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Human Organs Inquiry

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the report of the Human

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Organs Inquiry has been referred to (a) the Police Service of Northern Ireland and (b) the Director of Public Prosecutions. [83560]

Mr. Browne: The report of the Human Organs Inquiry has not been referred to the Police Service of Northern Ireland or to the Director of Public Prosecutions. While the Report criticises past practices it does not indicate that any member of staff within the Health Service acted outside the law.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he plans to take with reference to members of medical and managerial staff in the three hospitals named in the report of the Human Organs Inquiry. [83561]

Mr. Browne: There are no plans to take action with reference to any member of the medical or managerial staff employed at Altnagelvin, Craigavon area hospital or the Royal group of hospitals. Action is being taken to implement all the recommendations of the report by he Human Organs Inquiry. This will include new legislation with criminal penalties for the breach of its provisions.

Industrial/Provident Societies

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many industrial and provident societies have addresses registered in Northern Ireland. [86627]

Mr. Pearson: There are 167 industrial and provident societies with a registered office address in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about reform of industrial and provident society law in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [86628]

Mr. Pearson: No representations have been received. I have however announced on 29 November 2002 details of a major review of Industrial and Provident Society law in Northern Ireland. The review process has already commenced with the first phase scheduled for completion in October 2003.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many industrial and provident societies in Northern Ireland have a turnover in excess of #1 million. [86629]

Mr. Pearson: The statutory annual returns held on file in Companies Registry indicate that 33 societies have a turnover or income in excess of #1 million.

Mr. Gareth Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many representations he has received about reform of industrial and provident society law; and if he will make a statement. [86630]

Mr. Pearson: No representations have been made. However, as stated in my answer to (86628), I have recently announced a major review of industrial and provident society law in Northern Ireland. The review has already commenced with the first phase scheduled for completion in October 2003.

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Londonderry

Mr. Dodds : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Heart of the City study relating to Londonderry will be published for public consultation. [87334]

Mr. Browne: In March last year, the Department of Social Development announced that it had appointed consultants W S Atkins to undertake an urban design study for the centre of Londonderry. The study intends to develop a strategic framework to inform the future development of key city centre sites such as Ebrington Barracks, Fort George and Queen's Quay.

XHeart of the City" aims to enhance the quality of urban design and architecture in the central core of Londonderry.

In October 2002 W S Atkins undertook some public consultation on their draft proposals, including a presentation to Derry City Council and three workshops. This resulted in extensive local media coverage on the Heart of the City study.

W S Atkins are currently compiling their final report, which will include revised sections on the economic viability of the key proposals in the study. It is expected that the final report will now be presented to the Department in January 2003.

The Department for Social Development proposes to publish the report for wider public consultation in February 2003.

Northern Ireland Railways

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Minister was responsible for the placing of an order for 23 new train sets for Northern Ireland Railways; who signed the contract; and on what date it was signed. [90763]

Angela Smith: The Minister responsible for transport matters at the time the order for 23 new trains was placed was Mr. Peter Robinson MP, the Minister for Regional Development in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The contract was signed on 28 February 2002 by Dr. Joan Smith and Mr. Ted Hesketh, on behalf of Northern Ireland Railways and by Sr Luis Capuchino, on behalf of Construcciones y Auxliar de Ferrocarrilles SA, the Spanish company that will supply the trains.

Post Offices

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total value is of funding available to support (a) urban and (b) rural post offices in Northern Ireland. [83247]

Mr. Browne: There is no specific funding allocated to Northern Ireland in respect of either urban or rural post offices.

Social Security Appeals Service

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases are waiting to be listed for social security appeals tribunals; how long these cases have waited; how many of these cases are for

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(a) disability living allowance and (b) incapacity benefit; what centres these hearings will be listed for; and if he will make a statement. [82762]

Mr. Browne: The total number of social security cases waiting to be listed for hearing by an appeal tribunal was 5,368 at 1 October 2002. This included 3,111 appeals relating to disability living allowance and 1,644 relating to incapacity benefit. The current average waiting time to list an appeal for a first hearing is 19 weeks for disability appeals, nine weeks for social security appeals and 13 weeks for medical appeals. The number of cases to be held in each centre is set out in the following table.

The hearings for the cases waiting to be listed are likely to be held at the following locations:

Tribunal centre	Number of cases to be heard
Armagh	60
Banbridge	37
Belfast	1,765
Ballymena	191
Ballymoney	30
Cookstown	55
Craigavon	223
Coleraine	197
Dungannon	124
Downpatrick	125
Enniskillen	156
Londonderry	254
Limavady	51
Magherafelt	80
Newcastle	18
Newtownards	176
Newry	270
Omagh	122
Strabane	84

Strategic Investment Board

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the costs associated with proposals to set up a Strategic Investment Board for Northern Ireland. [86621]

Mr. Pearson: As stated in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Draft Strategic Investment and Regeneration of Sites Order, operating costs could be in the range of #2-#3 million.

Teachers

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the (a) satisfaction and (b) needs of teachers in Northern Ireland; and what plans he has for further research. [90621]

Jane Kennedy: My Department funded the Teachers' Health and Well-being Survey, which was the first of its kind for Northern Ireland's teaching profession. The report, which I launched on 16 December 2002 in partnership with the employing authorities and the teacher unions, shows that 57.7 per cent. of respondents were either very satisfied or satisfied with their jobs while 22.2 per cent. were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. The remainder fell in between both groups.

There was a relatively high response rate to the survey by teachers. Their valuable feedback will be taken fully into account by the employing authorities, working

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closely with my Department and the teacher unions, in implementing the report's recommendations so that support services continue to improve to meet the needs of teachers. The report has been published on my Department's website and an executive summary has been sent to all teachers. There are no immediate plans for further research.

University Top-Up Fees

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make an assessment of the impact of the introduction of university top-up fees on universities in Northern Ireland. [86619]

Jane Kennedy: The Government are currently preparing a strategy document setting out their vision for the development and reform of higher education, including student finance. The final proposals will be published in January 2003. Until then I am not in a position to comment on the matter.

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