House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 2 Feb 2004 (pt 26)

2 Feb 2004 : Column 720W—continued

Pension Credit

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average time taken to process each pension credit application was in 2003; and how many applications remain to be processed. [152127]

Mr. Spellar: The average time taken to process new Pension Credit applications in 2003 was 30 days.

On average about 350 new applications are received each week and there are currently 4,200 applications still to be processed. All applications made up to October 2004 will be backdated to 6 October 2003.

There are also about 900 Minimum Income Guarantee claims (made between October and December 2003 where entitlement began prior to 6 October 2003) still to be processed. These should be cleared by March 2004.

Following the launch of Pension Credit in October there has been a tremendous response from pensioners and their representatives both in terms of enquiries and pensions credit applications. It has taken longer than anticipated to process the applications.

However, firm plans are in place, additional staff are being trained and the situation will improve significantly over the coming months.

2 Feb 2004 : Column 721W

Police (Assaults)

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attacks on police officers there were in each of the last 10 years. [151209]

Jane Kennedy: The information is set out in the following table.

Number of attacks on Police in Northern Ireland

Missile attacks⁽⁵³⁾ Other attacks Total

1994 102 176 278

1995 371 129 500

1996 1,322 208 1,530

1997 1,011 229 1,240

1998 1,422 384 1,806

1999 1,028 210 1,238

2000 1,119 254 1,373

2001 1,663 332 1,995

2002 1,654 108 1,762

2003⁽⁵⁴⁾ 1,155 13 1,168

	Missile attacks⁽⁵³⁾	Other attacks	Total
1994	102	176	278
1995	371	129	500
1996	1,322	208	1,530
1997	1,011	229	1,240
1998	1,422	384	1,806
1999	1,028	210	1,238
2000	1,119	254	1,373
2001	1,663	332	1,995
2002	1,654	108	1,762
2003⁽⁵⁴⁾	1,155	13	1,168

⁽⁵³⁾ Missile attacks relate to the throwing of an object such as a bottle, brick, or stone.

⁽⁵⁴⁾ 2003 figures are provisional and subject to minor amendment.

Prison Service

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much it has cost the Prison Service to fly the (a) Director General and (b) Director of Operations of the Northern Ireland Prison Service in and out of the Province since their appointments; and how many flights have been taken. [146175]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The Director General and the Director of Operations of the Northern Ireland Prison Service are both entitled to one return flight per week as part of their employment contracts. Both avail themselves of approximately 46 flights per year. The average cost of a return flight for the Director General is £224 and £290 for the Director of Operations.

Public Bodies

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the (a) Fair Employment Commission, (b) Industrial Development Board, (c) Tourist Board (Northern Ireland) and (d) Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. [151408]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The most recently published information on members of the Boards of public bodies, their term of office and remuneration is contained in the Public Appointments Annual Report. A copy of the latest report (covering the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003) is available from the Library of the House and on the internet at: www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/publicappointments

The Industrial Development Board was subsumed into Invest Northern Ireland with effect from 1 April 2002. With effect from 1 October 1999, the Fair Employment Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission were replaced by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, which is not a public body of the Devolved Administration.

2 Feb 2004 : Column 722W

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the (a) Industrial Tribunals Northern Ireland, (b) Health and Safety Agency for Northern Ireland, (c) Labour Relations Agency, (d) Fair Employment Tribunal and (e) Economic Council were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. [151449]

The Health and Safety Agency became the Health and Safety Executive with effect from 1 April 1999.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) who the members of the (a) Law Reform Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland, (b) Statute Law Committee, (c) Belfast Education and Library Board, (d) North Eastern Education and Library Board and (e) South Eastern Education and Library Board were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is; [151450]

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(3) who the members of the (a) Charities Advisory Committee, (b) Health Promotion Agency, (c) Mental Health Commission, (d) Fire Authority for Northern Ireland and (e) Local Government Staff Commission were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. [151453]

The salaries of the Chairpersons of Education and Library Boards were reviewed in August 2003 and were increased to £10,000 per annum with effect from 1 April 2002.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the (a) Southern Education and Library Board, (b) Western Education and Library Board, (c) Northern Ireland Museums Council, (d) Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and (e) Eastern Health and Social Services Board were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. [151451]

2 Feb 2004 : Column 723W

The salaries of the Chairpersons of Education and Library Boards were reviewed in August 2003 and were increased to £10,000 per annum with effect from 1 April 2002.

The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum became part of National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland with effect from 1 April 1998.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the (a) Rent Assessment Panel, (b) Northern Ireland Housing Executive, (c) Laganside Corporation, (d) Advisory Committee on Travellers and (e) Planning Appeals Committee were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. [151454]

The Advisory Committee on Travellers was not re-appointed when its term of office expired on 31 December 1999.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the (a) Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland, (b) Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland, (c) Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland, (d) Fishery Authority for Northern Ireland and (e) Industrial Research and Technology Board were on 1 January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. [151455]

The Industrial Research and Technology Board was subsumed into Invest Northern Ireland with effect from 1 April 2002. The Fishery Authority for Northern Ireland is more commonly known as the Fishery Harbour Authority for Northern Ireland.

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