| Previous Section | Home Page |
Parrots
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the issue of licences for the importation of parrots and parrot-like birds and the number of licences granted during each month in 1988 to the most recent practicable date.
Mr. Donald Thompson : Under the Importation of Birds Poultry and Hatching Eggs Order 1979, my Ministry issues licences for the importation of parrots and parrot-like birds, subject to conditions designed to safeguard this country against the introduction of animal diseases such as Newcastle disease. These conditions include a requirement for a period of post-import quarantine.
The number of licences issued during 1988 is :
|Number
--------------------------
January |121
February |91
March |85
April |75
May |97
June |118
July |109
August |92
September |77
October |104
November |96
December<1> |43
|---
Total |1,108
<1>Up to 20th.
Aquatic Environment
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) pursuant to his reply of 8 December to the hon. Member for Gower, Official Report, column 238, on Bristol channel sludge dumping, whether his Department will now initiate further monitoring surveys of the sewage sludge dump to update the results of the 1975 to 1978 survey published in fisheries research technical report no. 59 ;
Column 441
(2) when his Department will publish the aquatic environment monitoring report for 1988.Mr. Donald Thompson [holding answer 20 December 1988] : Monitoring work on the aquatic environment is carried out on an ongoing basis and it is usually impracticable to draw detailed conclusions from one year's data. The report, which is expected to be published in early 1989, will cover field assessments made in 1986 and 1987. Such assessments were, in fact, made of the Bristol channel sewage sludge site in 1983 and 1987. The results have reaffirmed the findings reported in fisheries research technical report No. 59.
Column 442
Food Poisoning
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the research known to his Department which is relevant to food poisoning and has been (a) ongoing and (b) commissioned in each of the last five years ; and if he will state the source of funding in each case.
Mr. Ryder [pursuant to his reply, 21 December 1988] : The following list of research projects covers most of the publicly funded research relevant to microbial food poisoning ongoing and newly commissioned over the past two years. A fuller reply could be prepared only at disproportionate cost.
Column 441
Microbiology research (Pathogens)
Institutes |Project number |Title
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CSG: Commission with the Research Associations
MAFF Funded Work
FMBRA |F7 |Survival and Growth of Salmonellae and Bacillus subtilis
| in Baking Ingredients
CFDRA |600 |Growth Characteristics of Food Poisoning Organisms at
| Sub-lethal Temperatures
CFDRA |1022 |Investigate Combinations of Sub-lethal Treatments to
| Preserve Processed Foods
CFDRA |3005 |Recovery and Detection of Sub-lethally Injured
| Pathogens
CFDRA/BFMIRA |2950/M50 |Microbial Antagonism to Increase the Safety and Stability
| of Chilled Foods
BFMIRA |M53 |Low Sodium Chloride Foods/Microbiological Safety and Technological
| Characteristics
BFMIRA |M49 |Rapid methods to assess the Microbiological Quality of
| foods
CFDRA |328 |Spore Studies in Relation to Heat Processed Foods
CFDRA |400 |Resistance of Bacterial Spores to Sterilisation of
| Packaging Materials
BFMIRA |M57 |Shelf-life Prediction of Chilled foods
BFMIRA |M42 |Modes of Action and Interaction of preservatives on
| Micro-organisms
CSG: Open Contracting Fund
Portsmouth Polytechnic |OC1119 |Detection of Sub-lethal Injury in Micro-organisms (some
| industry funding)
Nottingham University |OC1199 |Use of non-radioactive DNA Probes for the Detection of
| Pathogenic Bacteria in Food
IFR Reading |OC343206 |Enzyme Linked Immunological Biosensors for Detection
| and Identifcation of Pathogenic Bacteria in Food (some
| support from industry)
Reading University |OC1198 |Development of Rapid Methods for the Detection of
| Pathogenic Aeromonas Species in Food
Surrey University |OC1201 |Fruit and Vegetable Presentation of Natural Mixed Acid
| Systems
IFR Norwich |OC242156 |Influence of Food Components and Preservative Factors
| in Food Borne Pathogens (some support from
| industry)
Bath University |N268 |Risk and Hazard Analysis in Egg Infections
IFR Bristol |N519 |Heat Induced Thermotolerance in Food Poisoning
| Organisms
Lancaster PA |N575 |Survey of Bacteriological Quality of Goats Milk
King's College London University |N432 |Lysozyme Destruction of Gram Negative Organisms in
| Chicken and Red Meat
Huddersfield Polytechnic |N189 |Bacteriological Hazards of Large Meat Roasts in Catering
| and Long Storage of Chilled Foods in Catering.
