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1 Apr 2003 : Column 629W—continued
Departmental Buildings
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to public funds was of (a) the inquiry into development of Victoria Square and (b) preparation for the inquiry. [105064]
Mr. Browne: The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) held conjoined inquiries into the Development Scheme for Victoria Square Belfast and representations to the Notice of Intention to Vest lands in connection with the Development Scheme. The inquiries were a statutory requirement under the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. Pre-inquiry meetings were held by the PAC on 18 October 2001, 26 October 2001, 13 December 2001 and 8 January 2002 to establish arrangements for the inquiries and deal with procedural queries. The actual inquiries took place between
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22 January and 31 January 2002. Preparatory work, which necessitated input from planning, vesting, legal (including counsel), transportation, built heritage and urban design consultants extended over a five month period and resulted in costs of £215,000. The Department incurred a further £507,900 in consultancy costs during the inquiry itself. These costs relate to the preparation and presentation of the Department's case in the form of written and oral evidence to the inquiries.
Medical Records
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance he has issued on whether unconfirmed allegations by (a) members of the public, (b) relatives and (c) health professionals not involved in the care of an individual should be included in a patient's medical case notes. [105750]
Mr. Browne: It is a matter for professional judgment acting on the advice of professional bodies and organisations to determine what is recorded in a patient's medical notes in order to help in the diagnosis and treatment of the patient.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under what circumstances a patient can be denied access to information contained in his or her medical case notes. [105752]
Mr. Browne: Access to information contained in a patient's medical case notes may be denied if its disclosure, in the opinion of the holder of the record, would disclose information:
(a) likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health of the patient or any other individual, or,
(b) relating to or provided by an individual, other than the patient, who could be identified from the information.
Primary School Funding
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding is allocated, per head of pupil, to primary schools in the (a) maintained, (b) controlled, (c) integrated and (d) Irish medium sectors; and on what basis this funding is allocated. [105953]
Jane Kennedy: The following information is taken from the Budget Statements published in 2002/03 by the relevant funding authority, ie by each of the Education and Library Boards for controlled, controlled integrated, maintained and Irish-medium schools; and, by the Department of Education in respect of grant maintained integrated schools.
| Sector | Per capita (£) |
|---|---|
| Controlled primary | 1,696 |
| Maintained primary | 1,739 |
| Integrated primary | 1,894 |
| Irish medium primary | 1,910 |
In addition to formula funding allocations, schools also have access to certain earmarked funds and other funds held centrally by each funding authority.
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Formula funding is allocated by the operation of six separate Local Management of Schools (LMS) Formulae; one in each of the Education and Library Boards and one by the Department of Education.
Alcohol (Public Places)
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the review into public drinking laws in Northern Ireland will be completed. [105914]
Mr. Browne: The review of the operation of the "drinking in public" bye-laws is still on-going. It is not possible to predict at this stage when the process will be completed.
Acute Hospitals
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on redevelopment, improvement and future plans for the Ulster hospital under the recently announced restructuring of acute hospital services in Northern Ireland. [105751]
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Mr. Browne: Under Developing Better Services, the Ulster hospital together with the Royal group of hospitals, the Belfast city hospital and the Mater hospital will form part of network of acute hospitals serving the greater Belfast area.
The Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust is taking forward a 4-phase Strategic Development Plan for the Ulster hospital. The second phase is underway and due for completion during 2005–06 at an estimated cost of £44 million. The Trust has been asked to draw up a Strategic Context for Phase 3.
Further redevelopment will be taken forward when the detailed proposals have been agreed.
Electoral Procedures
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been registered to vote under the rolling registration scheme this year. [103246]
Mr. Browne: As of 1 March, 21,750 names have been added to the Electoral Register under rolling registration.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have applied for the photographic Election Identity Card this year. [103247]
Mr. Browne: There have been 55,225 applications for the Electoral Identity Card as at 15 March.
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ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Animal Health
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what conditions apply to the import of live pheasants from (a) the EU and (b) countries not in the EU. [105606]
Mr. Morley: Council Directive 90/539/EEC sets out animal health conditions concerning intra Community trade in live poultry, including pheasants. Pheasants entering the UK from EU Member States must be accompanied by an export health certificate, which is issued by the Veterinary Authorities in the country of the origin. The export health certificate confirms that the Official Veterinarian has examined the pheasants and they meet the necessary health conditions specified in Council Directive 90/539/EEC. The Veterinary Authorities in the exporting Member State inform the appropriate local animal health office in the UK by an ANIMO message (animal movement system) that a health certificate has been signed and a consignment of birds is on its way. In addition, the importer in the UK must give at least 24 hours notice in writing to the Divisional Veterinary Manager responsible for the place of destination, of his intention to import the birds, the nature of the consignment, its anticipated date of arrival and the place of destination.
