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Security Situation

23. Mr. Bill Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland. [2536]

Sir John Wheeler: As the new Chief Constable said recently, the Provisional IRA has shown that it is prepared to prolong the misery and suffering, but the security forces will do all in their power to deter terrorist attacks. Following the bomb in Thiepval barracks, the security forces immediately re-introduced such security measures as were considered appropriate. In particular, there has been an increase in Army patrolling and snap vehicle checkpoints are being set up in many areas around Northern Ireland. In addition, some town barriers are closed at night and vigilance has been heightened.

Water and Sewerage Charges

24. Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received on the levels of water and sewerage charges to customers in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [2537]

Mr. Moss: Since 1 April 1996, representations have been received from 15 sources. They are a district councillor, 11 district councils, the Association of Local Authorities of Northern Ireland, the Ulster Farmers Union and a public sector company. In responding to all representations made, the Department explained that, in line with Government policy, it was committed to moving progressively towards charges fully reflecting supply costs.

Primary Health Care

25. Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to encourage research and development in primary health care in Northern Ireland. [2538]

Mr. Moss: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 31 October, Official Report, column 258.

Irish Language

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what new proposals he has to improve the teaching of the Irish language in Northern Ireland educational institutions. [2518]

Mr. Ancram: As part of our continuing support for Irish-medium schools, I have asked the education and library boards to co-operate in establishing a new unit to

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prepare teaching materials for use in Irish-medium schools and to provide a central source of Irish-medium expertise to support schools on a Province-wide basis.

Mr. Colin Duffey

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Royal Ulster Constabary following the quashing of Mr. Colin Duffey's conviction; and if he will make a statement. [2519]

Sir John Wheeler: My right hon. and learned Friend has had no reason to discuss the case with the Royal Ulster Constabulary, nor is it customary for the Government to make statements about the outcome of criminal cases.

Animal Blood

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Departments of Health and Social Security and Agriculture have approved the spreading of animal blood on fields; and if he will make a statement. [2445]

Mr. Ancram: The practice of spreading blood on land as a fertiliser is an acceptable method of disposal.

The feeding of animal protein to ruminants is prohibited under the Specified Bovine Material (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996. Spreading of blood on land while livestock are grazing it, or moving livestock unto such land shortly after spreading, would be in contravention of the order as the livestock could ingest animal protein.

The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, which is the independent committee of experts that advises the Government on matters relating to BSE, has confirmed that disposal of blood on land, other than by burial, is acceptable.

Prescribed Drugs (Adverse Effects)

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many elderly (a) men and (b) women have been admitted to hospital in Northern Ireland as a consequence of an adverse reaction to (i) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (ii) phenothiazines, (iii) diuretics, (iv) analgesics, (v) night sedation, (vi) digoxin, (viii) laxatives, (viii) corticosteroids, (ix) beta blockers and (x) aminophylline in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [2906]

Mr. Moss: The table gives the number of patients aged 65 years or over who were recorded as admitted to hospital in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years with a recorded adverse reaction in terms of the categories requested.

When interpreting these figures, it should be noted that they are likely to understate the incidence of adverse reaction because this is not always recorded, particularly in earlier years, in the level of detail required by the question.

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		1991-92		1992-93		1993-94		1994-95		1995-96
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
NSAIDs(28)	0	1	1	4	1	1	1	1	1	4	NSAIDS
Phenothiazines	1	2	1	6	3	1	4	2	5	3	Phenothiazines
Diuretics	5	6	7	4	6	21	8	23	9	20	Diuretics
Analgesics	2	5	3	3	2	8	8	14	9	18	Analgesics
Night Sedation(29)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	Night Sedation
Digoxin	1	8	5	14	7	7	9	20	7	25	Diogoxin
Laxatives(30)	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	Laxatives
Corticosteriods	0	1	0	3	2	2	2	7	4	7	Corticosteriods
Beta Blockers	3	2	3	3	3	12	9	14	22	27	Beta Blockers
Aminophyline	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	Aminophyline

Source: Hospital Inpatients System (Figures for 1995-96 provisional)

Owing to non-specific information requested, 1,2,3 have had to be interpreted as follows:

(28) NSAIDs: Figures given refer to recorded adverse reaction to anti-inflamatory drugs (ICD9 E946.0).

(29) Night Sedation: Figures given refer to recorded adverse reaction to sleeping pillos (ICD9 E937.9).

(30) Laxatives: Figures given refer to recorded adverse reaction to mineral oil laxative (ICD9 E943.2).

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Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of, and how many, people admitted to hospital in Northern Ireland have been suffering from adverse reactions to a prescribed drug in each of the last five years and in age bands of 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [2908]

Mr. Moss: The information requested is set out in the tables.

When interpreting these figures, it should be noted that they are likely to understate the incidence of adverse reaction because this is not always recorded, particularly in earlier years, in the level of detail required by the question.

Age group	Total discharges and deaths	D and Ds from adverse reaction to drugs	Percentage
1991-92
0 to 9	41,113	13	0.03
10 to 19	23,233	9	0.04
20 to 29	47,852	12	0.03
30 to 39	38,509	16	0.04
40 to 49	31,359	22	0.07
50 to 59	31,531	24	0.08
60 to 69	39,127	41	0.10
70 to 79	37,164	41	0.11
80 to 89	19,459	19	0.10
90+	2,689	4	0.15
Total	312,036	201	0.06
1992-93
0 to 9	45,218	21	0.05
10 to 19	23,067	9	0.04
20 to 29	48,532	22	0.05
30 to 39	40,188	16	0.04
40 to 49	31,342	36	0.11
50 to 59	33,626	41	0.12
60 to 69	41,710	55	0.13
70 to 79	38,954	78	0.20
80 to 89	20,126	42	0.21
90+	2,775	6	0.22
Total	325,538	326	0.10
1993-94
0 to 9	48,444	123	0.05
10 to 19	23,536	16	0.07
20 to 29	46,154	39	0.08
30 to 39	42,987	34	0.08
40 to 49	33,208	42	0.13
50 to 59	36,844	61	0.13
60 to 69	45,215	78	0.17
70 to 79	43,943	93	0.21
80 to 89	22,480	53	0.24
90+	3,082	9	0.29
Total	345,893	448	0.13
1994-95
0 to 9	55,841	18	0.03
10 to 19	25,696	20	0.08
20 to 29	52,870	39	0.07
30 to 39	51,756	47	0.09
40 to 49	37,831	47	0.12
50 to 59	41,445	58	0.14
60 to 69	49,006	98	0.20
70 to 79	48,664	135	0.28
80 to 89	24,985	80	0.32
90+	3,398	14	0.41
Total	391,492	556	0.14
1995-96
0 to 09	62,837	21	0.03
10 to 19	26,388	40	0.15
20 to 29	51,738	57	0.11
30 to 39	54,393	72	0.13
40 to 49	39,791	64	0.16
50 to 59	42,724	118	0.28
60 to 69	50,719	150	0.30
70 to 79	51,460	166	0.32
80 to 89	26,496	120	0.45
90+	3,797	20	0.53
Total	410,343	828	0.20

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