(AQW 501/02)

Sir Reg Empey: It is not currently possible to provide information on redundancies by constituency and district council area. However, the number of redundancies in Northern Ireland confirmed to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment by Job Centre Area for each of the last two years is shown in Table 1.

* A Job Centre Area is the nearest Job Centre office associated with the company making redundancies.

(AQW 502/02)

Sir Reg Empey: Work to finalise DETI’s revised New TSN area maps is almost complete. The revised maps, which will be informed by the Noble report, Measures of Deprivation in Northern Ireland, and current unemployment levels, are due to be published before the end of October 2002.

(AQO 186/02)

Sir Reg Empey: All three areas are the subject of a number of strategies being developed and implemented by my Department through the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in conjunction with relevant partners. These strategies aim to ensure that this area continues to attract visitors and that accruing benefits are spread throughout the region while preserving the integrity of the tourism resource.

(AQO 183/02)

Sir Reg Empey: Initial indications would suggest that there continues to be growth in tourism to Northern Ireland and to the Republic of Ireland from our near markets. However there is continuing uncertainty regarding medium and long haul markets, in particular North America.

Inclement weather is more likely to influence the performance of domestic tourism rather than booking patterns in our overseas markets.

(AQO 192/02)

Sir Reg Empey: OFREG regularly meets NIE and electricity generators to discuss a wide range of aspects of their operations. I understand that OFREG and NIE are currently discussing several options to reduce electricity prices further.

(AQO 214/02)

Sir Reg Empey: An evaluation of the effectiveness of Selective Financial Assistance (SFA) to industry was undertaken as part of the NI Executive’s Needs and Effectiveness evaluations. The study found that SFA had a significant impact on employment and productivity within Northern Ireland manufacturing and was also successful at promoting enterprise and innovation.

(AQO 181/02)

Sir Reg Empey: In 2001/02, there were 57 statutory reports of farm accidents received by Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland. However, it is believed that there is gross under-reporting of accidents in this sector. The recent Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Social Survey of Farmers and Farm Families 2001/02 found that 2% of those interviewed had suffered from a work-related injury necessitating medical attention in the preceding year as a result of a farm accident. This equates to 1,800 farmers across Northern Ireland.

(AQW 263/02)

The Minister of the Environment (Mr Nesbitt): The Environment and Heritage Service of my Department monitors the quality of bathing waters at Northern Ireland’s beaches. This programme has identified deficiencies in the existing sewer systems as a contributory cause of failure to meet European bathing water standards. This reinforces the need for investment and improvement to the sewerage infrastructure in order to improve the quality of Northern Ireland’s bathing waters.

Responsibility for the capital investment required to achieve the much needed improvements to coastal sewerage systems and waste water treatment works lies with the Minister for Regional Development. I understand from his Department that over the past 10 years, his Department’s Water Service has invested £44 million in upgrading a number of Wastewater Treatment Works and sewerage systems, discharging to coastal waters, in order to meet the required discharge standards.

Over the next 5 years investment of £50 million is planned, within Water Service’s publicly funded Capital Works Programme, to upgrade or provide new Wastewater Treatment Works at 24 coastal locations and to improve 9 sewerage networks. The upgrading or provision of new Wastewater Treatment Works at a further 5 major coastal locations are currently being considered for procurement under a proposed Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme of work. The costs involved are £117 million. However, I understand that the PPP programme of work is the subject of a detailed appraisal study. It will be several months before this is complete and it will not be possible to give an indication of the likely start dates of any of these projects before then.

In the longer term, Water Service proposes to refurbish several sewer networks at major coastal locations.

(AQW 313/02)

(a) Fourteen specialised buildings owned by Executive Agencies of my Department contain asbestos as a component part of their construction. Asbestos Registers have been compiled and are being maintained at all properties.

(b) 335 staff are employed in these buildings. In none of the buildings in which staff are employed is the asbestos considered to be in a dangerous condition.

