(AQW 325/02)

Ms de Brún: The first stage of the Quinquennial Review of the Fire Authority is currently being finalised and when completed I will advise the Assembly.

Táthar ag cur an dlaoi mhullaigh faoi láthair ar an chéad chéim d’Athbhreithniú Cúigbhliantúil ar an Údarás Dóiteáin agus nuair a chuirtear i gcrích é cuirfidh mé comhairle ar an Tionól.

(AQW 326/02)

Ms de Brún: A comprehensive review of Fire Cover was recently completed by the Fire Brigade and the initial draft report of that assessment is being considered by my Department.

Once the Fire Cover Review Report has been finalised, and agreement reached on implementing its recommendations I will be in a position to provide a detailed account of the action to be taken.

Chuir an Bhriogáid Dóiteáin críoch le hathbhreithniú cuimsitheach ar Clúdach Dóiteáin agus tá an dréacht-thuarascáil tosaigh den mheasúnú sin á cur san áireamh ag an Roinn s’agam.

A luaithe is a bheidh an Tuarascáil Athbhreithnithe ar Chlúdach Dóiteáin curtha i gcrích, agus socrú tagtha ar chur i bhfeidhm na moltaí, beidh mé in ann mionchuntas a chur ar fáil don ghníomh atáthar le thabhairt faoi.

(AQW 327/02)

Ms de Brún: The Northern Health & Social Services Board commissions a specialist Board-wide Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service from Homefirst Community Trust. This currently consists of:

Tá na poist thuasluaite go léir buan agus lánaimseartha. Chomh maith leis sin, maoiníonn an Bord post sa tSíciatracht Ghinearálta in Aontroim, a déileálann le Seirbhísí Sláinte Meabhrach Pháistí agus Ógánaigh chomh maith le seirbhísí d’aosaigh.

Soláthraíodh chomh maith maoiniú d’Iontaobhas Pobail Homefirst le Síciatraí Comhairleach Páistí buan breise, Teiripí Teaghlaigh, poist Rúnaí Phríobháidigh agus post sealadach 6 mhí mar Oifigeach Sinsearach Tí Sheirbhís Sláinte Meabhrach Pháistí agus Ógánaigh a earcú. Ní raibh an tIontaobhas ábalta ceann ar bith de na poist sin a líonadh go dtí seo.

Caitheann Bord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta an Tuaiscirt £667,437 faoi láthair ar Sheirbhísí Sláinte Meabhrach do Pháistí agus d’Ógánaigh. Tiomnaítear £123,677 de bhreis do na poist bhuana thuasluaite.

(AQW 328/02)

Ms de Brún: The Implementation of the Strategic Review of the Ambulance Service identified a number of areas, including the Ards Peninsula, where the establishment of additional ambulance locations would help to achieve improved response times. However, in light of the many competing pressures on the additional resources secured in recent years for the development of ambulance services, it has not yet been possible to identify the funding necessary for a new out-station on the Ards Peninsula.

Thug Cur i bhFeidhm an Athbhreithnithe Straitéisigh ar an Seirbhís Otharchairr le fios go bhfuil roinnt ceantar, Leithinis na hArda san áireamh, ina gcuideoidh bunú suíomh breise otharchairr iontu le feabhas a chur ar na hamanna freagrachta. Ag cuimhneamh ar na mórán brúnna iomaíochta ar na hacmhainní breise a fuarthas sna blianta deireanacha d’fhorbairt seirbhísí otharchairr, áfach, ní féidir an maoiniú a bheadh riachtanach a aimsiú d’urstáisiún nua ar Leithinis na hArda.

(AQW 338/02)

Ms de Brún: Information is not available in the form requested.

Níl an t-eolas ar fáil ar an dóigh iarrtha.

(AQW 342/02)

Ms de Brún: There are currently four aerial appliances based at Springfield, Central, Knock and Northland Fire Stations.

A comprehensive review of Fire Cover was recently completed by the Fire Brigade and the initial draft assessment is being considered by my Department. The final document may have a bearing on the location and provision of the aerial appliances.

Tá ceithre gléas aerga bunaithe faoi láthair ag Stáisiúin Dóiteáin Springfield, Lárnach, An Chnoic agus Northland.

Chuir an Bhriogáid Dóiteáin athbhreithniú cuimsitheach ar Chlúdach Dóiteáin i gcrích ar na mallaibh agus tá an Roinn s’agam ag déanamh machnaimh ar an dréacht-mheasúnú tosaigh. D’fhéadfadh an doiciméad deiridh dul i bhfeidhm ar shuíomh agus ar sholáthar gléasanna aerga.