University Bristol/ |N441 |Epidemiology of Campylobacter jejuni in Broiler Chickens
PHL, Exeter
University Wales, Cardiff |N392 |Gradient Plate Techniques in the Multi-factorial Control
| of Microbial Growth in Foods
University Leicester |N518 |Effect of heat and irradiation on survival of Listeria in
| Chicken
University Reading |N267 |Effect of Physical and Compositional Factors on the Heat
| Processing of Milk
CFDRA |N279 |Markers for Retrospective Examination of Heat
| Processed Meats
RSGB |N470 |Hygiene Advisory Service Joint Research Association
AERC/MAFF-funded
IFR Bristol |141052 |Bacteria and Hygiene in Abbatoirs
IFR Bristol |141053 |Bacteria on Meat and Food-borne Illness
IFR Bristol |141055 |Define Factors Controlling Microbial Growth and
| Develop Predictive Models
IFR Bristol |141083 |Manipulation of the Microbial Flora of the Gut of Young
| Chicks to Control Salmonellas in Broilers
IFR Norwich |242110 |Microbiological Safety of Chilled Foods Including Salads
IFR Norwich |242114 |Microbiological Hazards in Domestic and institutional
| Handling of Food
IFR Bristol |141084 |Safety and Quality of Poultry Products in Relation to
| Processing
IFR Reading |343004 |Improve Existing and Develop New Methods to Assess
| Hygenic Quality of Foods
IFR Reading |343154 |Election Transfer Coupling as a Rapid Method for
| Assessment of Bacterial Contamination
IFR Norwich |232031 |Determination of Food Constituents and Contaminants
| by ELISA
AFRC/DES-funded
IFR Bristol |141037 |Effects of Heat, Cold, Drying, Radiation on Bacteria and
| their Recovery and Growth
IFR Bristol |141068 |Food Safety by Predicting Microbial Growth
IFR Norwich |242009 |Develop Novel Preservative Systems to Prevent Growth
| of Food Poisoning Bacteria including Clostrium
| botulinum
IFR Norwich |242156 |Influence of Food Components and Preservative Factors
| on Food-borne Pathogens (some industrial funding)
Bristol |141035 |Rapid methods of Characterisation of Bacteria
IFR Bristol |141036 |Classification of Bacteria from Meat and Meat Products
IFR Norwich |232134 |Development of Immunoassays for the Rapid Detection
| of Food Poisoning Organisms
IFR Reading |343206 |Enzyme-linked Immunological Biosensors for the Specific
| Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria in Foods (OC)
DANI-funded
BEL |002012 |Pathogenic Staphylococci in Dairy Products
BEL |002031 |Survival of Campylobacter in Packaged Lamb
BEL |002015 |The Microbiology of Meat and Fish Packaged for Retail
| Sale
BEL |002017 |A Study of the Effect of Controlled Atmospheres on the Microbial
| Spoilage of Packaged Vegetables
BEL |002023 |Aerobic Spore-forming Bacteria Occurring in Bulked
| Milk Supplies
BEL |002022 |Development of Direct Epifluorescent Filter Techniques
| (DEFT)