(c) In accordance with the advice of the Health and Safety Executive (NI), the Department does not remove asbestos-containing materials where they are in a good condition. Instead, the asbestos is left undisturbed and its presence managed until it can be removed safely (eg prior to refurbishment or demolition). One unoccupied building is due to have asbestos/cement roofing replaced with natural slates in October/November 2002.

(AQW 391/02)

Mr Nesbitt: The time-scale for the introduction of recycling schemes remains the responsibility of the District Councils.

My Department has provided grant aid to District Councils to assist the development of their Waste Management Plans. These Plans set the framework for the development of an integrated network of waste management facilities by identifying the number and type of facility, together with general locations, that will be required to deal with the projected quantities of waste. The first phase of the Department’s ‘Wake Up to Waste’ Campaign succeeded in raising public awareness and generated significant public participation in the consultations on Waste Management Plans.

The results of the Campaign have shown clearly that people want to be involved, and welcome the opportunity to take personal action to enhance their environment.

In the last year some 60,000 new bins have been purchased with grant aid from my Department to further the involvement of householders in reducing the amount of domestic waste disposed of to landfill.

While some Councils have already initiated recycling schemes, by providing additional bins to householders for the segregation of recyclable materials, others are currently in the process of rolling out their schemes.

(AQW 427/02)

Mr Nesbitt: There are no buildings leased by my Department that have asbestos as a component of their construction.

(AQW 135/02)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Dr Farren): Government Purchasing Agency has not awarded any publishing contracts to BA Publishing Services between 1997 and 2002.

BA Publishing Services are however one of four suppliers currently on contract to provide the Social Services Agency with printing, storage & distribution of forms. This contract was awarded on behalf of the Social Services Agency by the Government Purchasing Agency and is due for renewal later this year.

(AQW 246/02)

Dr Farren: The Department of Finance and Personnel holds figures relating solely to the Northern Ireland Civil Service. I attach a table [page 106] that illustrates the number of civil servants in each of the 11 departments who live in the Omagh District Council area and who travel to work in one of the other district areas.

As the Strategic Review of Civil Service Office Accommodation, which includes an examination of the scope for decentralisation of Civil Service jobs, is currently ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on this issue at present. However I can confirm that pending the outcome of the review, opportunities to relocate Civil Service jobs are continuing to be examined on a case by case basis, as particular needs and issues arise. Where there are considered to be pressing accommodation needs or where short-term decisions are required, business cases are prepared taking full account of the current relocation policy.

NICS staff living in Omagh DCA as at January 20021,2,3

(AQW 246/02)

1 excludes NICS staff on career break

2 includes NICS staff employed in the 11 Ministerial Departments only

3 includes both permanent and casual, and industrial and non-industrial NICS staff

(AQW 255/02)

Dr Farren: Please find detailed below the information as requested:

No expenditure was incurred for the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 financial years.

(AQW 281/02)

Dr Farren: The NICS does not pay travelling expenses from home to work except in cases where an individual is transferred by their employing department or agency for business reasons. In these cases excess fares allowances may be paid in respect of additional distance travelled and in accordance with the terms of the NICS Staff Handbook.

Excess fares are paid at the public transport rate (currently 25.7p per mile) and are normally paid for a period of 3 years following the permanent transfer. They are subject to deductions in respect of Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions.

Transfers made at the officer’s own request do not qualify for excess fares allowance.

Records of excess fares paid are not collated according to the work (or home) locations of the recipients. As manual extraction of the information requested, by examination of each individual’s record would involve disproportionate expense, it is not possible to provide the details requested.

