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Landfill Directive

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Government spent on rural regeneration in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. [92271]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The figures outlined in the table relate to funding for rural regeneration by Government in Northern Ireland for the last three financial years.

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	£ million
1999–2000	80
2000–01	81.8
2001–02	53

The figures show expenditure across a range of activities including LEADER II Programmes INTERREG Programmes; Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation; PEACE II, PESCA; the Single Programme; the Rural Stress Project; Community Regeneration and Improvement Special Programme etc.

The figures include expenditure for areas outside Belfast and Londonderry by the predecessor agencies of Invest Northern Ireland (Industrial Development Board, Local Enterprise Development Unit and the Industrial Research and Technology Unit) and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. The decrease in expenditure in 2001–02 is primarily attributable to changes in the number and characteristics of IDB projects.

Motorcycle Road Races

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to secure the future running of the annual motorcycle road races at the North West 200 at Portrush and the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod. [92931]

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Events Company are continuing discussions with the North West 200 organising committee following the huge success of last years event. A formal application has been received under the NIEC Major International Events Fund, and will be processed in line with NIEC procedures. A recommendation will be presented to the NIEC Board for a decision in February 2003.

An Ulster Grand Prix application has also been received for funding under the new Events Growth Fund and will be processed in line with the criteria for that fund. NIEC expect to take a decision for that particular tranche of funding in early June 2003.

Giant's Causeway

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much grant aid is being offered to Moyle district council to help it rebuild its visitor centre at the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim. [94081]

Mr. Pearson: The Government have not been approached formally by Moyle district council relative to the issue of grant assistance for the rebuilding of its visitor centre at the Giant's Causeway.

NHS Direct

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the operation of the NHS Direct helpline and when it will be provided in Northern Ireland. [93986]

Mr. Browne: An evaluation of NHS Direct published in 2000 indicated that the scheme offered benefits to service users. Specific funding was made available in England for this project. Different arrangements

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operate in Northern Ireland and bids for additional funding needed to introduce an NHS Direct Scheme here have not been successful.

Planning Policy

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is his policy that no change should be made to planning policy for the Down District Council area pending the outcome of the public inquiry into the Ards/Down Area Plan and consideration of submissions thereto. [92778]

Angela Smith: The publication of the Draft Ards and Down Area Plan will inevitably change planning policy for the Down District Council area.

In line with current policy, the Draft Ards and Down Plan published on 10 December 2002 constitutes a material consideration in determining planning applications received ahead of any future Public Inquiry. The weight the Department attaches to the policies and proposals in the draft plan will depend on the nature of development proposals under consideration and if objections have been lodged in respect of specific policies or proposals.

Where no objections have been lodged to relevant policies in the draft plan, then considerable weight may be attached to those policies because of the strong possibility that they will be adopted and replace those in the existing plan. The converse may apply if there have been objections to relevant policies. However, much will depend on the nature of those objections and also whether there are representations in support of particular policies.

It may also be justifiable, in some circumstances to refuse planning permission on the grounds of prematurity. This may be appropriate in respect of development proposals which are individually so substantial or whose cumulative effect would be so significant, that to grant planning permission would prejudice the outcome of the plan process.

Public Housing

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Department of Social Development's estimates were for the amount of public sector housing to be built in Northern Ireland in each year since 1999. [93924]

Mr. Browne: The Department's initial targets for new build programme starts are set before the funding to the various elements of the housing budget are allocated and are adjusted in-year to take account of priorities. The initial targets were as follows:

Year	Number of houses
1998–99	2,100
1999–2000	2,200
2000–01	1,700
2001–02	1,200

In each year the housing budget was spent in full.

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Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public sector housing completions there were in each year since 1999. [93925]

Mr. Browne: Within the budget available, having taken into account other housing priorities such as NIHE funding, revenue support for vulnerable people and funding for the Northern Ireland Co-ownership scheme the following social units were completed:

Year
1998–99	1,739
1999–2000	1,557
2000–01	1,342
2001–02	1,763

In each year the budget was spent in full.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is no longer permitted to build public sector housing; and in what circumstances the NIHE would recommence building public sector housing. [93926]

Mr. Browne: Following the 1996 Housing Policy Review, housing associations took over responsibility for all new build social housing under the strategic direction of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). There were two main reasons for this: firstly, under HM Treasury Rules any private funding provided to the NIHE, as an Non-Departmental Public Body, scores in public expenditure terms, whereas housing associations can lever in private finance; and, secondly, housing associations had demonstrated their ability to deliver the social housing programme. The NIHE, however, still retains new build powers, for instance, when housing associations are unable to undertake particular schemes. NIHE's role is to gauge demand, the type of dwellings required to satisfy the particular needs of the community and the identification of where new social houses need to be built.

The advantage in housing associations taking on the new build role is that by levering in private finance more social houses can be built for the same level of public money. The new build programme undertaken by housing associations is currently operating with approximately 70 per cent. public subsidy and 30 per cent. private finance. Since 1991, housing associations have attracted some £190 million into the building programme. Without this additional funding either fewer houses would be built or other programmes would have to be cut in order to sustain the same level of new build.

School Transport

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on funding for transport for pupils living in rural areas of Northern Ireland. [91858]

Jane Kennedy: The current school transport arrangements cost £54 million. They restrict free transport provision to pupils who have been unable to gain a place in all suitable schools within statutory walking distance of their home (three miles for secondary and two miles for primary school age pupils).

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The arrangements are the subject of regular review to ensure that they remain appropriate and effective and that they provide value for money.

Railways

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his plans are for the future of the railway lines north of Ballymena. [94949]

Angela Smith: I can confirm that the plans for the retention of services on the railway line north of Ballymena are set out in the "Regional Transportation Strategy for Northern Ireland 2002–2012" (RTS). The intention is to retain services on this line, subject to successful results from the introduction of new trains and improved infrastructure on the "core" network in the early stages of implementing the RTS. Hence, for the foreseeable future services will be retained on the railway line north of Ballymena, subject to safety procedures. However, no major improvements will be carried out until the assessments referred to above are concluded.

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