---

7 Jul 2003 : Column 594W—continued

North/South Bodies

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent in the implementation of the north/south bodies since October 2002. [122379]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The information is not available in the form requested.

The Northern element of expenditure in respect of each North/South Implementation Body for the financial year 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 is set out as follows: The figures are provisional, as the accounts for that year have not yet been finalised. Details of expenditure in the current financial year are not yet available.

Body	2002–03
Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission	1,005
The North/South Language Body	3,353
Waterways Ireland	2,330
The Trade and Business Development Body	1,088
Food Safety Promotion Board	1,252
Special EU Programmes Body	850

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent on the operation of the North/South Implementation bodies by the British Government in each of the financial years since their establishment. [122555]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The British Government's expenditure on the operation of each of the North/South Implementation Bodies since their establishment is set out in the table below. The figures for 2002–03 are provisional, as the accounts for that year have not yet been finalised.

£000

Body	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission	199	431	497	1005
The North/South Language Body	342	2305	2986	3353
Waterways Ireland	0	1237	1931	2330
The Trade and Business Development Body	200	494	1899	1088
Food Safety Promotion Board	0	0	1505	1252
Special EU Programmes Body	50	591	1262	850

7 Jul 2003 : Column 595W

Northern Ireland Assembly

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the financial cost of cancelling elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly has been. [123721]

Mr. Spellar: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Mr. Browne) to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Dodds) on 14 May 2003, Official Report, column 307W.

Opinion Polls

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) opinion polls and (b) other attitudinal research surveys have been carried out by the Northern Ireland Office since March. [115986]

Mr. Paul Murphy: No opinion polls or other attitudinal research surveys have been carried out by the Northern Ireland Office since March.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by each Northern Ireland Department on opinion polls and attitudinal research in each year since 1997. [115987]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 206W. A further breakdown by Department could be prepared only at a disproportionate cost.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which organisations were contracted to carry out (a) opinion polling and (b) research into the attitudes of voters in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; and how much they were paid in each case. [115988]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Organisations which carried out attitudinal research for the Northern Ireland Office are Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, the Northern Ireland Information Service, Ulster Marketing Services and Milward Brown Ulster.

In relation to the costs for each year since 1997, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 206W. To breakdown the costs in greater detail would involve disproportionate cost.

As stated by my hon. Friend, research respondents are classified as "adults" rather than "voters".

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on attitudinal research in each year between 1990 and 1997 by the Northern Ireland Office. [115989]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Within the Northern Ireland Office in each year between 1992 and 1997 the following was spent on attitudinal research. Information on costs prior to financial year 1992–93 is not available.

7 Jul 2003 : Column 596W

£

	Cost
1992–93	13,212
1993–94	6,667
1994–95	6,933
1995–96	11,750
1996–97	17,377

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the material relating to attitudinal research paid for by the Northern Ireland Office in each year since 1997. [115990]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Attitudinal research carried out by the Northern Ireland Office Statistics and Research Branch is routinely published in report or bulletin format. Publication is via the Northern Ireland Office Information Service and reports are also made available on the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency websites. This includes all research carried out by the Northern Ireland Office Statistics and Research Branch on behalf of the Criminal Justice Review. This approach is in keeping with National Statistics guidelines.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which (a) political parties, (b) organisations, (c) individuals and (d) other Governments have been given access to the results of the attitudinal research carried out by the Northern Ireland Office in each year since 1997. [115991]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Attitudinal research carried out by the Northern Ireland Office Statistics and Research Branch is routinely published via the Northern Ireland Office Information Service and is also made available on the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency websites. Access is therefore not restricted in any way. Pre-publication access is granted only for internal briefing purposes and in accordance with strict National Statistics guidelines. These guidelines promote equality of access but recognise the policy of having some privileged early access to support good Government and management. The Northern Ireland Office Statistics and Research Branch also widely disseminates hard copies of its research and statistical findings to groups and individuals with policy and professional interests. Each report is publicised as widely as possible through the media and routinely circulated to political parties, academics and libraries, including the Northern Ireland Assembly and House of Common Libraries. Free copies are available on request.

Planning Appeals (Castlereagh)

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many appeals relating to planning applications in the Castlereagh borough council area were received by the Planning Appeals Commission in the past three years; and of these how many were (a) successful and (b) refused. [123711]

Mr. Paul Murphy: As the Planning Appeals Commission is a tribunal non-departmental public body, I have asked the Chief Commissioner to write to the hon. Gentleman directly in connection with the information requested.

7 Jul 2003 : Column 597W

Public Transport (Personal Safety)

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to protect staff and passengers from physical attack on public transport. [123784]

Mr. Spellar: Translink advises that it has created dedicated working groups to improve security on buses and trains. It has a widely promoted scheme under which it offers a £1,000 reward for information on attacks which leads to a prosecution and proactively, Translink staff liaise closely with local community representatives and the police in an attempt to reduce attacks and general anti-social behaviour.

Translink also advises that security features within the Translink fleet include CCTV, driver protection screens, specially strengthened windows in the driver's cab area and double glazing over the rest of the vehicle. Communication systems also enable bus and train drivers to liaise with Central Control staff regarding potential and actual incidents.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (Benefits)

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people received disability living allowance and related benefits as a result of rheumatoid arthritis in the last three financial years. [123785]

Mr. Spellar: The exact information sought is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The numbers of persons in receipt of disability related benefits, where the main disability recorded was arthritis, whether rheumatoid or osteo-arthritis at February in each of the last three financial years is listed in the following table.

Financial year	Disability living allowance	Attendance allowance
2000–01	2,478	3,217
2001–02	2,395	2,938
2002–03	2,210	2,713

---