(AQW 293/02)

Dr Farren: A Revaluation of Non-Domestic property is underway and a new valuation list will be introduced in April 2003. This will take into account economic and social changes that have taken place since the last revaluation in 1997 and will restore the link between rateable values and open market rental values, thus ensuring a more equitable distribution of the rate burden. It is too early to speculate on its full impact until the exercise is complete and the precise effect on individual properties, business sectors and locations is known, but it is quite possible that the revaluation will ease the rate burden on many businesses located in town centres that have been in decline. Sectors of the market that have fared better, such as many of our out of town shopping centres, are likely to experience an increase.

Furthermore, the public consultation stage of the Review of Rating Policy, launched on 27 May 2002, is almost complete. Existing rating legislation in Northern Ireland does not provide for the type of rate relief sought. However, the questions of small business relief and urban regeneration are two of the policy matters being considered in the Review and are relevant to this issue. Additionally, the option of moving to a capital value system for commercial properties is covered and such a system would have a positive effect on many of our High Streets.

No decisions on any changes to the current rating system will be taken until after the Consultation period closes and the responses have been analysed and considered by the Executive in the autumn.

(AQW 314/02)

Dr Farren: The information you requested is as follows:

(a) There are 67 buildings owned by the Department of Finance and Personnel which currently contain asbestos as a component of their construction;

(b) Approximately 10,400 staff are employed in these buildings; and

(c) The Department does not have a general plan to remove asbestos from its buildings.

(AQW 352/02)

Dr Farren: The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) in its role as Managing Authority for the PEACE II Programme is responsible for all aspects of the Programme. The SEUPB has confirmed to me that, while the process of establishing LSPs and agreeing all of the necessary contractual arrangements took longer than intended, since then the Ards Local Strategy Partnership Ltd has made good progress to implement the PEACE II measures for which they are responsible.

Ards’ Interim Integrated Strategy and Action Plan were agreed and a global grant of £1,778,000 was approved on the 12th February 2002. Between February and May 2002, the LSP Board met regularly to establish the office, set the criteria and devise the Programme. During early May 2002 Ards LSP advertised the first part of their programme. Thirty-three applications have been assessed and nineteen are still under consideration. Applicants will receive decisions by early October 2002. Good progress has also been made with other elements of the programme.

(AQW 47/02)

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Ms de Brún): In my consultation paper Developing Better Services: Modernising Hospitals and Reforming Structures, I have proposed that the role of the Mater Hospital should change to become a Local Hospital. A change of role to a modern Local Hospital would enable the Mater to provide a wide range of services, including sophisticated methods of investigation, diagnosis and day procedures, and it will continue to provide the vast majority of services that people get in hospital settings, and which do not need to be delivered in an acute hospital. As the consultation paper also makes clear, I am proposing that the Mater should continue to provide a range of acute services for much of the period leading to the establishment of a new pattern of hospital services.

No decisions on any of the proposals in the consultation paper have, or will be taken, until after the consultation period ends on 31 October 2002 and the responses to the consultation have been fully analysed and considered. Following discussion at the Executive, it is hoped that final decisions can be taken in the course of 2002.

I mo pháipéar comhairliúcháin Seirbhísí Is Fearr A Fhorbairt: Otharlanna A Nuachóiriú agus Struchtúir a Leasú, mhol mé gur chóir ról Otharlann an Mater a athrú go hOtharlann Áitiúil. Chuirfeadh athrú ról an Mater go hOtharlann Áitiúil nua-aimseartha ar a cumas réimse leathan seirbhísí a sholáthar, modhanna sofaisticiúla fiosraithe, diagnóise agus gnáthaimh lae curtha san áireamh, agus leanfaidh sí uirthi ag soláthar mhórthromlach na seirbhísí a fhaigheann daoine i suímh otharlainne, seirbhísí nach gá a sholáthar i ngéarotharlann. Mar a shoiléiríonn an páipéar comhairliúcháin chomh maith, tá mé ag moladh gur chóir go leanfadh an Mater uirthi ag soláthar raon géarsheirbhísí ar feadh cuid mhaith den tréimhse ina mbeidh bunú gréasán úr seirbhísí otharlainne mar thoradh air.

