House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 23 Jun 2003 (pt 21)

23 Jun 2003 : Column 607W—continued

NORTHERN IRELAND

Acute Hospital Provision

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which areas in Northern Ireland the money announced on 24 February for acute hospital provision will be spent; and on what capital projects. [120115]

Angela Smith: The areas and acute hospital projects are as follow:

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Area

Antrim Provision of a nucleus extension at Antrim hospital

Belfast Provision of a Plastics and Day-Procedures Unit at the Belfast City hospital

Provision of a new Maternity hospital for the greater Belfast area

Redevelopment of the Mater hospital north Belfast

Craigavon The first phase of a restructuring scheme at Craigavon hospital

Derry Completion of a redevelopment programme at Altnagelvin hospital

Downpatrick Provision of a new local hospital

Enniskillen A new acute hospital for the south Western area

Area
Antrim	Provision of a nucleus extension at Antrim hospital
Belfast	Provision of a Plastics and Day-Procedures Unit at the Belfast City hospital
	Provision of a new Maternity hospital for the greater Belfast area
	Redevelopment of the Mater hospital north Belfast
Craigavon	The first phase of a restructuring scheme at Craigavon hospital
Derry	Completion of a redevelopment programme at Altnagelvin hospital
Downpatrick	Provision of a new local hospital
Enniskillen	A new acute hospital for the south Western area

The following hospital sites have also been identified for redevelopment:

Lagan Valley hospital, Lisburn

mid-Ulster hospital, Magherafelt

South Tyrone hospital, Dungannon

Tyrone county hospital, Omagh

Whiteabbey hospital

Detailed plans for these capital projects are not yet available.

Autistic Children

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated for teaching autistic children by applied behaviour analysis in each of the five education and library boards in the last five years; and how many children in each board have been taught by the ABA programme in the last five years. [117790]

Jane Kennedy: It is not possible to quantify the total funding of ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis) provision in schools for the last five years, as this cannot be separated from other elements of educational intervention, provided on a day-to-day basis, for children with an autistic spectrum disorder.

Education and library boards support pupils with an autistic spectrum disorder in their areas in a variety of appropriate ways. An eclectic approach using a range of methods is used and this accords with the recommendations of the Task Group Report on Autism. These methods will include aspects of TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic Children and those with related Communications Handicaps), PECS (Picture Exchange Communication Systems) and ABA.

In addition, all educational psychologists are trained in ABA techniques as part of their degree qualification.

The Belfast Education and Library Board and the South-Eastern Education and Library Board are each currently funding four children on specific ABA programmes at an average cost of over £13,000 per child, per annum.

Decommissioning

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the state of decommissioning is in the Province. [118506]

Jane Kennedy: To date there have been three acts of decommissioning carried out by paramilitary organisations, one by the Loyalist Volunteer Force and two by the Provisional IRA. In 2002 the three major

23 Jun 2003 : Column 609W

paramilitary groups (UVF, UDA and Provisional IRA) broke off contact with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning. However, in 2003 the Provisional IRA resumed contact and the Loyalist Commission, along with the UDA representative, met the IICD.

However, the Prime Minister stated clearly in his speech on 1 May 2003 that an undertaking is needed that all arms will be put beyond use through the IICD.

District Policing Partnerships

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost is of the police board consultation regarding district policing partnerships. [119516]

Jane Kennedy: As the public consultation survey postal forms for district policing partnerships were issued recently, it is not yet possible to give a final accurate cost. However the estimated cost for this exercise is £80,000.

Fair Employment

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which health and personal social services trusts in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years have settled cases against them under the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 without going before a Fair Employment Tribunal; how many such settlements involved the Labour Relations Agency; what the total cost was to each health trust of such settlements in each year; and what the legal costs involved were. [120122]

Angela Smith: The most readily available figures relate to those financial years as set out in the following table.

Trust 1999–2000 2000–01 2002–02

Altnagelvin Hospitals Nil return Nil return Nil return

Armagh and Dungannon Nil return Nil return Nil return

Belfast City Hospital 1 1 2

LRA involvement No Yes No

Total cost⁽³²⁾ £2,000 £5,000 £3,250

Legal costs ⁽³³⁾n/a ⁽³³⁾n/a ⁽³²⁾£3,231

Causeway HSS TrustLRA involvementTotal cost⁽³²⁾Legal costs One case only during this period settled with a confidentiality clause, no LRA involvement and £200 legal costs

