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19 Mar 2003 : Column 799W—continued
Thames Gateway
Jon Cruddas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new homes need to be built in the Thames Gateway London area to meet his targets as set out in his Sustainable Communities Plan. [98615]
Mr. McNulty: The draft Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London indicates that at least 46,000 new homes can be built by 2016 in the London Gateway development areas.
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Jon Cruddas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whom he has consulted in determining the best approach for the development of the Thames Gateway London area and for setting up as an East London urban development corporation. [98618]
Mr. McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and his Ministers met on a regular basis with the members of the Thames Gateway Strategic Partnership to discuss delivery arrangements for Thames Gateway. He has also visited Thames Gateway and discussed delivery issues with local stakeholders.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
"Get Home Safe" Campaign
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many alcohol-related incidents the Police Service of Northern Ireland dealt with in South Belfast in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and what impact the "Get Home Safe" Campaign has had. [103342]
Jane Kennedy: The statistics requested are not available as the PSNI does not maintain crime statistics on an alcohol related basis.
The "Get Home Safe" campaign has had a number of significant impacts namely:
- The number of assaults was 535 compared to 654 for the same period in 2001—a decrease of 19.2 per cent.
The number of serious assaults was 158 compared to 236 for the same period in 2001—a decrease of 33 per cent.
Alcohol consumption was an element in 75 per cent. of all reported assaults
87 per cent. of the target group for the advertising campaign recalled some aspect of the campaign
40 per cent. of the target group claimed they had changed their behaviour arising from the campaign
Sexual assaults were reduced by 40 per cent.
Three new CCTV cameras provided by private sector funding
Almost 200 per cent. rise in the number of people reported for prosecution for disorderly behaviour (rather than a caution )
All illegal street traders removed, leading to significant reduction in disorderly incidents.
Banbridge Academy
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the proposal contained in the Contenders List for the Schools Capital Building Programme to provide an extension and refurbishment to Banbridge Academy was unsuccessful; and what criteria were used to make this decision. [102932]
Jane Kennedy: The schools' capital programme is determined on the basis of the highest educational need within the resources available. A scheme to extend and refurbish Banbridge Academy was one of 46 high priority schemes that met the criteria to compete for funding in this year's programme. However, as there were insufficient resources for all the competing schools, funding was allocated on the basis of priority of educational need. Banbridge Academy was one of the schools that did not succeed this time round. The criteria used to prioritise educational need (in order of weight) takes account of the suitability for teaching and learning, the condition of the school and the number of temporary classrooms.
Courthouse Closures
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Lord Chancellor's Department about (a) the proposed closure of courthouses in Northern Ireland and (b) the timetable for such closures. [98331]
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Mr. Browne: The management of the courts estate is the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor. During the past couple of years there have been a number of informal discussions between NIO Ministers and Ministers from the Lord Chancellor's Department on the issue of courthouse closures in Northern Ireland as part of normal business of keeping each other informed of developments.
Crime (South Belfast)
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland regarding increasing resources to tackle crime in South Belfast. [103340]
Jane Kennedy: The Secretary of State has been advised by the PSNI that they are currently reviewing resource levels in every District Command Unit. The findings of the review will be advised to Chief Officers and District Commanders in the near future.
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to boost public confidence in safety from crime in South Belfast. [103341]
Jane Kennedy: The police in South Belfast plan the use of their resources to meet local community needs with a large percentage of personnel being exclusively dedicated to community policing. Crime Prevention and Community Safety Officers are responsible for the development and co-ordination of crime reduction strategies and crime prevention advice and guidance to vulnerable groups and those residing and working within crime "Hotspot" areas. Specific examples of a range of steps being taken to boost public confidence in safety from crime include:
- the development of a Student/University/Resident Forum to address youth crime anti social behaviour and student related disorder.
The Get Home Safe Campaign, a project with a range of initiatives including: a door registration scheme involving the Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade, strict enforcement of drinking byelaws, the introduction of a radio link to improve communications between 37 licensed premises and the PSNI and three new CCTV provided by the private sector.