DAFS-funded
HRI |071013 |Determine the Factors Affecting Growth of
| Psychrotrophs in Cooled or Heat Treated Cooled Milk
HRI |071048 |Determine the Heat Stability Characteristics of Thermal
| Resistant Sporulating Organisms
NORTHERN IRELAND
Security
1. Mr. Soames : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
2. Rev. William McCrea : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
10. Mr. Ron Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the current security situation in Northern Ireland.
12. Mr. Molyneaux : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Ian Stewart : I refer my hon. Friend and right hon. and hon. Members to the reply I gave on 10 November,
Column 444
Official Report, column 468. Since then six people have been killed in incidents arising from the security situation in Northern Ireland. A policeman was shot dead on 21 November, a 13-year-old girl and her grandfather were killed in an explosion outside Benburb RUC station on 23 November, a civilian was shot dead in Portadown on 13 December and a UDR soldier was shot dead in Downpatrick on 16 December. All were murdered by the Provisional IRA. A further civilian was shot dead by gunmen at Coagh on 24 November. Although no one has claimed responsibility for this murder, it is believed to have been the work of a Loyalist paramilitary organisation. The continued courage and vigilance of the security forces have prevented further terrorist outrages which would have inevitably resulted in greater loss of life and destruction of property. The efforts of the security forces continue to yield encouraging results. Since the beginning of the year a total of 405 people have been charged with serious offences,Column 445
including 20 with murder and 32 with attempted murder. Some 530 weapons, over 103,000 rounds of ammunition and 9,630 lbs of explosives have been recovered in Northern Ireland.During the same period, the Garda Siochana has recovered 306 weapons, about 140,600 rounds of ammunition and about 1,100 lbs of explosives.
Harland and Wolff and Short Bros.
3. Mr. Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the position of both Harland and Wolff, and Shorts plc, in relation to the Government's plans to privatise the companies.
Mr. Viggers : The Government believe that the best prospects for the future of Harland and Wolff and Shorts lie within the private sector and they are seeking purchasers for the two companies on this basis. Negotiations are continuing with possible acquirers of Harland and Wolff ; these include senior managers at the yard who are considering a management/employee buy-out.
With regard to Shorts, an advertisement was placed on 17 November inviting parties to register their interest in buying Shorts with the Government's merchant bank advisers, Kleinwort Benson, by 2 December.
Nationalised Industries (Privatisation)
4. Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress to date regarding privatisation of Northern Ireland nationalised industries.
Mr. Viggers : In strict terms there are no nationalised industries in Northern Ireland.
Consultants have carried out a preliminary study of the main elements likely to influence the approach to the privatisation of Northern Ireland Electricity. Further work is being undertaken on points raised by this study and the Government's proposals will be published in due course.
Negotiations are continuing with possible acquirers of Harland and Wolff ; these include senior managers at the yard who are considering a management/employee buy-out.
With regard to Shorts, an advertisement was placed on 17 November inviting parties to register their interest in buying Shorts with the Government's merchant bank advisers, Kleinwort Benson, by 2 December.
Harland and Wolff
5. Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made to bring Harland and Wolff's management/employee buyout bid to fruition.
Mr. Viggers : I have had discussions with senior managers of Harland and Wolff about a proposed management/employee buy-out and my officials have also met these managers and their financial advisers to progress matters. No firm proposals have yet been tabled.
16. Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will reconsider his decisions to privatise Harland and Wolff ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 446
Mr. Viggers : The Government believe that the best prospects for the future of Harland and Wolff lie within the private sector and is seeking purchasers for the company on this basis. Negotiations are continuing with possible acquirers of Harland and Wolff ; these include senior managers at the yard who are considering a possible management/employee buy-out.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met trade union representatives from Harland and Wolff ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Viggers : I met representatives of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions from Harland and Wolff on 31 October 1988. We exchanged views on the future of the company and I have since written to the confederation in response to a paper which the representatives left with me.
Nurses (Regrading)
6. Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met senior representatives from the units of managements within the Eastern and Southern health and social services boards to discuss anomalies resulting from the implementation of the clinical grading review for nurses and midwives.
Mr. Needham : I have not had any such meetings.
