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Higher Education
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how many student places would provision in Northern Ireland need to be increased to match the proportionate provision for Scottish students in Scotland. [1770]
Mr. Ancram: For every Scottish domiciled full-time undergraduate student in the United Kingdom there are 1.274 full-time undergraduate places in Scotland--1993-94 figures. For a similar ratio to hold in Northern Ireland, the number of full-time undergraduate places in the Province would need to increase by 15,500.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research has been done by his Department to look at the adequacy of the provision of places in higher education for Northern Ireland students within Northern Ireland. [1771]
Mr. Ancram: The Northern Ireland Higher Education Council, which advises the Government on the planning and funding of higher education in Northern Ireland, presented a report to me earlier this year on access, participation and student migration. This report will inform Government's consideration of the adequacy of the provisions of places in higher education for Northern Ireland students within Northern Ireland.
In addition, consultants have been commissioned to undertake an economic appraisal of the university of Ulster's proposal for a new campus in north and west Belfast. One of the aims of this study is to appraise the options for accommodating growth in higher education provision in Northern Ireland. The consultant's final report should be completed shortly.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland students have higher education places elsewhere in Great Britain; and how many higher education students from Great Britain study in Northern Ireland. [1772]
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Mr. Ancram:
In 1993-94, 12,300 Northern Ireland domiciled students had higher education places in Great Britain, and 900 students domiciled in Great Britain had higher education places in Northern Ireland.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of his Department's expenditure in 1994-95 was spent on procuring goods or services from small and medium enterprises. [1952]
Sir John Wheeler:
The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to publish the Planning, Industrial and Economic Development Advisers' evaluation of the Springvale campus project. [1777]
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Mr. Ancram:
It is not the normal policy of the Government to publish economic appraisals. None the less, given the importance of this case, the Secretary of State and I are considering options as to what information to make available publicly. The economic appraisal is still not complete, and we will wish to see the completed report before deciding on the most appropriate way of informing the public of its findings.
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all occasions since 31 August 1994 when the RUC has used plastic bullets, giving in each case the number used, the details of the injuries and the circumstances in which such shootings took place. [1961]
Sir John Wheeler:
The occasions since 31 August 1994 when the RUC fired plastic baton rounds, the number fired, the number of people allegedly injured and the circumstances in which the plastic baton rounds were fired are listed:
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| Date | Location | Number fired | Number of alleged injuries | Circumstances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 September 1994 | Belfast | 1 | -- | Hijacking/rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 23 October 1994 | Cookstown | 18 | 2 | Rioting outside hotel |
| 21 March 1995 | Belfast | 3 | 1 | Disorder following football match |
| 26 June 1995 | Belfast | 2 | 1 | Rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 3 July 1995 | Belfast | 7 | -- | Rioting/disturbances/ petrol bombs thrown |
| 4 July 1995 | Belfast | 6 | 1 | Riots/petrol bombs thrown |
| 4 July 1995 | Armagh | 1 | -- | Hijacking/rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 5 July 1995 | Belfast | 7 | 0 | Rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 6 July 1995 | Belfast | 5 | 0 | Rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 10 July 1995 | Ahoghill | 2 | -- | Rioting in town centre |
| 10 July 1995 | Bushmills | 6 | 2 | Rioting in village |
| 10 July 1995 | Londonderry | -- | 1 | Hijacking/rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 10 July 1995 | Portadown | 51 | -- | Disorder following parade |
| 11 July 1995 | Belfast | 5 | -- | Rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 12 July 1995 | Belfast | 33 | -- | Rioting/petrol bombs thrown/clashes between rival factions |
| 12 July 1995 | Ahoghill | 29 | -- | Rioting/petrol bombs thrown |
| 12 August 1995 | Belfast | 4 | 1 | Disorder following parade |
| 12 August 1995 | Londonderry | 100 | -- | Disorder following parade |
| 27 August 1995 | Castlederg | 10 | -- | Clashes between rival factions |
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TRANSPORT
A5
13. Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of recent improvements to the A5 from the M69 junction to the Longshoot junction; if he will list the works; and what further improvements are planned. [655]
Mr. Watts: The recently completed scheme cost £610.000.
The works include:
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Widening the A5 and installation of new traffic lights;
A turning lane for premises on the north side of the A5;
An extension to Wapping Barn bridge; and creation of a cycleway on the north side of the A5.
Further works in hand and planned are:
Developer funded scheme currently under way;
Extension to A5 cycleway facilities;
Provision of ghost island at Nutts lane.
Rail Services, North-West England
18. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what interest has been expressed in running rail services in the north-west of England following privatisation. [661]
Mr. Watts: The franchising director has not yet sought indications of interest in the rail franchises in the north-west of England. Good progress is being made with the franchising programme and the franchising director continues to prepare services for offering to the private
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sector in accordance with his objective from the Government to franchise passenger rail services as rapidly as is reasonably practicable.
Heathrow
19. Mr. Jessel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take to reduce aircraft flights from Heathrow during 1997. [662]
Mr. Norris: I do not propose to take action during 1997 to reduce aircraft flights from Heathrow.
Road Building Programme
20. Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the planned expenditure in the road building programme for 1995-96. [664]
Mr. Watts: The Government plan to spend £1,775 million on trunk roads in England in 1995-96. Roads in Wales are, of course, the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
London Transport (Investment)
22. Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about investment in London Transport. [666]
Mr. Norris: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from a variety of organisations and individual members of the public about investment in London Transport.
Fenchurch Street Line
23. Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the privatisation of the Fenchurch Street line. [667]
Mr. Watts: Very good progress has been made, and the franchising director expects to award the LTS Rail franchise in December.
Rail Services (Monitoring)
25. Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to monitor the performance of providers of rail services. [669]
Mr. Watts: The performance of train operating companies is currently monitored by the British Railways Board and the rail users' consultative committees. Franchises will be required to provide the franchising director with information to enable him to monitor operational performance and customer satisfaction levels.
Fatal Accidents
26. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new proposals he has to reduce the total of fatal accidents. [670]
Mr. Norris: Fatalities from road accidents are at their lowest level since records began and have fallen for five successive years. The measures that we are taking to reduce road casualties in general should help reduce fatal road accidents still further. These include the introduction of a theory test as part of the driving test in July 1996 and the "Safe Town" initiative announced in July this year.
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