The promotion of Crimestoppers
15,000 leaflet drop to students living in South Belfast outlining crime prevention measures.
Early Release Scheme
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have been released under the early release scheme since 10 April 1998; to which paramilitary groups they were affiliated; how many have been recalled due to further criminal activity; and how many would still be in prison today if the early release scheme was not in operation. [101737]
Jane Kennedy: Since the introduction of the early release scheme in April 1998, 447 prisoners have been
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released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 ("the Act"). 156 were life sentence prisoners and 291 were determinate sentence prisoners.
The following table sets out details of the perceived paramilitary association of the 447 individuals released. Information is held, for management purposes, in relation to the perceived paramilitary association of prisoners in Northern Ireland.
At 10 March 2003, seven of the 447 persons released under the terms of the Act had been recalled to prison due to their involvement in further criminal activity during their licence period.
Of the 291 determinate sentence prisoners released under the Act, 54 (19 per cent.) had sentences which would not yet have expired and would still be in custody at this stage. It is not possible to provide an equivalent figure for the 156 life sentence prisoners. Unlike determinate sentence prisoners, there is no specific discharge date, each case being reviewed individually. All released lifers were subject to risk assessment as a requirement of the Act and remain on licence for life.
| Perceived affiliation | Total |
|---|---|
| PIRA | 206 |
| UDA | 87 |
| UVF | 67 |
| INLA | 32 |
| LVF | 17 |
| UFF | 14 |
| RHC | 3 |
| 'Loyalist' | 6 |
| 'Republican' | 3 |
| No affiliation | 12 |
| Grand total | 447 |
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Education Funding
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated to (a) each education board, (b) the statutory nursery school sector of each education board and (c) the private or voluntary playschool sector of each education board to provide PEAGS places in each of the past five years. [102023]
Jane Kennedy: Each Education and Library Board receives for its Pre-school Education Advisory Group (PEAG) a capital allocation for the PEAG's building programme of nursery schools and units, and a single recurrent allocation from which PEAGs must meet:
- the running costs of those nursery schools and units for a period between their opening and their being absorbed into the main schools budget; and
the costs of funding places in the voluntary and private sector.
The allocations to the Boards for the last five financial years are as follows. Separate allocations are not made in respect of the voluntary and private sectors.
| Board | 1998–99 | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | |||||
| Statutory capital allocation | 0 | 0 | 401 | 133 | 19 |
| Total recurrent allocation | 230 | 561 | 836 | 756 | 853 |
| Western | |||||
| Statutory capital allocation | 0 | 40 | 1,377 | 1,436 | 1,012 |
| Total recurrent allocation | 406 | 1,049 | 1,524 | 1,566 | 1,779 |
| North eastern | |||||
| Statutory capital allocation | 81 | 64 | 1,344 | 700 | 379 |
| Total recurrent allocation | 381 | 1,176 | 1,917 | 2,141 | 2,163 |
| South eastern | |||||
| Statutory capital allocation | 202 | 312 | 591 | 681 | 660 |
| Total recurrent allocation | 243 | 840 | 1,463 | 1,920 | 1,822 |
| Southern | |||||
| Statutory capital allocation | 0 | 65 | 770 | 1,238 | 1,298 |
| Total recurrent allocation | 384 | 811 | 1,393 | 1,889 | 2,058 |
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the places per ward criterion used to calculate the funding for PEAGS places has not been used for calculating places for 2003–04. [101927]
Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education does not allocate funding to Pre-School Education Advisory Groups (PEAGs) using a places per ward criterion, but rather on the basis of annual plans for their areas produced by the PEAGs and approved by the Department. While in any given case PEAGs will look at the level of provision at individual ward level, they should also take into account the situation in neighbouring wards, so as to avoid over as well as under-provision.
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Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will undertake to provide funding of PEAGS places for the Playgroup at Londonderry Primary School in Newtownards. [102021]
Jane Kennedy: I am satisfied that the present number of pre-school places in Newtownards funded by the South Eastern Board's Pre-school Education Advisory Group is sufficient to satisfy the demand from children in their final pre-school year. I am therefore unable to give the undertaking requested.
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