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of grades issued before commencement of the appeal procedure as a result of the clinical grading review, giving a breakdown of all grades (a) on a Northern Ireland basis, (b) on an area board basis, (c) on a unit of management basis and (d) on a hospital basis.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 21 December 1988] : Details of the grading outcomes for nursing staff covered by the clinical grading review for Northern Ireland are as follows :
Northern Ireland <1> Numbers of staff and percentage movement to
each grade
|Percentage|Numbers
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A. |17 |2,622
B. |1 |154
C. |12 |1,851
D. |16 |2,468
E. |32 |4,935
F. |4 |617
G. |14 |2,159
H. |2 |308
I. |2 |308
Staff in post wholetime equivalent |- |15,422
<1> Includes staff employed by the National Board for Nursing,
Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland.
For the grading outcomes on an area board basis, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question by the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Rev. Martin Smyth) on 9 December 1988.
Information on a unit of management and hospital basis is not held centrally.
Column 447
Short Brothers
7. Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about progress with the privatisation of Short Brothers.
17. Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the proposed timetable for the sale of Short Brothers.
Mr. Viggers : An advertisement was placed on 17 November inviting interested parties to register their interest by 2 December with the Government's merchant bank advisers, Kleinwort Benson. A number of potential purchasers have been identified and an information memorandum is being prepared which will be issued soon to selected prospective buyers.
Kilroot Power Station
8. Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when construction work will commence on phase II of Kilroot power station.
Mr. Viggers : No decision has yet been taken on this matter. On current planning assumptions, Kilroot II will be needed by 1995-96 and construction work should begin by 1992. The start of construction would be brought forward if there was a decision to make the station available earlier or if flue gas desulphurisation plant had to be installed. Both these issues are under consideration at present.
Driving Licences
9. Mr. Clifford Forsythe : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to bring the law on driving licences into line with that which applies to the rest of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Needham : I plan to bring the law regarding vocational licensing into line with that proposed in the Great Britain Road Traffic (Driving Licences and Information Systems) Bill presently before Parliament. I have no plans at present to change any other aspects of driver licensing.
Labour Statistics
11. Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current level of unemployment in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Viggers : At 10 November 1988, the latest date for which unemployment figures are available, there were 108,981 unemployed claimants in Northern Ireland, representing 15.7 per cent. of the work force.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers of people unemployed and claiming benefit by (a) constituency and (b) district in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 21 December 1988] : The information cannot be given by constituency or district area. The numbers by social security office are as follows :
Number of people unemployed and claiming benefit at
10 November 1988
Social security office |Number
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Andersonstown |4,138
Antrim |2,763
Armagh |2,738
Ballymena |3,153
Ballymoney |2,243
Banbridge |1,627
Bangor |2,358
Carrickfergus |1,670
Coleraine |3,357
Cookstown |1,891
Corporation Street |5,032
Downpatrick |1,250
Dungannon |3,115
Enniskillen |3,716
Falls |4,575
Holywood Road |4,276
Kilkeel |871
Knockbreda |2,709
Larne |1,500
Limavady |1,907
Lisburn |3,199
Londonderry |8,165
Lurgan |2,766
Magherafelt |2,493
Newcastle |929
Newry |5,032
Newtownabbey |3,175
Newtownards |2,290
Omagh |2,726
Portadown |2,076
Shaftesbury Square |3,570
Shankill |3,241
Strabane |2,927
|-------
Total |99,179
Anglo-Irish Conference
13. Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement as to the items on the agenda for the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference.
Mr. Tom King : The agenda for the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference has not yet been prepared, but it is likely to include subjects raised at the last meeting of the conference on 14 December. A copy of the joint statement issued after that meeting, which sets out the subjects then discussed, has been placed in the Library.
Ultimate Dream Project
14. Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is presently taking to secure the Ultimate Dream cruise liner project for Harland and Wolff.
Mr. Viggers : Senior managers at Harland and Wolff are considering whether the Ultimate Dream, or other orders, could provide the basis for a buy-out by managers and employees at the yard. I have had discussions with these managers, but, as yet, no firm proposals have been tabled.
