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Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the proposals to extend Region House grammar school, Newtownards. [14682]
Mr. Ancram: Plans to extend and refurbish the existing school premises are being taken forward by the South-Eastern education and library board. The scheme is approaching final sketch plan stage and, when it has reached that stage, it can be considered for a place in the school building programme in light of the resources available.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many cold weather payments have been made in Northern Ireland during the current winter broken down by the station involved in triggering the payment; [14899]
- (2) if he will list the cost of cold weather payments and the number of recipients of the payments for each weather station in Northern Ireland in each year since 1986; [14900]
(3) if he will list the weather stations in Northern Ireland which provide data used in determining cold weather payments. [14898]
Mr. Moss: Responsibility for the subject has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Alec Wylie to Mr. Alan Simpson, dated 11 February 1997:
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 299
I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about Cold Weather Payments.
There are four Meteorological Office sites in Northern Ireland which supply the data used to determine if a cold weather period has been recorded or is forecast. They are located in Aldergrove and Lisburn, County Antrim, Carmoney, County Londonderry and St. Angelo, County Fermanagh.
Since the Agency was established in July 1991, the first cold weather period was triggered in the winter of 1995. Unfortunately, statistics on the number and cost of cold weather payments are not available in the format requested and to obtain this information would involve an extensive clerical exercise at a disproportionate cost. I can provide, however, the number of computer issued payments for each Social Security Office in 1995/96 and to date in 1996/97. Tables are attached showing these figures. Statistics on the clerically issued payments are not available.
The total number of Cold Weather Payments issued in Northern Ireland so far this winter is 134,288 which equates to a cash figure of £1,141,448.
I hope this explains the position for you but I would be happy to provide any further information you require.
| Social security office | Number of payments | Cash total (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Antrim | 3,212 | 27,302.00 |
| Armagh | 3,378 | 28,713.00 |
| Ballymena | 3,667 | 31,169.50 |
| Ballymoney | 2,700 | 22,950.00 |
| Ballynahinch | 1,184 | 10,064.00 |
| Banbridge | 2,412 | 20,502.00 |
| Bangor | 2,986 | 25,381.00 |
| Carrickfergus | 1,671 | 14,203.50 |
| Coleraine | 3,413 | 29,010.50 |
| Cookstown | 2,508 | 21,318.00 |
| Downpatrick | 1,829 | 15,546.50 |
| Dungannon | 4,144 | 35,224.00 |
| Enniskillen | 5,221 | 44,378.50 |
| Larne | 1,723 | 14,645.50 |
| Limavady | 2,165 | 18,402.50 |
| Lisburn | 3,845 | 32,682.50 |
| Folye | 7,099 | 60,341.50 |
| Lurgan | 3,872 | 32,912.00 |
| Magherafelt | 3,349 | 28,466.50 |
| Newcastle | 1,241 | 10,548.50 |
| Newry | 6,761 | 57,468.50 |
| Newtownards | 2,930 | 24,905.00 |
| Omagh | 3,789 | 32,206.50 |
| Portadown | 2,819 | 23,961.50 |
| Strabane | 4,224 | 35,904.00 |
| Kilkeel | 1,154 | 9,809.00 |
| Shaftesbury Square | 3,443 | 29,265.50 |
| Corporation Street | 7,579 | 64,421.50 |
| Shankill | 3,441 | 28,398.50 |
| Knockbreda | 3,938 | 33,473.00 |
| Falls Road | 5,611 | 47,693.50 |
| Holywood Road | 5,386 | 45,781.00 |
| Newtownabbey | 3,343 | 28,415.50 |
| Andersonstown | 5,449 | 46,316.50 |
| Lisnagelvin | 3,472 | 29,512.00 |
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 300
| Social security office | Number of payments | Cash total (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Antrim | 3,208 | 27,268.00 |
| Armagh | 3,916 | 33,286.00 |
| Ballymena | 3,687 | 31,339.50 |
| Ballymoney | 580 | 4,930.00 |
| Ballynahinch | 1,209 | 10,276.50 |
| Banbridge | 2,415 | 20,527.50 |
| Bangor | 3,144 | 26,724.00 |
| Carrickfergus | 1,722 | 14,637.00 |
| Coleraine | 38 | 323.00 |
| Cookstown | 5,027 | 42,729.50 |
