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3 Mar 2003 : Column 827W—continued
Education Spending
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how this year's allocation to the normal spending plans for the Department of Education is to be distributed between (a) state controlled schools, (b) Catholic maintained schools, (c) integrated schools and (d) Irish medium schools; [99414]
- (2) how much is to be invested in (a) state controlled schools, (b) Catholic maintained schools, (c) integrated schools and (d) Irish medium schools as part of the recently announced investment in Northern Ireland. [99413]
Jane Kennedy: The education element of the recently announced £2 billion investment amounted to £300 million. This is the largest ever announcement of
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capital investment projects in the Northern Ireland schools estate. It includes £263.1 million in relation to 43 major works projects with the balance comprised of:
- Capital costs of development of grant maintained integrated schools, subject to the achievement of full grant maintained status—£16.2 million
Removal of temporary classrooms—£10 million
Schools disabled access—£10 million
Youth Service—£l million.
| Capital value | |
|---|---|
| (a) Controlled schools | 135.1 |
| (b) Catholic maintained schools | 25.2 |
| (c) Grant maintained integrated schools | 7.2 |
| (d) Irish medium schools | Nil |
| (e) Other voluntary schools (including voluntary grammar) | 95.6 |
Included in the above schemes are projects, which have been funded from the Department of Education's normal baseline resources, amounting to:
| (a) Controlled schools | 11.9 |
| (b) Catholic maintained schools | 12.0 |
| (c) Grant maintained integrated schools | 5.1 |
| (d) Irish medium schools | Nil |
| (e) Other voluntary schools (including voluntary grammar) | 24.0 |
The total value of the projects funded from the Department of Education baseline funds amounts to £53 million, of which £39 million is attributed to 2004–05 and 2005–06 financial years.
Health and Social Care Groups
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the operation of Local Health and Social Care Groups in Northern Ireland. [99337]
Mr. Browne: All 15 Local Health and Social Care Groups (LHSCGs) have been established. 195 of the management board positions have been filled and chairs have been elected for each group. Unfortunately, GPs have not to date taken up their places on the groups. However, I recently met with GP representatives and further discussions are planned with the profession.
In their first year of operation, LHSCGs have been attending to internal organisational and personal development needs. They have also been making important decisions about primary care development in their respective areas. They have been allocated more than £ 3million, recovered from the administrative costs following the ending of GP fundholding, to address service gaps which they have identified in primary care, and have provided a boost to the basic primary care infrastructure through the purchase of much needed equipment for health centres, GPs and other primary care providers.
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Health Improvement Authority
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) setting-up costs and (b) estimated running costs for the proposed Northern Ireland Health Improvement Authority are. [99307]
Mr. Browne: The new authority will be known as the Health and Personal Social Services Regulation and Improvement Authority.
The setting-up costs are estimated to be £250,000.
The running costs are estimated to be around £5.6 million per annum.
Hospital Staff (Assaults)
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) verbal and (b) physical assaults on staff in general hospitals were reported in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months. [99563]
Mr. Browne: The information is not available in the format requested. However, in the financial year 2001–02, a total of 2,438 assaults (both verbal and physical) were reported in all health and personal social services trusts.
Imported Waste
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislation is in place on the importation of waste from another country. [99972]
Angela Smith: The Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994 make provision for the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community.
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much waste has been imported from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland by council area in each of the last three years; and what revenue was generated by each council area as a result. [99973]
Angela Smith: The import of waste within, into and out of the European Community is governed by the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994. Under that legislation, district councils are the competent authorities for the purposes of recording the import of waste. My Department has no statutory responsibility in this area.
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to ensure that EU legislation regarding the importation of waste is complied with; and if he will list instances when this legislation has been breached in the last 12 months. [99974]
Angela Smith: The movement of waste within, into and out of the European Community is governed by the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994. Under that legislation, District Councils are the competent authority for the purposes of recording the import and export of waste, and the provision of powers of enforcement are a matter for HM Custom and Excise. My Department has no statutory responsibility in this area.
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Independent Financial Advice
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are registered in Northern Ireland to provide independent financial advice; how many companies provide independent financial advice in Northern Ireland; how many people are employed in the independent financial advice sector in Northern Ireland; how many companies provide financial advice in Northern Ireland; and how many employees work in the financial advice sector in Northern Ireland. [99324]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
The Financial Services Authority (the FSA) tell me there are approximately 100 firms of independent financial advisers based in Northern Ireland, plus 29 authorised professional firms (lawyers or accountants which are directly regulated by the FSA).
There are also a number of professional firms who may give financial advice who are regulated by the designated professional bodies, such as the Law Society of Northern Ireland, rather than by the FSA.
In addition, many firms based elsewhere in the United Kingdom provide financial advice, whether or not independent, in Northern Ireland. The FSA do not have detailed employment data of the type sought.
Insurance Premium Increases
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will establish an independent review of the effect upon business in Northern Ireland of recent increases in insurance premiums. [99321]
Mr. Pearson: The current difficulties in the insurance market are having a particularly adverse impact on a predominantly Small and Medium Enterprise based economy such as that in Northern Ireland. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has conducted a business survey on insurance costs. It indicates an average increase of 28 per cent. in 2001 and further an average increase of 49 per cent. in 2002 particularly (but not exclusively) in employers' liability and property insurance. The results of this survey will be fed into Government's current review in which my officials are participating. The outcome of the review will be reported to Ministers by the end of March 2003.
Mental Health Staff (Assaults)
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) verbal and (b) physical assaults on staff in mental health and learning disability centres in Northern Ireland were reported in the last 12 months. [99564]
Mr. Browne: The information is not available in the format requested. I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given today to question reference 99563.
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