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Asylum Seekers
Mr. Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications were received from (a) Serbia and (b) Colombia in 1998; and how many of the applications (i) were agreed, (ii) were refused and (iii) await decision; and if he will make a statement. [88835]
Mr. Mike O'Brien [pursuant to his reply, 30 June 1998, c.192]: The table referred to asylum applications for nationals of Colombia for 1997, and not 1998 as requested. The figures for Columbia for 1998 are given in the table.
(9) Provisional figures rounded to the nearest five.
(10) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
(11) Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications made in 1998.
(12) Estimated figures.
19 Jul 1999 : Column: 408
NORTHERN IRELAND
Oncologists
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the number of clinical and medical oncologists per 100,000 population for each health authority in Northern Ireland. [90807]
Mr. McFall:
In the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services, all clinical and medical oncologists are based within the Eastern Health and Social Services Board area, however they provide a regional service for the whole of Northern Ireland. At 30 September 1998, the relevant staff figures for Northern Ireland were 0.87 clinical oncology staff and 0.25 medical oncology staff per 100,000 of the population.
19 Jul 1999 : Column: 409
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the existing stroke units in Northern Health Board general hospitals which treat clients (a) in the acute phase, (b) in the rehabilitation phase and (c) in both; and in each case, what age criteria apply to admissions to the units. [90997]
Mr. McFall:
Stroke patients in the acute phase are admitted to the stroke unit at Braid Valley, the Medical Admission Unit at Antrim Hospital, or the Acute Medical Wards in Coleraine, Whiteabbey and Mid-Ulster Hospitals.
Patients in the rehabilitation phase receive care in the Stroke Unit at Braid Valley Hospital, or the assessment and Rehabilitation wards at Coleraine, Whiteabbey and Mid-Ulster Hospitals.
There is no age criterion in any of the units providing treatment for stroke patients.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which general hospitals within the Northern Health Board have specialised stroke units; what plans there are to establish units where none presently exist; and what are the target dates for such plans. [91082]
Mr. McFall:
There is one specialised stroke unit within the Northern Health and Social Services Board area, located at Braid Valley Hospital in Ballymena. Antrim Hospital has six designated stroke beds. There are no dedicated stroke units at Whiteabbey, Mid-Ulster or Coleraine Hospitals.
It is anticipated that a fully specialised stroke unit will be developed at the new Causeway Hospital when it opens in November 2000.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the health boards have a written policy on the management and rehabilitation of strokes. [90998]
Mr. McFall:
All four Health and Social Services Boards have written policies on stroke services.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the latest figures from the Fair Employment Commission on the Post Office in Northern Ireland (a) in total and (b) in the head office in Tombe Street, Belfast, giving the numbers currently employed who are (i) Protestants, (ii) Roman Catholics and (iii) not defined. [90999]
Mr. Ingram:
The Post Office in Northern Ireland is registered with the Fair Employment Commission as part of Royal Mail Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The monitoring information for Royal Mail Scotland and Northern Ireland includes employees working in Northern Ireland in the Royal Mail, Post Office Counters Ltd., Parcelforce Worldwide, Subscription Services Ltd. and Group Centre. Annual monitoring returns do not include data for individual locations.
19 Jul 1999 : Column: 410
The composition of the Northern Ireland work force of Royal Mail Scotland and Northern Ireland in January 1998 was:
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she is taking to prevent the destruction of the Zostera beds of Strangford Lough by mechanised cockle harvesting; and if she will make a statement. [91255]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Environment and Heritage Service under its acting Chief Executive, Mr. J. R. Lamont. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from J. S. Faulkner to Mr. Lembit Opik, dated 15 July 1999:
19 Jul 1999 : Column: 411
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the non-departmental public bodies in existence on 1 May 1997 that (a) have been disbanded, indicating when they were disbanded, (b) will be disbanded in the next 12 months, (c) have had their functions transferred to (i) another non-departmental public body and (ii) a democratically elected body, (d) have been renamed but continue to perform a similar role and (e) have been unchanged; if she will indicate in (c)(ii) the relevant successor body; what new non-departmental public bodies have been established since 1 May 1997; and how many non-departmental public bodies his Department currently is responsible for. [90793]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The information requested is as follows:
(a) NDPBs disbanded since 1 March 1997:
(b) NDPBs which will be disbanded in the next 12 months:
(c) NDPBs which have had their functions transferred to:
(e) Details of all other NDPBs in existence on 1 May 1997 are listed in Public Bodies 1998.