Council Directive 96/482/EEC lays down animal health conditions and veterinary certificates for the import of poultry, including pheasants, from Third Countries. Import of pheasants into the UK is allowed only from those Third Countries which can provide assurances supported by appropriate documents, or as a result of on-the-spot inspections, satisfy the necessary animal health conditions required by the UK and the European Commission. Pheasants entering the EU from Third Countries must be accompanied by an export health certificate issued by an Official Veterinarian in the country of origin. The health certificate confirms that the Official Veterinarian in the country of the origin has inspected the pheasants and they meet all the conditions specified in Council Directive 96/482/EEC. There is a post import isolation of 42 days. The State Veterinary Staff in the UK carry out at least six veterinary checks on the pheasants imported from Third Countries in the first 14 days after import. The Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge carries out tests on sick and dead pheasants to identify any possible disease. In addition, the local Divisional Veterinary Manager will receive an ANIMO message and import notification in the same way as EU imports.
Accountancy Services
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in 2002. [101860]
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Alun Michael: The forecast cost of accountancy services in 2002–03 is £715,000.
Public Bodies
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the (a) annual cost to her Department and (b) value of the assets of (i) Food from Britain, (ii) Horticulture Research International, (iii) the Meat and Livestock Commission and (iv) the Sea Fish Industry Authority; if she will make a statement in each case on the reasons for each body being in the public sector; and if she will make a statement. [105083]
Mr. Morley: The annual cost to Defra of each of the bodies specified and the value of their assets for 2001–02 are set out in the following table:
| Non-departmental public body (NDPB) | Annual cost to Defra 2001–02 | Value of assets 2001–02 |
|---|---|---|
| Food From Britain (FFB) | (7)5.483 | 90,998 |
| Horticulture Research International(HRI) | (8)13.643 | 43.568 |
| Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) | (9)287,000 | 5.9 |
| Sea Fish Industry Authority (SFIA) | (10)270,000 | 4.937 |
(7) This excludes foot and mouth recovery funds of £2.5 million granted to FFB for 2001–02.
(8) Comprises £13.493 million R&D income and related payments and c £0.150 million running costs of Defra sponsorship unit.
(9) Comprises £232,000 Commissioners costs and c £.055 million running costs of Defra sponsorship unit.
(10) Comprises board members salaries, NI contributions and Defra sponsorship costs.
Food From Britain was set up in 1983 under the Agricultural Marketing Act to improve the marketing of food and drink produced or processed in the United Kingdom. In 1993 its remit was changed to focus on promoting food and drink exports and speciality foods. The most recent review of its functions recommended that it should be retained as a public body with the existing remit.
Horticulture Research International
Following a Quinquennial Review in 2002 the Government announced on 20 January 2003 that they broadly accepted the review team's recommendations that HRI should cease to be a NDPB and should be transferred to new owners in the private sector. Detailed discussions are currently under way to establish whether scenarios recommended by the review team are achievable and affordable, and whether any further Government investment is necessary. Subject to satisfactory negotiations, the aim is to have in place the arrangements for HRI's future by 1 April 2004.
The MLC is a public sector NDPB by virtue of the Agriculture Act 1967 with the general duty of promoting greater efficiency in the livestock and
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livestock product industries in Great Britain. Apart from the payment and expenses of MLC Commissioners from public funds, and occasional public grants, the MLC is funded principally by a combination of a statutory levy on livestock producers and private income from commercial services (including services procured by Defra, such as £9.3 million for foot and mouth disease related work in 2001–02). As producers are required by statute to pay the levy, it is classed as public expenditure. However in reality the costs of the MLC fall almost entirely on the private livestock sector rather than the Exchequer.
The Sea Fish Industry Authority is a public levy funded body set up by the Fisheries Act 1981 to promote the efficiency of the sea fish industry and to serve the interests of that industry as a whole. The last review of
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it recommended that it be retained as a public body as its statutory objective remains relevant and the SFIA benefits the industry as a whole.
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