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Firearms Licences

Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of firearms licences are issued on personal protection grounds; and how many are issued for target shooting. [4456]

Sir John Wheeler: The Chief Constable has advised me that on 31 October 1996 there were 134,103 registered firearms in Northern Ireland. Of these, 10,681, or 8 per cent., were authorised as personal protection weapons, 1,805, or 1.3 per cent., for target shooting and 260, or 0.2 per cent., were for both purposes.

25 Nov 1996 : Column: 87

RUC (Suicides)

Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of suicides by members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary who use personal protection weapons to end their lives; and how many such suicides have been recorded by the RUC since 1976. [4457]

Sir John Wheeler: Over the past 20 years, the number of suicides in the community has increased and a changing pattern has emerged. Not surprisingly, this has been reflected to some degree in the RUC. The force welfare branch was established in 1972 and, following extensive research, the occupational health unit was established in 1986. Each suicide of an RUC officer has been studied in detail to try to establish factors that might assist in early recognition of difficulties and allow preventive strategies to be put in place. The force has employed several strategies to address the problem from as many angles as possible.

A stress working party to oversee and review the effectiveness of new initiatives was set up some years ago. Initiatives introduced in the force include: a video dealing with alcohol problems; a stress package administered by specially trained officers; supervisory training giving information on the identification and treatment of stress; promotion of physical fitness training; and a health screening service to help to identify individuals who exhibit high stress. In addition, recruiting procedures have been monitored, with particular attention given to past health problems and any effect that they may have on the individual as a serving police officer. Families of prospective recruits also have the opportunity to learn about problems that may arise and the signs to be aware of. Since 1976, there have been 53 suicides of full-time RUC officers, both regulars and reserves. Of these, a firearm was used in 45 cases.

Social Security

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent on social security benefits in each of the past 10 years in Northern Ireland. [4645]

Mr. Moss: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave her on 20 November, Official Report, column 606.

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the health and social security budget has been spent on means-tested benefits in each of the past 10 years. [4646]

Mr. Moss: The information requested is given in the table:

Year	(a) Means tested benefit spend	(b) Total Health and Social Services and Social Security Budget	(a) as a percentage of (b)
	(£ million)	(£ million)
1985-86	402.7	1,984.0	20.3
1986-87	445.5	2,145.0	20.8
1987-88	462.1	2,297.0	20.1
1988-89	510.2	2,442.0	20.9
1989-90	536.3	2,615.0	20.5
1990-91	598.4	2,889.0	20.7
1991-92	691.5	3,256.0	21.2
1992-93	805.8	3,625.0	22.2
1993-94	894.2	3,957.0	22.6
1994-95	960.0	4,221.0	22.7
1995-96(55)	1,026.7	4,530.0	22.7

(55) Estimated figures.

25 Nov 1996 : Column: 88

Higher Education

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the student-staff ratio in (a) 1990-91 and (b) 1995-96 in higher education in Northern Ireland. [4636]

Mr. Ancram: In 1990-91, the staff-student ratio at Northern Ireland universities was 1:14.5 and at Northern Ireland colleges of education was 1:9.6, using the revised definition. Staff-student ratios for 1995-96 are not yet available for either Northern Ireland universities or colleges of education.

Young People (Qualifications)

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of young people in Northern Ireland left school in 1995 and 1996 without attaining national vocational qualification level 2 or five GCSE passes at grade C. [4644]

Mr. Ancram: The proportion of young people in Northern Ireland who left school in 1995 without attaining national vocational qualifications level 2 or at least five GCSE passes at grade A*-C or equivalent was 46.2 per cent. Information on the qualifications of 1996 school leavers is not available yet.

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of young people in Northern Ireland failed to gain any passes at GCSE level in each of the past five years. [4642]

Mr. Ancram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave her on 6 November 1996, Official Report, column 556.

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils achieved five GCSEs at grade C or above, or the equivalent, by the age of 19 in each of the past five years. [4638]

Mr. Ancram: The estimated numbers are:

	Five or more passes (A*-C) or equivalent
1995	n/a
1994	15,400
1993	15,400
1992	14,500
1991	n/a

Sources:

School Leavers Survey and FE Leavers Survey, DENI and T and EA.

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many 19-year-olds in Northern Ireland have reached General national vocational qualifications level 2 or five GCSE passes at grade C in each of the past five years. [5025]

25 Nov 1996 : Column: 89

Mr. Ancram: The estimated proportion of young people in Northern Ireland who have achieved five or more GCSE passes at A-C, or at least one A-level as AS-level pass, or a GNVQ (Intermediate or Advanced) by age 19 in each year is.

1995: n/a
1994: 50 per cent.
1993: 48 per cent.
1992: 43 per cent.
1991: n/a

25 Nov 1996 : Column: 90

The figures exclude NVQs and other equivalent qualifications; for figures that include such qualifications, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Redcar (Ms Mowlam) on 6 November 1996, Official Report, column 556.

Heart Surgery

Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of cardiac surgical procedures provided for (a) patients in GP fundholding practices and (b) patients in non-fundholding practices in each month during 1995-96; and what was the percentage for each category in each month. [4523]

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

25 Nov 1996 : Column: 89

Cardiac surgery by GP type 1995-96

	Not identified(56)		Non-fundholding GP		Fundholding GP
Month		Percentage		Percentage		Percentage	Total
April 1995	0	0.0	53	55.8	42	44.2	95
May 1995	2	2.0	57	57.0	41	41.0	100
June 1995	1	0.9	65	60.7	41	38.3	107
July 1995	2	2.1	54	56.3	40	41.7	96
August 1995	2	1.8	69	61.6	41	36.6	112
September 1995	1	1.0	65	65.7	33	33.3	99
October 1995	2	1.9	57	54.3	46	43.8	105
November 1995	2	2.0	58	57.4	41	40.6	101
December 1995	2	1.9	60	56.6	44	41.5	106
January 1996	0	0.0	33	50.0	33	50.0	66
February 1996	2	2.0	63	62.4	36	35.6	101
March 1996	0	0.0	75	63.6	43	36.4	118
Total	16	1.3	709	58.8	481	39.9	1,206

(56) Centrally held data do not identify whether the originating GP practice was fundholding or non-fundholding.

25 Nov 1996 : Column: 89

25 Nov 1996 : Column: 89

Department of Education (Administrative Costs)

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the administrative cost (a) per pupil, (b) per school and (c) per head of population incurred by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland in each of the five years to 1995-96. [4567]

Mr. Ancram: I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

Post-16 Full-time Education

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of (a) 17-year-olds and (b) 18-year-olds in Northern Ireland are in full-time education. [4640]

Mr. Ancram: In 1995-96, the figures for Northern Ireland domiciled students were as follows:

17-year-olds: 69 per cent.
18-year-olds: 51 per cent.

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