| Downpatrick | 1,883 | 16,005.50 |
| Dungannon | 8,565 | 72,802.50 |
| Enniskillen | 10,253 | 87,150.50 |
| Larne | 1,718 | 14,603.00 |
| Limavady | 1,215 | 10,242.50 |
| Lisburn | 3,938 | 33,473.00 |
| Foyle | 0 | NIL |
| Lurgan | 4,027 | 34,229.50 |
| Magherafelt | 4,102 | 34,867.00 |
| Newcastle | 1,298 | 11,033.00 |
| Newry | 6,871 | 54,403.50 |
| Newtownards | 3,075 | 26,137.50 |
| Omagh | 7,790 | 66,215.00 |
| Portadown | 2,954 | 25,109.00 |
| Strabane | 8,673 | 73,720.50 |
| Kilkeel | 1,163 | 9,885.50 |
| Shaftesbury Square | 3,572 | 30,362.00 |
| Corporation Street | 7,992 | 67,932.00 |
| Shankill | 3,446 | 29,291.00 |
| Knockbreda | 4,084 | 34,714.00 |
| Falls Road | 5,960 | 50,660.00 |
| Holywood Road | 5,432 | 46,172.00 |
| Newtownabbey | 3,544 | 30,124.00 |
| Andersonstown | 5,907 | 50,209.50 |
| Lisnagelvin | 801 | 6,808.50 |
Moseys Arch, Killyleagh
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who owns the footway and steps known as Moseys arch between High street and Frederick street in Killyleagh, County Down; how many and which people have made representations to the Housing Executive to have this public right-of-way closed by initiating an extinguishing order; and if he will make a statement. [14840]
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 301
Sir John Wheeler:
I am advised that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive owns most of the footway and steps known as Mosey's arch, but part of the land may be in private ownership.
The Housing Executive has also advised that the initial request for an extinguishment order came from the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Since then, both the Department and the Housing Executive have received further representations from local residents in support of, or in opposition to, the extinguishment of the right of way.
The next stage in the process is for the Housing Executive to try to resolve the objections. If that proves impossible, the matter will be referred to the Department, which may then decide to hold a public local inquiry to hear the objections to the extinguishment order.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many groups and individuals responded to the consultation paper on stalking and if he will list them; and how many and which proposed separate legislation for Northern Ireland. [14836]
Sir John Wheeler:
Responses were received from 11 groups, none of which proposed separate legislation for Northern Ireland. They were:
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use his Department and its agencies make of postcode areas for the collection of data and in formulae for the distribution of grants and awards; and when such usages were last reviewed. [14804]
Sir John Wheeler:
In Northern Ireland, the Department of Health and Social Services collects data broken down by postcode area in relation to patient treatment and the processing of benefit claims. This provides the basis of aggregation for research and issues which have a geographic dimension. Postcodes are used by the Social Security Agency in delineating which areas qualify for special cold weather payments to the elderly. The delineation of areas is reviewed each year.
The Training and Employment Agency collects most of its programme monitoring data on the basis of postcodes. This process has recently been introduced and therefore has not yet been reviewed.
The Department of the Environment uses postcode areas for the selection of sampling points for the measurement of drinking water quality and radon levels, and for the collection of data on retail outlet usage, urban
13 Feb 1997 : Column: 302
development grant and the "Making Belfast Work" initiative. The use of postcode areas for these purposes has not been reviewed.
Democratic Unionist Party
Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights
Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation
Soroptimist International of Dungannon
Soroptimist International of Downpatrick
Soroptimist International of Bangor
Women's Forum Northern Ireland
Police Federation for Northern Ireland
The Queen's University of Belfast, Faculty and School of Law
Probation Board for Northern Ireland.
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