(AQW 345/02)

Ms de Brún: From 52 buildings that my Department owns, 38 contain asbestos as a component of their construction. These buildings are occupied by 1295 staff. My Department is following Health and Safety Executive advice concerning the management of asbestos in that, where possible, the asbestos is left undisturbed and its presence managed until such time as it can be safely removed during refurbishment or demolition.

As measc na 52 foirgneamh ar leis an Roinn s’agam iad, tá aispeist i 38 acu mar chomhábhar den tógáil s’acu. Tá 1295 foireann oibre sna foirgnimh seo. Tá an Roinn s’agam ag leanúint chomhairle an Choiste Feidhmiúcháin Sláinte agus Sábháilteachta i dtaobh bainistiú aispeiste ionas nach gcorraítear an aispeist, nuair is féidir, agus go ndéanfar bainistiú ar an aispeist go dtí gur féidir á thógáil amach le linn athchóirithe nó treascartha.

(AQW 355/02)

Ms de Brún: Yes, I am aware that the manufacture of single antigen vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella has ceased. I have no plans at present to seek a recommencement of production. My Department recommends MMR immunisation as the safest and most effective way to protect children against measles, mumps and rubella. There is no evidence to justify the use of single vaccines instead of the MMR.

Is ea, is eol dom gur cuireadh stop le déanamh na vacsaíní antaigine aonair don bhruitíneach, don leicneach agus don bhruitíneach dhearg. Níl pleananna ar bith agam faoi láthair atosú táirgthe a iarraidh. Molann an Roinn s’agam imdhíonta an MMR mar an dóigh is sábháilte agus is éifeachtaí le páistí a chosaint ar an bhruitíneach, ar an leicneach agus ar an bhruitíneach dhearg. Níl fianaise ar bith ann a chosnódh úsáid vacsaíní aonair in áit an MMR.

(AQW 356/02)

Ms de Brún: There are no supplies of licensed single antigen measles or single antigen mumps vaccine held in stock. The last batch of licensed single antigen rubella vaccine was produced recently and there is enough to last for about 1 year.

Níl soláthair ar bith de vacsaín aonair antaigin na bruitíní nó vacsaín aonair antaigin na leicní ceadúnaithe coinnithe i stoc. Táirgeadh an dol deireanach do vacsaín aonair ceadúnaithe antaigin na Bruitíní Deirge ar na mallaibh agus tá go leor ann a mhairfidh tuairim is 1 bliain.

(AQW 364/02)

Ms de Brún: I refer the member to my answer in AQO 1162/01.

Treoraím an Ball do mo fhreagra a thug mé ar AQO 1162/01.

(AQW 365/02)

Ms de Brún: Expenditure by NHSSB on assessing and meeting special educational needs for the years 1999/2000, 2000/01 and 2001/02 is detailed below:

Projected expenditure for 2002/03 is £319,000.

Tá caiteachas BSSS an Tuaiscirt ar riachtanais speisialta oideachaisiúla a mheas agus a chomhlíonadh do na blianta 1999/2000, 2000/01 agus 2001/02 léirithe thíos:

Is é £319,000 an caiteachas tuartha do 2002/03.

(AQW 368/02)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Níl an t-eolas a iarradh a chruinniú go lárnach.

(AQW 232/02)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr P Robinson): It will cost some £50 million to upgrade the wastewater treatment facilities which serve these areas to the required standards. The options for funding this work involve a combination of the use of Public Private Partnerships and public expenditure.

Preliminary studies indicate that there are seven major wastewater treatment projects that are suitable for progression under a Public Private Partnership programme of work. These projects include the upgrading of the Ballyrickard Wastewater Treatment Works and the construction of the new North Down Wastewater Treatment Works. The Ballyrickard Works serves the Newtownards and Comber areas and the upgrading is estimated to cost £6 million. The North Down Works, which will serve the Donaghadee and Millisle areas as well as Bangor, is estimated to cost £35 million.

It is proposed that the upgrading of the wastewater treatment works at the other ten locations, at a cost of £9 million, be funded by public expenditure.

(AQW 241/02)

Mr P Robinson: Safer Routes to Schools is an experimental concept designed to tackle the issue of the school run with the aim of encouraging children to walk, cycle and use public transport to get to school.

