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14 Oct 2003 : Column 212W—continued

Bill of Rights

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has spent on the drafting of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. [128326]

Jane Kennedy: The consultation process on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland was launched on 1 April 2000. The total costs to date are £503,800. These costs include advertising (circa 40 per cent.) and publications (also circa 40 per cent.) together with a range of other costs relating to events, conferences, work with children and young people, public opinion surveys and education and training events and materials.

Implementation Group

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which parties comprise the Implementation Group in Northern Ireland. [131578]

Mr. Spellar: The political parties who are invited to the Implementation Group are parties committed to securing the full implementation of the Agreement.

Integrated Education

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many integrated education school places there were in (a) North Down and (b) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; what action he is taking to increase the number of integrated education places; and if he will make a statement. [131373]

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Jane Kennedy: The total approved enrolments for North Down Integrated Schools—Primary and Post-Primary since 1997 are:

School year	Total approved enrolment numbers
1997–98	0
1998–99	856
1999–2000	918
2000–01	934
2001–02	944
2002–03	944
2003–04	944

The total approved enrolment number for all Integrated Schools—Primary and Post-Primary since 1997 are:

School year	Total approved enrolment numbers
1997–98	9,462
1998–99	12,507
1999–2000	13,470
2000–01	14,508
2001–02	15,356
2002–03	16,088
2003–04	16,341

The Department of Education funds the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education to promote the development of integrated education and also contributes to the Integrated Education Fund which provides assistance with the capital costs of new schools.

In December 2000 the Department reduced the viability criteria for the establishment of new integrated school to intakes of 15 pupils for primary schools in Belfast and Londonderry and 12 pupils for developments elsewhere in Northern Ireland. Changes to the viability criteria for integrated post primary schools were announced in October 2001. Integrated post primary schools which achieve a year eight intake of 50 pupils a now eligible for recurrent funding from the Department.

New Integrated Primary Schools have recently been announced in Randalstown, Glengormley and Antrim, bringing to 50 the number of integrated schools operating in Northern Ireland.

International Bodies

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all international members of bodies set up in Northern Ireland since 1998 in connection with the Belfast Agreement. [131675]

Mr. Spellar: There are two bodies established or to be established by International Agreement in connection with the Belfast Agreement. The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was established by International Agreement between the British and Irish Governments in September 1997. Its current members are General John de Chastelain (a Canadian national) and Mr. Andrew Sens (a United States national). The Independent Monitoring Commission will be established by an International Agreement between the British and Irish Governments. The membership will comprise two United Kingdom

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nationals (Mr. John Grieve and Lord Alderdice); one Irish national (Mr. Joe Brosnan) and one United States national (Mr. Richard Kerr).

Irish Hare

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the report on the status of the Irish hare for the review of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985; and if he will make a statement. [131696]

Angela Smith: I refer to the answer I gave my hon. Friend, the Member for Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on the 16 September 2003, Official Report, column 117W.

Learning Disabilities

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on educational opportunities for those aged 16 and above with (a) severe and (b) moderate learning disability. [130255]

Jane Kennedy: Pupils with special educational needs are assessed by education and library boards (ELBs) on an individual basis.

Pupils with severe learning difficulties, because of the nature and complexity of their special educational needs, generally remain in full-time education in special schools until the end of the term following their nineteenth birthday.

Pupils with moderate learning difficulties, whether placed in an ordinary school, a special unit or a special school, generally leave school at the statutory school leaving age but usually move on to placement in training or further education. In a small number of cases and depending on their special educational needs, they may remain in school beyond statutory school leaving age.

ELBs are required, in conjunction with other relevant agencies, to draw up a transition plan for all pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs to set out appropriate post-school opportunities, including further education.

The Department for Employment and Learning's (DEL) Careers Service provides impartial advice and guidance to young people with severe and moderate learning disabilities on all available opportunities in education, training and employment. These include the DEL funded Jobskills training programme within further education colleges which provide a range of courses suitable for people over 16 with learning difficulties. DEL also funds a range of support services for these young people to assist in their achievement of qualifications.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that a statement provided for a child with special needs in one board area is acceptable in all education and library board areas in Northern Ireland when the child transfers from one board area to another; and if he will make a statement. [131822]

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Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education's Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs gives clear guidance to Education and Library Boards and Schools on meeting the special educational needs (SEN) of all children who require such provision.

When responsibility for a child with a statement of SEN changes from one Board to another, the statement mu be transferred to the new Board, together with any opinion which may have been provided under the Disabled Persons (NI) Act 1989 that the child is disabled. Upon the transfer of the statement, the receiving Board becomes responsible for maintaining the statement, and for providing the special educational provision specif in the statement.

The receiving Board may, on the transfer of the statement, bring forward arrangements for the review of the statement, and may conduct a new statutory assessment regardless of when the previous assessment took place. It must tell the parents, within six weeks of the date of transfer, when it will review the statement, and whether statutory assessment is proposed.

Linguistic Diversity

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed in the Linguistic Diversity Branch of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure; how many have competence in the Irish language; and how many have competence in the Ulster Scots language. [98197]

Angela Smith: Linguistic Diversity Branch of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has 10 members of staff comprising 9 permanent employees and one casual. These staff belong to the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) general administrative grades and have been recruited in accordance with NICS competencies and procedures. Expertise in specific languages is not among the core competencies which are required of general service administrative staff in the NICS.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to which trustees the draft linguistic diversity policy of the National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland has been presented; and for what reason. [98199]

Angela Smith : A new Board of Trustees of the National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland was appointed in July 2002. The board has not yet seen

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the draft linguistic diversity policy, but it is hoped that its members will have an opportunity to consider and formally adopt the draft shortly.

One member of the outgoing board was actively involved in the development of the draft policy, through chairing the working group that was established by the board to take the process forward. However, the other members of the outgoing board did not consider the draft before the end of their term of office.

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