is the Department responsible for waste water treatment.

Planning applications which do not require connection to the sewerage network, for example, some house extensions or garages, continue to be processed to a conclusion by Planning Service.

While I am not in a position to say when the 136 cases in the Ards Borough Council area, which are affected by this precautionary measure, will be processed to decision stage, I am determined, working with my Ministerial colleagues, to find an early resolution which will meet Northern Ireland’s development needs while at the same time protecting the environment.

(AQW 262/02)

Mr Nesbitt: The Allotments Act (Northern Ireland) 1932,as amended, enables district councils to provide, at their discretion, allotments for use by residents in their areas. In providing allotments, district councils are required, under the 1932 Act, to make regulations concerning the control and management of these facilities. My Department, therefore, has no role in either the making or the review of regulations governing the use of council allotments.

(AQW 276/02)

Mr Nesbitt: My Department is working through an inter-departmental control group to stop the spread of zebra mussels from Lough Erne to other lakes. The group is led by the Environment and Heritage Service of DOE, and includes representatives of DARD, DRD, DCAL and Waterways Ireland. The natural heritage agency in the Republic of Ireland, Duchas, has been invited to join the group to provide cross-border links.

Through an awareness campaign we are asking people to do several things:

My Department, in partnership with DARD, is also carrying out research to predict possible ecological impacts, improve the effectiveness of control measures, identify vulnerable lakes and put in place a system to provide early warning should other major lakes become colonised. Further preventative measures may follow when the research findings are available next year.