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Benefits (West Belfast)
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in West Belfast are currently in receipt of disability living allowance. [23413]
Mr. Moss: In August 1995, there was a total of 10,882 people in receipt of disability living allowance in the following wards; Andersonstown, Beechmount, Blackstaff, Clonard, Colin Glen, Falls, Falls Road, Glencairn, Glencolin, Glen Road, Highfield, Kilwee, Ladybrook, Shankill, Twinbrook, Upper Springfield and Whiterock.
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people from West Belfast have applied for attendance allowance in each of the last five years; and what percentage of applications have been disallowed; [23415]
- (2) how many people from West Belfast have applied for invalidity benefit or incapacity benefit in each of the last five years; and what percentage of applications have been disallowed; [23417]
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(3) how many people in West Belfast have applied for disability living allowance in each of the last five years; and what percentage of applications were disallowed. [23414]
Mr. Moss: The information requested is not available.
Prisoners
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the case of Messrs Patrick Kane, Sean Kelly and Michael Timmons. [23548]
Sir John Wheeler: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my response to his motion for the Adjournment of the House of 15 March 1995, Official Report, columns 872-80. I re-emphasised my right hon. and learned Friend's assurance that, pending the establishment of the criminal cases review commission, he was willing to consider most carefully any further material put to him about the cases of Messrs Kane, Timmons and Kelly. He has not received any substantive material in the meantime.
Attendance Allowance
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in West Belfast are currently in receipt of attendance allowance. [23416]
Mr. Moss: The information requested is not available at present.
Incapacity Benefit
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people from West Belfast are currently in receipt of incapacity benefit. [23418]
Mr. Moss: The information requested is not available at present.
Brooklands Primary School
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the enrolment in each of the past five years at Brooklands primary school; what is the expected enrolment at the school in each of the next five years; what proposals there are to provide additional accommodation at the school; how many places in primary one will be available in the next academic year; how many applicants there are for places in primary one at the school for the next academic year; and if he will make a statement. [23682]
Mr. Ancram: The enrolments in each of the past five years are as follows:
| Year | Number of pupils enrolled |
|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 548 (at January 1991) |
| 1992-93 | 552 (at October 1992) |
| 1993-94 | 537 (at October 1993) |
| 1994-95 | 558 (at October 1994) |
| 1995-96 | 576 (at October 1995) |
It is not possible to accurately project an enrolment figure for each of the next five years. It is estimated, however, that the long-term enrolment of the school will be 593, excluding nursery accommodation.
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Provision of controlled primary school places in Dundonald is the responsibility of the South-Eastern education and library board. I understand that the board has no plans to increase the size of Brooklands primary school at present but is reviewing demand for primary school places in the Dundonald area.
The Department has approved a temporary variation to the school's admissions number to 87 for the 1996-97 school year. The school has received 92 applications.
Mrs. Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he proposes to increase the number of women employed in senior positions in public bodies in Northern Ireland. [23970]
Sir John Wheeler:
The chief executives' forum, the association of chief executive officers of public bodies in Northern Ireland, is actively seeking to encourage women to further their careers within the public services. This month, under the auspices of the women's group of chief executives within the forum, a formal network is to be established for women who have attained senior management positions within the civil service and in public bodies throughout the Province: addressing the problems experienced by women in management in the public services a conference will consider what might be done to help, support and encourage women managers in their careers. This initiative has the full support of my right hon. and learned Friend and the Baroness Denton of Wakefield, the Northern Ireland Office Minister with responsibility for womens' issues, who will address the conference.
The initiative forms part of a programme of work in the area of gender and equality of opportunity being pursued by the chief executive's forum. In December 1994 the forum and the Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland published a joint research report and a number of recommendations. The findings of the report have been accepted by all the public bodies involved and endorsed by the Government. The recommendations of the report are currently being acted upon and, 15 months after publication of the report, further work has been commissioned to ascertain progress and to identify and encourage the spread of good practice.
Mrs. Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) women and (b) men have been appointed to each of the partnership committees established to oversee the European peace programme in Northern Ireland. [23968]
Mr. Moss:
District partnerships are currently being established in each of the 26 district council areas. The composition of the partnerships is to be approved by the overseeing body, the Northern Ireland partnership board. At present the breakdown of women and men is as follows:
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIPB | 9 | 14 | 23 |
| Antrim | 5 | 13 | 18 |
| Ards | 8 | 13 | 21 |
| Armagh | 5 | 12 | 17 |
| Castlereagh | 10 | 15 | (16)27 |
| Ballymena | 6 | 18 | 24 |
| Ballymoney | 4 | 14 | 18 |
| Banbridge | 5 | 13 | 18 |
| Belfast | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| Carrickfergus | 6 | 12 | 18 |
| Coleraine | 7 | 17 | 24 |
| Cookstown | 5 | 16 | 21 |
| Craigavon | 8 | 13 | 21 |
| Derry | 9 | 12 | 21 |
| Down | 8 | 13 | 21 |
| Fermanagh | 11 | 19 | 30 |
| Larne | 6 | 12 | 18 |
| Limavady | 6 | 15 | 21 |
| Lisburn | 4 | 17 | 21 |
| Magherafelt | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Moyle | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| Newry and Mourne | 6 | 13 | 19 |
| Newtownabbey | 7 | 17 | 24 |
| North Down | 11 | 13 | 24 |
| Omagh | 8 | 10 | 18 |
| South Tyrone | 6 | 20 | 26 |
| Strabane | 5 | 17 | 22 |
(16) Some names still to be confirmed.
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Making Belfast Work
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) women and (b) men have been appointed to the "Making Belfast Work" board. [23969]
Mr. Moss: "Making Belfast Work" is an interdepartmental programme focusing on the most disadvantaged areas of Belfast. "Making Belfast Work" does not have a board but its strategy is set by the Belfast special action group which comprises senior civil servants from Government Departments and is chaired by Sir David Fell, head of the Northern Ireland civil service.
Mourne Conduit Replacement Contracts
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account he took when seeking tenders for the two Mounre conduit replacement contracts of the request on page 15 of "A Green Guide for Suppliers of Goods and Services to the Northern Ireland Civil Service" published by the Environmental Service of the Department of the Environment. [24352]
Mr. Moss: The "Green Guide" was not published by the Department's environment service until 13 October 1995, some five months after the issue of tender documents for the Mourne conduit replacements scheme.
EDS Ltd.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the savings to date to his Department and his Department's agencies from out-sourcing arrangements made with the EDS software computer system; what assessment he has made of the equivalent costs for carrying out this work in-house; and if he will make a statement. [24359]
3 Apr 1996 : Column: 333
Mr. Moss: The Northern Ireland Office, the Northern Ireland departments and their agencies have one contract with EDS. This contract resulted from EDS taking over a public sector organisation which had previously provided the relevant service. An in-house service did not therefore exist and could have been established and maintained only at a higher cost than the contract with EDS.
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