Craigavon and Banbridge CommunityNil 1 Nil

LRA involvement Nil No Nil

Total cost⁽³²⁾ Nil £2,500 Nil

Craigavon Area Hospital Not available 2 Nil

LRA involvement Not available No Nil

Total cost⁽³²⁾ Not available £1,250 Nil

Legal costs Not available £2,375 Nil

Down Lisburn Nil return Nil return Nil return

Foyle Nil return Nil return Nil return

Green Park Nil return Nil return Nil return

Homefirst Community Nil return Nil return Nil return

Mater Infirmorum Hospital Nil 1 Nil

LRA involvement Nil Yes Nil

Total cost⁽³²⁾ Nil £1,500 Nil

Legal costs Nil Nil Nil

Newry and Mourne Nil return Nil return Nil return

North and West Belfast Nil return Nil return Nil return

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Nil 1 1

LRA involvement Nil No No

Total cost⁽³²⁾ Nil £22,000 £1,000

Legal costs Nil £13,159 £3,051

Royal Group of HospitalsLRA involvement Total cost⁽³²⁾ Legal costs Two cases in 1999–2000, one of which involved the LRA. Total cost of settlements £19,000 and £2,320 barrister's fees for one of the cases⁽³⁴⁾

South and East Belfast — 2 1

LRA involvement — No No

Total cost⁽³²⁾ — £52,000 £6,268

Legal costs — ⁽³³⁾n/a ⁽³³⁾n/a

Sperrin Lakeland Nil return Nil return Nil return

Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust Nil return Nil return Nil return

United Hospitals Nil return Nil return Nil return

Trust	1999–2000	2000–01	2002–02
Altnagelvin Hospitals	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Armagh and Dungannon	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Belfast City Hospital	1	1	2
LRA involvement	No	Yes	No
Total cost⁽³²⁾	£2,000	£5,000	£3,250
Legal costs	⁽³³⁾n/a	⁽³³⁾n/a	⁽³²⁾£3,231

Causeway HSS TrustLRA involvementTotal cost⁽³²⁾Legal costs	One case only during this period settled with a confidentiality clause, no LRA involvement and £200 legal costs

	Craigavon and Banbridge CommunityNil	1	Nil
LRA involvement	Nil	No	Nil
Total cost⁽³²⁾	Nil	£2,500	Nil

Craigavon Area Hospital	Not available	2	Nil
LRA involvement	Not available	No	Nil
Total cost⁽³²⁾	Not available	£1,250	Nil
Legal costs	Not available	£2,375	Nil

Down Lisburn	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Foyle	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Green Park	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Homefirst Community	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Mater Infirmorum Hospital	Nil	1	Nil
LRA involvement	Nil	Yes	Nil
Total cost⁽³²⁾	Nil	£1,500	Nil
Legal costs	Nil	Nil	Nil
Newry and Mourne	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

North and West Belfast	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service	Nil	1	1
LRA involvement	Nil	No	No
Total cost⁽³²⁾	Nil	£22,000	£1,000
Legal costs	Nil	£13,159	£3,051

Royal Group of HospitalsLRA involvement Total cost⁽³²⁾ Legal costs	Two cases in 1999–2000, one of which involved the LRA. Total cost of settlements £19,000 and £2,320 barrister's fees for one of the cases⁽³⁴⁾

South and East Belfast	—	2	1
LRA involvement	—	No	No
Total cost⁽³²⁾	—	£52,000	£6,268
Legal costs	—	⁽³³⁾n/a	⁽³³⁾n/a

Sperrin Lakeland	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

United Hospitals	Nil return	Nil return	Nil return

⁽³²⁾ Council legal costs only

⁽³³⁾ Legal costs not recorded separately against these cases

⁽³⁴⁾ It is not possible to give details of all legal costs as the management of such applications are dealt with under a block contract with legal advisers

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Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the cases taken against health and social services trusts under the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 involved settlements; how many involved the use of the Health and Personal Social Services Superannuation Scheme; and what the total cost was to the scheme for each trust involved for each year in question. [120123]

Angela Smith: The Department is not aware of any of the cases taken against health and social services trusts under the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 which involved settlements involving the use of the Health and Personal Social Services Superannuation Scheme.

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under which regulations governing the Health and Personal Social Services Superannuation Scheme the practice of using premature retirement under the Scheme to settle Fair Employment Tribunal cases is permitted. [120124]

Angela Smith: The HPSS Superannuation Scheme Regulations provide that a member of the HPSS Superannuation Scheme, who is age 50 or over and has five years qualifying service, is entitled to superannuation benefits if their employment is terminated by their employer on grounds of redundancy (including organisation change) or in the interests of the efficiency of the service. Compensation benefits are normally payable in these circumstances under the HPSS Compensation for Premature Retirement Regulations.

The Department is not aware of any practice of using premature retirement under the Scheme to settle Fair Employment Tribunal cases.

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