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16 Sept 2003 : Column 710W—continued
Civil Service
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to implement the Senior Civil Service Review. [120108]
Mr. Pearson: Following Lord Ouseley's report on the Review of Appointment and Promotion Procedures in the Senior Civil Service in Northern Ireland, the devolved Administration issued a consultation paper. This sought views on two key recommendations—the recommendations on recruitment in the open market and on work-life balance—and on an action plan covering the remainder of the 25 recommendations made, excepting two which were outside the responsibility of the devolved government. The recommendations have naturally required particularly
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careful consideration in the light of suspension, but I anticipate that we shall be in a position to make an announcement shortly.
Community Police Officers
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many community police officers are in full-time service with the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and how many served in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002. [130420]
Jane Kennedy: The Police Service of Northern Ireland currently record officers engaged in community policing duties under the title neighbourhood police. The table sets out the actual number of regular and full-time reserve neighbourhood police in service for the period 2000 to 2002.
| Regular | Full-time reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 September 2000 | 367 | 103 |
| 3 September 2001 | 288 | 97 |
| 4 September 2002 | 415 | 147 |
| 4 September 2003 | 482 | 161 |
Congestion Charges
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce congestion charges for cities and towns in Northern Ireland. [114547]
Angela Smith: The Chief Executive of the Roads Service has written to the hon. Gentleman. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.
Crime
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been taken since 1997 to tackle (a) organised crime, (b) smuggling and (c) drug crime. [121135]
Jane Kennedy: The Organised Crime Task Force which I chair was established in September 2000 to set the strategic direction for a multi-agency approach to tackling smuggling, drug crime and indeed organised crime in all its forms.
While the law enforcement agencies have always worked well together at an operational level, and both PSNI and Customs had undertaken tremendous work to tackle all areas of organised criminality prior to September 2000, the Task Force has co-ordinated and focused their efforts to increased effect.
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland about the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill. [116369]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I have had no specific discussions with the Chief Constable on the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill. However, the PSNI have been involved in the consultation process throughout the various stages of the Bill.
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Cross-border Health Care
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients from the Republic of Ireland have been treated in hospitals in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [129817]
Angela Smith: The total number admissions classified as an in-patient, day case or regular day/night admission at hospitals in Northern Ireland where the patient was recorded as a resident in the Republic of Ireland is given in the table. Patients may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
| In-patient | Day cases | Regular day admission | Regular night admission | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 946 | 340 | 0 | 0 | 1,286 |
| 1999–2000 | 1,000 | 377 | 559 | 0 | 1,936 |
| 2000–01 | 1,070 | 604 | 995 | 0 | 2,669 |
| 2001–02 | 1,037 | 554 | 850 | 1 | 2,442 |
| 2002–03(12) | 1,170 | 504 | 650 | 0 | 2,324 |
(11) Deaths and discharges are used as an approximation for admissions.
(12) Provisional.
Source:
Hospital Inpatients System
Figures for the number of patients treated as out-patients or at accident and emergency departments are not available.
Residents of countries within the European Union are entitled to treatment if they are taken ill while visiting another European Union state. Patients may also be transferred to another country under formal contractual arrangements between individual hospitals or health boards if the treatment required is not available locally. Consequently residents from the Republic of Ireland are sometimes treated in Northern Ireland and vice versa.
Departmental Under-spending
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been introduced in each Northern Ireland department to reduce budget under spend. [128295]
Mr. Pearson: Northern Ireland departments have introduced a number of measures to reduce the level of budget under spend. These include enhanced information and monitoring systems, improved arrangements to monitor the progress of expenditure on capital investment projects, providing additional training for budget managers and reviewing, on an on-going basis, profiled expenditure against actual expenditure.
At a more strategic level, the revised spending plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06, which I announced on 11 December 2002, included arrangements to set spending plans at a level which exceeded the total spending power available by building in under spend assumptions. Full details are set out in Section 2 of the Budget Document ("Building on Progress: Budget 2003–06").
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Environmental Protection
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when sheep grazing will be permitted in the Inner Mourne mountains. [111537]
Angela Smith: The Chief Executive of the Water Service has written to the hon. Lady. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.
EU Regulations
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by his Department over each of the last five years. [120823]
Mr. Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe on 30 June 2003, Official Report, column 64W.
Euro Roadshow
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the events he plans to attend as part of the Government's euro roadshow. [121399]
Mr. Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 459W.
First-time Buyers
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to assist first-time buyers in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [121729]
Mr. Spellar: A number of steps have been taken to assist first time buyers in Northern Ireland. The housing executive's house sales scheme has enabled over 100,000 tenants to become home owners and sales of housing executive homes currently account for over one third of all first time buyer transactions in Northern Ireland. The Department for Social Development also provides funding for the Northern Ireland Co-Ownership Housing Association which, through its equity sharing scheme, gives those on low incomes an opportunity to gain a foothold on the home ownership ladder and has, since its inception in 1978, helped over 17,500 participants to become home owners on an equity sharing basis, with over 13,000 of these eventually moving to full home ownership.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce a purchaser's pack for potential first-time house buyers and sellers in Northern Ireland. [121731]
Mr. Spellar: I have no plans at present to introduce a purchaser's pack in Northern Ireland.
The proposal to impose a condition on house vendors to produce a home information pack for prospective purchasers is aimed at addressing specific problems in England and Wales by speeding up the home buying and selling process and making it more transparent and certain. Such problems are not prevalent in Northern
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Ireland, where many measures aimed at speeding up the process have already been implemented and further proposals continue to be developed. I will, however, continue to monitor developments as regards the home information pack with a view to determining whether there may be merit, at some time in the future, in introducing similar measures in Northern Ireland.
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