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NORTHERN IRELAND

Autism

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to create a residential facility for young people suffering from autistic spectrum disorders in Northern Ireland. [111410]

Jane Kennedy: Plans are currently being developed for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Autism at the former St. Joseph's Training School at Middletown, Co. Armagh. This is an initiative between the Department of Education and the Department of Education and Science and the aim of the Centre is to promote excellence in the education of children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders throughout Ireland.

The developing aims of the Centre include an Individual Learning Centre, which will provide an exemplar of good practice in assessment and educational intervention, training of parents and professionals, a research facility and a teaching and outreach support service. The Centre will complement and support, rather

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than replace, current and developing service provision. The Centre will offer residential accommodation for up to twenty children and young people who would attend the Learning Centre for short-term support.

The progress of the development is subject to the successful completion of purchase arrangements of the site.

Award Schemes

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the award schemes in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 promoted by the Department; what their scope was; when the relevant participating organisations are scheduled to be sent results; and whether other parties will be given notification of the results at the same time. [102059]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The Northern Ireland Office did not promote any award schemes in 2001 and 2002. But it was involved in sponsoring NIHE Community Safety Awards.

The core Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration promoted the following award schemes in 2001 and 2002:

Award scheme title	Scope	Results due date	Simultaneous notification
Awards in 2001
The Cash Grant Awards Scheme	To enable individuals or groups to carry out practical projects which will result in better care for health and social services users	April/May 2001	Yes
Diversity 21 Awards	To recognise and celebrate the diverse interests and cultures in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 21st century	29 May 2001	Yes
Northern Ireland Exporter of the Year Awards 2000	Encouraging NI companies to export	June 2001	Yes
DARD Rose Award	Best cluster of flowered rose at Belfast City Rose Trials	July 2001	Yes
National Training Awards	The National Training Awards competition is open to all individuals, companies and organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors	15 September 2001to 13 November 2001	No
The HPSS Quality Awards	To recognise, reward and promote excellence in the provision of health and social care within the Health and Personal Social Services	November 2001	Yes
Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Environmental Awards Scheme	Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland	November 2001	Yes
Beacon Awards	The Association of Colleges in England and Wales administers the Beacon Awards programme. Beacon Awards are also open to Northern Ireland Further Education (FE) colleges. The awards are designed to promote the interdependence of FE colleges and business, professional and voluntary organisations to their mutual advantage	December 2001	Yes
Food From Britain Export Awards: Northern Irish Exporter of the Year	To celebrate the success of companies operating in international markets	December 2001	Yes
NI Quality Award	Public, private and voluntary sector organisations	January 2002	No
Steps to Excellence	Public and voluntary sector organisations	January 2002	No
NI Quality Award	Public, private and voluntary sector organisations	January 2002	No
Steps to Excellence	Public and voluntary sector organisations	January 2002	No
All Ireland Garden Centre of the Year Awards	Best Garden Centre	February 2002	Yes
Best Developing Garden Centre Awards	Most Improved Garden Centre	February 2002	Yes
Awards in 2002
The Cash Grants Awards Scheme	To enable individuals or groups to carry out practical projects which will result in better care for health and social services users	April/May 2002	Yes
Diversity 21 Awards	To recognise and celebrate the diverse interests and cultures in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 21st century	11 June 2002	Yes
DARD Rose Award	Best cluster of flowered rose at Belfast City Rose Trials	July 2002	Yes
National Training Awards	The National Training Awards competition is open to all individuals, companies and organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors	13 September 2002to 5 November 2002	No
Development Farmer of the Year	Significant Development in grass-based enterprises and establishment of a viable diversified enterprise	September 2002	Yes
Northern Ireland Food and Drinks Awards: Supply Chain Excellence Award	To recognise the creation or improvement of supply chain linkages that deliver clear benefits to producers	October 2002	Yes
Public Authorities Awards	Best in category	October 2002	Yes
Landscape Maintenance Awards	Best in category	October 2002	Yes
The HPSS Quality Awards	To recognise, reward and promote excellence in the provision of health and social care within the Health and Personal Social Services	November 2002	Yes
Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Environmental Awards Scheme	Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland	November 2002	Yes
Beacon Awards	The Association of Colleges in England and Wales administers the Beacon Awards programme. Beacon Awards are also open to Northern Ireland further Education colleges. The awards are designed to promote the interdependence of FE colleges and business, professional and voluntary organisations to their mutual advantage	December 2002	Yes
Food From Britain Export Awards: Northern Irish Exporter of the Year	To celebrate the success of companies operating in international markets	December 2002	Yes
All Ireland Garden Centre of the Year Awards	Best Garden Centre	January 2003	Yes
Best Developing Garden Centre Awards	Most Improved Garden Centre	January 2003	Yes
NI Quality Award	Public, private and voluntary sector organisations	January 2003	No
Steps to Excellence	Public and voluntary sector organisations	January 2003	No
NI Quality Award	Public, private and voluntary sector organisations	January 2003	No
Steps to Excellence	Public and voluntary sector organisations	January 2003	No
Northern Ireland Business Education Awards	To recognise and encourage the promotion of business education activities and links	12 March 2003	Yes

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Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan

Reverend Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to publish the draft Belfast metropolitan area plan; and what the reasons are for the further delay in publication. [109018]

Angela Smith: The Development Plan Programme set out in Planning Service's Corporate and Business Plan 2002–03 indicated that the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP)—Draft Plan would be published before the end of the 2002–03 financial year.

A number of important research studies being carried out by, or on behalf of, the Plan Team, required ward level data from the 2001 Census. As this data was not published until 19 December 2002, I agreed a revised timetable with members of the Political Group, representative of the six Councils in the Belfast Metropolitan area, which oversees the process and which I Chair. This revised timetable allowed for completion of the research, and indicated that the Draft Plan would be published in September 2003.

A number of factors outside the control of the Plan Team now mean that it will not be possible to meet that timescale.

Following an initial round of consultation meetings between the BMAP Team and the Councils within the Plan area, a number of Councils have written requesting an extension to the consultation timeframe. I have agreed to this request.

The amended consultation timeframe, together with the fact that a number of inputs to the BMAP process from other bodies will not be available until May/June, will result in the final Council consultation being delayed until late summer. While this delay is unavoidable, it is essential that the new timetable is strictly adhered to, in order that the plan process remains within an appropriate timeframe.

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I have written to members of the Political Group to advise them of the amendments in the consultation timetable. The full implications of the timescale for the remainder of the BMAP process will be considered at the next meeting of the BMAP Political Group. I will write to you further to advise you of the outcome of that meeting.

Chilcott Report

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the findings of the Chilcott report into the break-in at Castlereagh police station on 17 March 2002. [101945]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I will inform the House when I have received the report into the break-in at the Castlereagh police station from Sir John Chilcot.

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