Republic of Ireland (Discussions)
15. Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Tom King : No agenda has yet been drawn up for my next meeting with Irish Ministers, but it is likely to include the discussion of subjects raised at the last meeting
Column 449
of the Intergovernmental Conference on 14 December. A copy of the joint statement issued after that meeting, which sets out the subject discussed, has been placed in the Library.RUC-Scottish Police (Collaboration)
18. Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary ; and if he discussed the collaboration policies of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Scottish police forces in the fight against terrorism.
Mr. Tom King : I last met the Chief Constable on 13 December. The nature of our discussions is confidential.
Terrorism
Mr. A. Cecil Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civilian fatalities have occurred as a result of unrest in the Province during the period 1 January 1970 to 31 October 1985 ; and how many of these fatalities have been attributed to (a) Loyalist paramilitaries, (b) Republican paramilitaries, (c) security forces, (d) the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and (e) unidentified forces.
Mr. Ian Stewart : During the period 1 January 1970 to 31 October 1985, a total of 1,693 civilians were killed as a result of the security situation in Northern Ireland. This total included suspected terrorists killed by their own devices. It is not possible to state with certainty which paramilitary organisation was responsible for every murder, but, as far as can be ascertained, the breakdown of these deaths is as follows :--
(a) Deaths attributed to Loyalist paramilitary
organisations--between 600 and 700.
(b) Deaths attributed to Republican paramilitary
organisations--between 700 and 800.
In addition, 225 deaths were attributed to the Army (including the UDR), and 33 to the RUC.
Royal Victoria Hospital
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are currently waiting for cardiac operations at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast ; what is the average waiting time ; and what proposals there are to reduce the waiting time for such operations.
Mr. Needham : At 30 June, 1988 there were 733 people waiting for cardiac operations at the Royal Victoria
Column 450
hospital, Belfast. Information on average waiting times is not collected, but of the 733 patients on the waiting list, 354 have been waiting for less than one year. As part of a range of measures designed to reduce waiting times I have recently announced that a £1.3 million capital scheme will be undertaken in 1989 to expand the post-operative recovery facilities at the Royal Victoria hospital from eight to 12 beds. A comprehensive review of adult cardiology services in the Eastern board areas has also been carried out by a committee under the chairmanship of Sir John Badenoch. The committee's report, which recommends measures to increase the number of heart operations at the Royal Victoria within existing resources, has been accepted for implementation and will be reflected in the board's operational plans for 1989-90.Mature Students
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students aged 26 years and over enrolled in Northern Ireland universities and colleges of education in the past five years.
Dr. Mawhinney : Available information is for those aged 25 and over and is as follows :
8 Academic year |Full time |Part time -------------------------------------------------------- 1982-83 |1,016 |956 1983-84 |1,069 |1,188 1984-85 |1,423 |3,302 1985-86 |1,681 |3,951 1986-87 |1,776 |3,927 Note: Figures from 1984-85 onwards reflect the merger of The New University of Ulster and the Ulster Polytechnic.
Further and Higher Education
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received concerning the funding of further and higher education in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a statistical breakdown of the characteristics of students in further and higher education in Northern Ireland analysed by (a) age, (b) sex, (c) country of origin and (d) category of award for the past five years.
Dr. Mawhinney : Available information is as follows :
Academic year (a) By age (b) By sex (c) Country of origin
|20 and under |21-24 |25 and over |Men |Women |United Kingdom|Other
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982-83 |22,683 |5,615 |1,626 |14,596 |15,328 |29,182 |<1>742
1983-84 |20,411 |5,895 |1,980 |13,550 |14,736 |27,568 |<1>718
1984-85 |21,540 |6,244 |1,818 |14,148 |15,454 |28,924 |678
1985-86 |22,168 |6,704 |2,019 |14,342 |16,549 |29,921 |970
1986-87 |22,551 |7,071 |2,239 |14,436 |17,425 |30,595 |1,266
<1>Estimated.
