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29 Apr 2003 : Column 331W—continued
NORTHERN IRELAND
Benefits (Pregnancy)
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what benefits a woman receives if she loses a baby after (a) 23 weeks and (b) 24 weeks of her pregnancy. [108285]
Mr. Browne: Where her pregnancy does not result in the issue of a living child, depending on her individual circumstances, a woman may be entitled to receive where her pregnancy ends:
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(a) after 23 weeks incapacity benefit, statutory sick pay and income support;
(b) after 24 weeks statutory maternity pay, maternity allowance, income support, a funeral payment and a Sure Start maternity grant.
Bye-Laws
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications have been received by the Department of Environment from Ards borough council requesting permission to invoke new bye-laws in each of the past 10 years; how many applications from Ards borough council were granted in each year; how many outstanding applications from Ards borough council are awaiting approval; and what the oldest application is from Ards borough council which is not yet approved. [109283]
Angela Smith: Over the past 10 years, four applications for confirmation of new bye-laws were received by the Department of the Environment in 1994 from Ards borough council. None of these has yet been confirmed.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications were received by the Department of Environment from local government authorities requesting permission to invoke new bye-laws in each of the past 10 years; how many applications were granted in each year; how many outstanding applications are awaiting approval; what the oldest application is which is not yet approved; and how many people are employed to process such applications. [109284]
Angela Smith: District councils have submitted 17 applications for confirmation of new bye-laws to the Department of the Environment, since 1993. Five sets of bye-laws have been confirmed over the past 10 years, leaving 12 cases under consideration. The longest outstanding application dates back to 1994. The record is set out in the table. No member of staff is dedicated to this area of work.
Before confirming a set of bye-laws the Department must be satisfied that they are in the proper form and are within the power of the Department to confirm. The Department generally follows the model bye-laws provided by Home Office and in some instances they must also be confirmed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. This is a lengthy process involving exchanges between district councils and legal advisers for local and central government. It is one of many shared responsibilities and competing priorities.
| Applications received | Bye-lawsconfirmed | |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1994 | 6 | |
| 1995 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 3 | |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| 1998 | 2 | 3 |
| 1999 | ||
| 2000 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 2 | |
| Total: | 17 | 5 |
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EU Funding
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money from (a) mainsteam EU programmes and (b) special EU initiatives has been
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allocated to North Belfast in each year since 1997. [105915]
Mr. Pearson: The amount of mainstream EU Programmes and special EU Initiatives money allocated 1 to North Belfast since 1997 was:
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstream EU Programmes(3) | (4)12,435,782 | (5)3,982,376 | 3,203,191 | 2,204,060 | 1,013,339 | (6)1,521,561 | 3,553,151 |
| Special EU Initiatives(7) | 7,267,682 | 5,604,081 | 11,162,990 | 1,235,657 | 2,510,037 | (8)14,581,481 | 4,843,206 |
(2) The figures relate to projects funded with an application address area as the application address. The impacts of any project may extend beyond the geographical in the Belfast North Parliamentary Constituency. Some projects may not be situated within the same geographical location of the project
(3) The EU Programmes included in this category are the 1994–99 Single Programme Document and the 2000–06 Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity
(4) This figure contains some £10.5 million in respect of the Belfast Waste Water Treatment Works for an incineration plant located in North Belfast.
(5) This figure contains an additional £2.3 million in respect of the incineration plant.
(6) This figure excludes some £32 million for Water Treatment Works allocated by DRD (addresses in North Belfast) but spent outside the Belfast North Constituency.
(7) The EU Programmes included in this category are the 1995–99 Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE I) and the 2000–04 EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE II).
(8) This figure exqludes some £2.4 million for Bus Passenger Terminals allocated by Ulsterbus Limited (addresses in North Belfast) but spent outside the Belfast North Constituency.
Learning Difficulties
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision there is for young people leaving Moderate Learning Difficulty schools in Northern Ireland; what research on this subject has been carried out or is planned; and when it is intended to publish such research. [108877]
Jane Kennedy: Special education legislation imposes duties on Education and Library Boards (ELBs) in the planning for a young person's transition to adult life. The Department of Education's Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs provides further advice on the process. ELBs are required to inform Health and Social Services (HSS) trusts up to a year in advance of a young person, with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, leaving school.
The first and subsequent annual reviews of a Statement of Special Educational Needs after a young person's 14th birthday should involve the agencies that will play a major role during the post school years, including the relevant HSS Trust and the Department for Employment and Learning's Careers Service, so that all options for further education, training and employment are given serious consideration. Following the meeting the ELB will prepare a transition plan, in order to plan coherently for the young person's transition to adult life. The plan is circulated to the parents, the principal and all other relevant partners.
A research project entitled "Provision for Pupils with Moderate Learning Difficulties", funded by the five ELBs is being undertaken by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER). It is currently in its third year and it is hoped to publish its findings by early 2004. The main focus of this research is the current provision for MLD pupils, but the researchers will also endeavour to track the pupils' first destinations on leaving school.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what after schools provision there is in Northern Ireland for young people with Moderate Learning Difficulties; and what assessment he has made of the level of provision. [108878]
Jane Kennedy: After schools provision in Northern Ireland for young people with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) spans a number of areas and departments.
The Department for Health and Social Services and Public Safety's Priorities for Action in 2002–03 require Health Boards and Trusts to continue to expand provision of day care and respite places for people with a learning difficulty. Moreover, all four Health and Social Services Boards have identified the development of day care services as a priority area, but funding has been a limiting factor.
The Department for Employment and Learning's (DEL) Disablement Advisory Service, in conjunction with the Careers Service, provides such young people with help to assist them access appropriate employment and learning after school. There is a range of programmes including "Access to Work", "Employment Support", "Job Introduction Scheme" and "New Deal for Disabled People". Special Needs Careers Officers provide careers information and guidance services both at school and when the young person has left school to ensure that appropriate choices have been made and that the young person has settled into his/her next destination. The officers continue to provide support to those young people who have not secured a placement in education, training or employment on leaving school.
Should it be considered appropriate, provision is also available through Jobskills and the statutory Further Education sector. Although Jobskills is aimed mainly at 16 and 17-year-old school leavers, young people with disabilities can enter the programme up to their 22nd birthday. DEL has put in place a range of initiatives and financial support mechanisms, in further education, which promote access for young people with MLD, including specific support for individuals.
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In September 2002 the then Ministers for Education, Employment and Learning and Health, Social Services and Public Safety convened a meeting to discuss the issue of transition from full-time education to adulthood for young people with learning disabilities. A working group, chaired by the Department of Education and comprising officials from the relevant departments, was established to consider what could be done to better meet the needs of these young people. Work is ongoing.
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