It currently involves 6 schools willing to participate in pilot projects to develop the policy. While there is at least one pilot scheme in each Education and Library Board area there is none within the East Antrim Constituency area. However, following implementation and subsequent evaluation of the pilot projects over the next 12-18 months, consideration will be given to widening the program to incorporate other schools.

(AQW 300/02)

Mr P Robinson: A total of 63 specialised buildings for which my Department has responsibility have been identified as currently containing asbestos as a component of their construction.

Approximately 1108 staff are employed within these premises.

I have no current plans to remove the asbestos from these buildings. Regular surveys of these buildings are undertaken, together with an assessment of risk.

(AQW 329/02)

Mr P Robinson: The information requested in relation to charged car parks in Newtownards is as follows:

*Includes notional charges relating to capital value and depreciation

(AQW 243/02)

The Minister for Social Development (Mr Dodds): The number of applicants on the Housing Executive’s waiting list in each of the last 5 financial years, by Council area, is set out in the table below.

Information is not held by constituency, nor is it collected or dis-aggregated into Catholic/Nationalist or Protestant/Unionist categories. Under its Section 75 Equality duties, the Housing Executive is developing a comprehensive approach to record keeping and monitoring, but this relates only to religious affiliation. Housing is allocated on the basis of need and not religious affiliation. Information on political affiliation will not be collected.

(AQW 244/02)

Mr Dodds: Taking 1998/99 as the base year, increases in unit costs of Housing Executive maintenance budget are as follows:

1998/99 = baseline

1999/00 + 3.09%

2000/01 + 2.70%

2001/02 + 2.70%

(AQW 249/02)

Mr Dodds: My Department is totally committed to ensuring that everyone claims and receives their proper benefit entitlement. To ensure this the Social Security Agency has undertaken regular publicity campaigns to signal the arrival of new benefits or to increase the awareness of existing ones. For example -

(AQW 318/02)

Mr Dodds: I can confirm that the Department for Social Development does not own any buildings containing asbestos as a component of their construction.

(AQO 187/02)

Mr Dodds: I will provide the Member with a breakdown of these figures and I will place a copy in the library.

However, as of the week beginning 23rd September 2002, 548 homes in the postcodes broadly corresponding with the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone had received energy efficiency measures under my Department’s Warm Homes Scheme and 207 Warm Homes Plus Scheme recipients received heating installations.

(AQO 215/02)

Mr Dodds: The figures in respect of the four-year period 1998/99 to 2001/02 are as follows. All relate solely to the Housing Executive.

(AQO 194/02)

Mr Dodds: The grants process, by nature, is not short. Prior to the formal application stage, an initial assessment of entitlement to grant is made, followed by a technical assessment of the house condition and drawing up of a schedule of works. There are a number of aspects that lie outside the control of the Housing Executive such as planning and building control approvals and development of plans.

The Housing Executive sets targets and monitors performance on the grants process generally, and does not disaggregate the information to a specific grant such as replacement. These targets are published on its website. The main results for the end of March 2002, show that against a target of 90%, 87% of all Schedules of Grant Aided Works were issued within twelve weeks of inspection. Additionally, against a target of 100%, 97% of formal approvals were issued within six months of completed documentation being received. In respect of payments, against a target of 90%, 86% were issued within six weeks of the request for the final inspection to be carried out. Lastly, in 99% of cases, properties were inspected within 20 weeks of a preliminary enquiry being received.

The Housing Executive regularly monitors and seeks ways of improving performance.

(AQO 217/02)

Mr Dodds: Taking 1997/98 as the base year, increases in unit costs of the Housing Executive maintenance budget are as follows:

1998/99 + 8.66%

1999/00 + 3.09%

2000/01 + 2.70%

2001/02 + 2.70%

(AQO 219/02)

Mr Dodds: The number of applicants on the Housing Executive’s waiting list in each of the last 5 financial years is 20,650 in 1997/98, 20,642 in 1998/99, 22,858 in 1999/00, 21,672 in 2000/01, 26,103 in 2001/02. Information is not collected in the format requested to break this down into Catholic/Nationalist or Protestant/Unionist categories. Under its Section 75 Equality duties, the Housing Executive is developing a comprehensive approach to record keeping and monitoring, but this relates only to religious affiliation. Housing is allocated on the basis of need and not religious affiliation. Information on political affiliation will not be collected.

(AQO 216/02)

Mr Dodds: Due to the level of detail needed to answer this question I have provided the Member with a written statement setting out the information required and I have placed a copy in the Assembly Library.