Column 451
(d) Category of awards
Education and library
board awards
Full value Lesser DENI
|Mandatory |Discretionary|value |awards<1>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982-83 |10,182 |171 |734 |1,908
1983-84 |10,414 |712 |608 |1,947
1984-85 |11,054 |837 |840 |1,950
1985-86 |10,940 |785 |854 |2,074
1986-87 |11,470 |766 |840 |2,075
<1> Includes postgraduate bursaries and studentships and teacher training awards.
Excludes adult education bursaries (c. 40-50 per annum) and youth service awards (
c. 30-50 per annum).
Student and Parent Governors
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received concerning the position of student and parent governors in further education college governance ; and if he will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : Some further education interests have written objecting to any parental representation on college governing bodies and seeking assurances about student representation. For the purposes of legislation I intend to follow closely the approach in the Education Reform Act.
Prevention of Terrorism
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a breakdown of those people arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for each year since 1974 (a) at ports, (b) at airports, (c) in their homes and (d) in other places ; and if he will provide a breakdown of these figures between men and women detainees.
Mr. Ian Stewart [holding answer 8 December 1988] : Available information is as follows :
Year |Firearms recovered<1> |Explosives recovered<1>|Occupied houses
|(tons) |searched<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1974 |1,236 |11.7 |19,576
1975 |820 |4.9 |3,907
1976 |736 |9.7 |10,749
1977 |563 |1.7 |9,264
1978 |393 |0.9 |6,309
1979 |300 |0.9 |4,740
1980 |203 |0.8 |2,960
1981 |357 |3.4 |2,420
1982 |288 |2.3 |2,979
1983 |166 |1.7 |693
1984 |187 |3.8 |769
1985 |173 |3.3 |446
1986 |174 |2.4 |689
1987 |206 |5.8 |790
1988<3> |431 |3.4 |2,281
<1> These amounts refer to total amounts of munitions recovered not just finds during searches of occupied houses.
<2> House searches are primarily carried out under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts Legislation.
<3> To 31 October.
Helios Programme
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement regarding the Helios programme outlining what plans or proposals the Government has for it in respect of Northern Ireland ; whether there was any policy consideration behind
Column 452
Northern Ireland not being invited to nominate representatives to the relevant European Community advisory committee ; and whether arrangements have been made to take account of the views of the relevant agencies in Northern Ireland.Mr. Needham [holding answer 16 December 1988] : A working group of officials from all Northern Ireland Departments with an interest in the European Community second action programme for disabled people (the Helios programme) has been established. The group is in turn represented on a national co-ordinating committee which was set up to oversee the United Kingdom's participation in the programme. A vocational rehabilitation project nominated by the Department of Economic Development has been included in the EC network of local model projects.
It is a matter for each of the member states in the European Community to field representatives to meetings of EC committees and it would be unrealistic to expect each region of a member state to be represented on the committees. The co-ordinating arrangements that I have described are, however, designed to ensure that Northern Ireland's interests are taken into account by the United Kingdom representatives on the EC advisory committee. Consideration is currently being given to the most appropriate way, to facilitate the involvement of disability organisations thoughout the United Kingdom in the programme.
Family Credit
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers in receipt of family credits in Northern Ireland ; what is the total number of dependents involved ; and what is the total amount paid in family credit in the latest available week in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 21 December 1988] : At 6 December 1988 the estimated number of people in receipt of family credit in Northern Ireland was 14,000. The estimated number of dependent children involved was 36,000. Precise details of the amount paid in any particular week are not available but it is estimated that the total amount paid from April 1988 to 6 December 1988 was £19 million.
