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Nursery Education
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many four-year-olds are currently receiving education; what proportion of their age group this represents; what is the cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [10168]
Mr. Ancram: Available statistics relate to pupils' age at 1 July. 26,089 four-year-olds were receiving education at the 1995 census date. This represents 100 per cent. of the four-year-old age group, as this is the age of commencement of compulsory schooling. The cost to public funds for the education of four-year-olds cannot be separately identified.
Absenteeism
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of absenteeism rates in days per annum for staff in his Department for each of the years (a) 1979-80, (b) 1989-90, (c) 1991-92, (d) 1993-94, (e) 1994-95 and (f) 1995-96. [11401]
Sir John Wheeler:
The estimate number of days absence for non-industrial staff in (d) 1993-94 was 335,780 and in (e) 1994-95 was 362,438. Information for (a) 1979-80, (b) 1989-90 and (c) 1991-92 is not available
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and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The estimated number of days lost in the first six months of 1995-96 was 165,765.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average money spent per capita on child care in Northern Ireland; and what is the figure for English local authorities. [10311]
Mr. Moss:
The information is not available in the form requested. HPSS bodies produce statements in support of the annual accounts which provide supplementary analyses of the expenditure in the accounts over programme of care. One programme of care is family and child care. The total expenditure on this category in Northern Ireland for 1993-94 amounted to £44 million. This expenditure figure has been related to the child population in Northern Ireland 1993 to give an average cost per child of £100. The equivalent figure for English local authorities is not held centrally.
Rev. William McCrea:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines he has issued about the provision of care to the elderly living in the community. [10565]
Mr. Moss:
Policy and practice guidance has been issued by my Department to health and social services boards in relation to their community care responsibilities. "People First: Community Care In Northern Ireland in the 1990s" was issued in March 1990 and practice guidance on care management and assessment was issued in August 1991. In addition, the social services inspectorate produced a report on assessment and care management arrangements in Northern Ireland in June 1995.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now publish and place in the Library a map showing the changing areas of land in Northern Ireland to which the restrictions consequent upon the Chernobyl incident apply, indicating the dates of the different changes and the levels of radioactivity at each such date in those areas at the latest available date; and when he estimates all the remaining restrictions will be removed. [9515]
Mr. Ancram:
On each occasion that derestriction takes place a press release is issued along with a small scale map outlining the changes per derestriction. Arrangements have been made to have copies of these maps placed in the Library. Derestriction is based on monitoring levels of radioactivity in live sheep and can be considered only where the levels are found to be below the action level of 1,000 becquerels per kilogramme.
Although the continued downward trend is encouraging, it is not possible to indicate at this time when all restrictions may be removed.
Mr. Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish and place in the Library a map showing the area and land use, of the areas of land in Northern Ireland to which the restrictions consequent upon the Chernobyl incident have applied; and what
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uptake of radioactive material by trees in such areas there has been. [9516]
Mr. Ancram:
On each occasion that derestriction takes place a press release is issued, along with a small-scale map outlining the changes. Arrangements have been made to have copies of these maps placed in the Library. These maps do not indicate the land use, which in the main is rough grazing with some forestry. There is no data available on uptake of radioactive material by trees.
Mr. McMaster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is in relation to the supply of incontinence pads to those who require them because of disability; what plans he has to review these arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [9210]
Mr. Moss:
The organisation of continence services in Northern Ireland and the manner in which they are delivered, including the provision of incontinence pads, are matters for health and social services boards and trusts. They are under a general obligation to provide these services where the need exists and in the light of their resources and priorities. There are no current plans to review these arrangements.
Mr. Worthington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to change the membership of the Fire Authority; and if he will ensure that present representation from local authorities is maintained. [9862]
Mr. Moss:
I am currently reviewing the constitution of the Fire Authority. No decision has yet been taken, but there will be full consideration about any proposed changes.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are employed at the Rural college at Draperstown, County Londonderry; how many are (a) Catholics and (b) Protestants; and if he will make a statement. [9860]
Mr. Ancram:
Staff at the Rural college, Draperstown are employed directly by the college. I am therefore not in a position to answer the question.
Mr. Clifford Forsythe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many consented discharges are in operation on the Six Mile Water; and what was the river flow regime used in granting these consent discharges. [9915]
Mr. Moss:
Four consents granted by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland under the Water Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 for effluent discharges to the Six Mile Water are currently in operation. The consents are based on the low flow in the river, known as the Q95, which is the flow exceeded for 95 per cent. of the time.
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Mr. Clifford Forsythe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) water treatment plants and (b) sewage treatment plants are operating in County Antrim. [9914]
Mr. Moss:
The Department of the Environment's Water Executive operates 17 water treatment works and 158 sewage treatment works in County Antrim.
Rev. William McCrea:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve the water and sewerage systems serving (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Mid Ulster. [10575]
Mr. Moss:
The Water Executive will continue the programme of improvements commenced six years ago to enable it to meet the standards set by EC directives on drinking water quality, urban waste water treatment and bathing waters. New sources of water supply will be developed and refinements made to the water distribution system and sewerage system to make them more effective in dealing with current and future demand for services. On top of the £370 million already spent in the last six years on these objectives throughout Northern Ireland a further £66 million has been committed for the 1996-97 year. In Mid-Ulster planned capital investment over the next five years amounts to £35 million with particular emphasis being placed on strengthening the water supply infrastructure serving the towns of Omagh and Cookstown.
Mr. Clifford Forsythe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many power stations in Northern Ireland use aluminium sulphate in the treatment of water used in cooling towers; and what arrangements are in place for the disposal of the residue. [9913]
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Mr. Moss:
None of the four power stations in Northern Ireland use towers for cooling water. Consequently, aluminium sulphate is not used for this purpose.
Rev. William McCrea:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of road deaths and serious injuries in the years 1994 and 1995. [10577]
Mr. Moss:
The number of road users killed in 1994 was 157 and the provisional figures for 1995 is 144. The number seriously injured in 1994 was 1,648 and the provisional figure for the 11 months to 30 November 1995 is 1,520. good progress is being made towards achieving the Northern Ireland road safety target of reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Northern Ireland's roads by one third, compared with the average for 1981 to 1985, by the year 2000.
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