Ní dhearnadh agus ní dhéanfar aon chinneadh ar cheann ar bith de na moltaí sa pháipéar chomhairliúcháin go dtí go gcríochnóidh an tréimhse chomhairliúcháin ar 31 Deireadh Fómhair 2002 agus go dtí go measfar agus go ndéanfar anailís iomlán ar fhreagairtí an chomhairliúcháin. I ndiaidh plé a dhéanamh ag an Choiste Feidhmiúcháin táthar ag súil gur féidir na cinntí deireannacha a ghlacadh le linn 2002.

(AQW 50/02)

Ms de Brún: In keeping with my Department’s policy on openness, responses to the consultation on the Acute Hospitals Review Group report can be made available, on request, subject to the consent of the consultee. A short summary of the responses received and a list of respondees is available from my Department and has been placed in the Assembly library. My proposal is that the Mater Hospital will be a modern hospital providing a wide range of services including sophisticated methods of investigation, diagnosis and day procedures. This proposed change of role to a local hospital is not a "down-grading", but is designed to ensure that the network of hospital services available to the population here is modern, effective and of a high quality.

Ag cloí le polasaí mo Roinne ar oscailteacht, is féidir freagraí an chomhairliúcháin ar thuairisc an Ghrúpa Athbhreithnithe ar Ghéarotharlanna a chur ar fáil, ach iad a iarraidh, ag brath ar chead a fháil ón té na comhairle . Tá achoimre ghairid na freagraí agus liosta freagróirí a fuarthas ar fáil ón Roinn s’agam agus cuireadh i leabharlann an Tionóil iad. Is é mo mholadh ná go mbeidh Otharlann an Mater ina hotharlann nua-aimseartha ag soláthar réimse leathan seirbhísí ar a mbeidh modhanna sofaisticiúla fiosraithe, diagnóise agus gnáthaimh lae. Ní "íosghradú" é an t-athrú róil chuig otharlann áitiúil atá molta, ach tá sé deartha le cinntiú gur nua-aimseartha, éifeachtach agus d’ardchaighdeán an gréasán seirbhísí otharlainne a bheidh ar fáil don phobal.

(AQW 103/02)

Ms de Brún: This information is not routinely collected centrally.

A one-off exercise undertaken in May of this year found that 3,341 people were waiting for MRI scans here. The waiting times were between 3 and 10 months.

Ní bhailítear an t-eolas seo go lárnach ar bhonn rialta.

D’aimsigh cleachtadh aonuaire a tugadh faoi i mBealtaine i mbliana go raibh 3,341 duine ag fanacht le scantaí MRI anseo. Ba idir 3 agus 10 mí na hagaí feithimh.

(AQW 104/02)

Ms de Brún: As yet, no contracts have been forwarded to the Procurement Board for consideration.

This pilot project, by its very nature, is breaking new ground and as a consequence, the identification of suitable contracts will require careful consideration. My Department is currently exploring projects within the capital programme, including those secured under the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative, to identify suitable contracts for the Procurement Board’s consideration.

I hope to be able to put forward suitable contracts shortly.

Níor cuireadh conarthaí ar bith chun tosaigh chuig an Bhord Soláthair le machnamh a dhéanamh orthu, go dtí seo.

Tá an threoirthionscadal seo, toisc an cineál tionscnaimh é, ag treabhadh talamh úr agus mar thoradh air, teastóidh machnamh géar ar aimsiú conarthaí oiriúnacha. Tá an Roinn s’agam ag scrúdú tionscadail sa chlár chaipitiúil, mar aon leo siúd faighte de réir an Tionscnaimh Athinfheistíochta agus Athchóirithe, chun go n-aimseofar conarthaí oiriúnach a ndéanfadh an Bord Soláthair machnamh orthu.

Tá súil agam conarthaí oiriúnacha a chur chun tosaigh roimh i bhfad.