19 Jul 1999 : Column: 412
(f) New NDPBs which have been established since 1 May 1997:
Protestant--2,091 (53.3 per cent.)
Roman Catholics--1,834 (46.7 per cent.)
Non-determined--163.
As Acting Chief Executive of the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), I am responsible for operational aspects of the conservation of statutory nature conservation sites in Northern Ireland. Although question No 873 involves the exploitation of a fishery for commercial purposes, your concern relates primarily to nature conservation and I have therefore been asked to reply on behalf of EHS and the Fisheries Division of the Department of Agriculture.
A Court case in 1997 between the National Trust and a shellfish collector operating in Strangford Lough resulted in a judgment that this activity was a common law right and as such was not subject to control through the Trust's byelaws. Those engaged in shellfish collecting are currently seeking to have large areas at the north end of the Lough classified for the purpose of harvesting wild shellfish. This decision rests with the Eastern Group Environmental Health Committee as it relates solely to public health. At least one area has recently been classified and it is understood that harvesting of cockles with the aid of a tractor-mounted dredger will commence shortly.
EHS has recently commissioned a literature review to determine the likely effects of mechanised cockle harvesting within Strangford Lough. This has revealed that the impact of tractor dredging on intertidal flora and fauna may depend on a number of factors, such as the time of year and the nature of the sediments. It is clear, however, that it can potentially be extremely damaging to beds of Zostera which are an important source of food for overwintering waterfowl within Strangford Lough.
Despite the designation of the intertidal area of the Lough as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and Special Protection Area (SPA), EHS cannot currently prevent the mechanical harvesting of shellfish from taking place. This is because those engaged in shellfish collecting are not lawful owners or occupiers of the foreshore but are operating under a common law right. EHS could introduce byelaws under the Habitats Regulations but this would be a lengthy process involving public consultation and would almost certainly be challenged by those intent on collecting shellfish.
The Department of Agriculture also has no powers at present to regulate the gathering of shellfish from the intertidal zone in Strangford Lough. In view of recent developments, however, the Department is proposing to introduce new primary legislation as quickly as possible to enable it to regulate fisheries in the intertidal zone around the entire Northern Ireland coastline.
I trust that you will appreciate from the above that the two Departments are aware of the potential seriousness of unregulated shellfish harvesting in Strangford Lough. Neither Department, however, may be able to prevent it taking place in the short term.
1. NI Citizen's Charter Advisory panel on 2 May 1997
2. Ulster Folk & Transport Museum on 31 March 1998
3. Ulster Museum on 31 March 1998
4. North Down & Ards Community HSS Trust on 31 March 1998
5. Ulster, North Down & Ards Hospital HSS Trust on 31 March 1998
6. Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights on 28 February 1999
1. Commission for Racial Equality in NI 1
2. Fair Employment Commission 1
3. Equal Opportunities Commission 1
4. NI Disability Council 1
5. Independent Commission Police Complaints
1 The functions of these bodies will be assumed by a new Equality Commission
(i) another NDPB
The functions of the North Down & Ards Community HSS Trust and the Ulster, North Down & Ards Hospital HSS Trust were transferred to the Ulster Community & Hospitals HSS Trust with effect from 1 April 1998;
Ulster Folk and Transport Museums, and Ulster Museum were transferred to the National Museums & Galleries of Northern Ireland with effect from 1 April 1998;
The Health and Safety Agency for NI was transferred to the Health and Safety Executive for NI with effect from 1 April 1999.
(ii) A democratically elected body (naming the relevant successor body): None.
(d) NDPBs which have been renamed but continue to perform a similar role:
Rathgael & Whiteabbey Training Schools Management Board became the Juvenile Justice Board with effect from 1 August 1998
The Health and Safety Agency was renamed the Health and Safety Executive for NI with effect from 1 April 1999 and now performs a wider role.
The Community & Hospitals HSS Trust with effect from 1 April 1998
Commission for Racial Equality in Northern Ireland with effect from 29 July 1997
National Museums & Galleries of Northern Ireland with effect from 1 April 1998
NI Human Rights Commission with effect from 1 March 1999
(g) The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is currently responsible for 122 Non Departmental Public Bodies.
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