Government Training Centres
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers in each GTC in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Viggers [holding answer 21 December 1988] : Attendance at each of the 12 training centres in Northern Ireland during week commencing 12 December 1988 was as follows :
|Number
-------------------------------------
Alfred street, Belfast |136
Ballymena |385
Boucher road, Belfast |262
Craigavon |273
Dundonald |385
Enniskillen |132
Felden |286
Lisburn |167
Maydown |201
Newry |306
Omagh |218
Springtown |200
Income Support
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers receiving unemployment benefit but not receiving income support in each social security office in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 21 December 1988] : The information is as follows :
Numbers receiving unemployment benefit only at
10 November 1988
Social security office |Numbers
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Andersontown |818
Antrim |546
Armagh |542
Ballymena |623
Ballymoney |444
Ballynahinch |139
Banbridge |321
Bangor |466
Carrickfergus |330
Coleraine |664
Cookstown |374
Corporation Street |1,193
Downpatrick |247
Dungannon |616
Enniskillen |735
Falls |905
Holywood Road |846
Kilkeel |172
Knockbreda |536
Larne |297
Limavady |377
Lisburn |633
Londonderry |1,615
Lurgan |547
Magherafelt |493
Newcastle |184
Newry |995
Newtownabbey |628
Newtownards |453
Omagh |539
Portadown |411
Shaftesbury Square |706
Shankill |641
Strabane |579
|-------
Total |19,615
Mr. John Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers receiving each of the premium rates of income support at each social security office in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 21 December 1988] : While some income support claimants receive more than one premium, statistics for the highest value premium only are recorded centrally in such cases. On this basis the numbers in each category of premium at the latest date are as follows :
Column 453
Social Security office |Higher pensioner premium|Ordinary pensioner |Disability premium |Lone parent premium |Family premium
|premium
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andersonstown |191 |898 |404 |1,709 |1,119
Antrim |391 |912 |345 |892 |643
Armagh |431 |1,229 |325 |344 |825
Ballymena |426 |1,378 |349 |616 |629
Ballymoney |457 |984 |317 |347 |742
Ballynahinch |137 |457 |132 |133 |126
Banbridge |366 |931 |197 |312 |350
Bangor |469 |1,045 |214 |575 |289
Carrickfergus |279 |530 |156 |458 |346
Coleraine |492 |1,127 |284 |757 |743
Cookstown |351 |801 |237 |226 |549
Corporation Street |716 |2,329 |629 |1,950 |1,283
Downpatrick |225 |406 |211 |326 |224
Dungannon |455 |1,666 |407 |403 |972
Enniskillen |919 |2,475 |515 |457 |922
Falls |393 |1,431 |508 |1,714 |1010
Holywood Road |720 |1,825 |378 |1,056 |735
Kilkeel |166 |352 |111 |104 |178
Knockbreda |706 |1,586 |279 |596 |237
Larne |217 |540 |160 |341 |250
Limavady |259 |579 |175 |310 |688
Lisburn |701 |1,420 |355 |730 |526
Londonderry |616 |2,410 |845 |2,087 |2,164
Lurgan |445 |1,121 |419 |679 |707
Magherafelt |502 |1,437 |374 |320 |735
Newcastle |213 |503 |100 |127 |181
Newry |729 |2,082 |555 |656 |1,510
Newtownabbey |385 |1,100 |324 |789 |551
Newtownards |447 |1,026 |297 |457 |341
Omagh |519 |1,421 |460 |522 |673
Portadown |344 |920 |232 |416 |248
Shaftesbury Square |464 |1,235 |318 |858 |275
Shankill |537 |1,021 |252 |803 |348
Strabane<1> |543 |1,317 |386 |569 |663
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |15,211 |40,494 |11,250 |22,639 |21,782
<1> All figures represent the number of claimants at 31 August 1988 except for Strabane where the latest figures available are at 31 May 1988.
Column 455
Orlit Houses
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of the main contractors invited to tender for the contract to replace Orlit houses at Barnagh park, Donaghadee ; and how many of these contractors have their head offices within the boundary of the borough of Ards.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 21 December 1988] : This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the chief executive has advised me that the following five firms were invited to submit tenders for phase 1 of the Orlit replacement scheme at Barnagh park, Donaghadee :
KD Contracts, Belfast
Kelly and Keenan, Ballynahinch
McQuillan Bros, Newry
Pilot Construction Ltd., Belfast
Polly Bros. Ltd., Downpatrick
None of these firms has its head office within the boundary of the borough of Ards.
| Next Section
| Home Page |