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Industrial Tribunals

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many industrial tribunal applications were lodged against the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the outcome was in each case; [147220]

(2) how many contested applications in industrial tribunals resulted in awards against the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and how many of these were appealed to the Court of Appeal; [147221]

(3) what criteria the Police Service of Northern Ireland uses when determining whether or not to appeal an award made by the industrial tribunal; [147222]

(4) what costs were incurred by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland in defending the industrial tribunal application by Chief Inspector Shamoon at (a) the industrial tribunal, (b) the Court of Appeal and (c) the House of Lords. [147223]

Jane Kennedy: Records for the number of industrial tribunal applications are not available earlier than 2000–01. The following table sets out the number of applications and the current status of each case from 2000–04.

Industrial tribunal applications and current status

	Lodged	Ongoing	Withdrawn	Dismissed	Settled
2000–01	72	33	29	6	4
2001–02	57	30	19	2	6
2002–03	55	48	6	1	0
2003–04	50	49	0	1	0

Settlement in each of these cases was in favour of the applicant and none of the settlement awards were appealed.

The chief constable takes advice from counsel when determining whether or not to appeal an award made by an industrial tribunal. I am advised that an appeal would not be lodged unless counsel advised that it was justified.

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The PSNI incurred costs of £28,442.05 in respect of the industrial tribunal application by Chief Inspector Shamoon. Costs in respect of the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords were awarded against Chief Inspector Shamoon.

Joyriding

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were convicted of joyriding offences in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; how many of these incidents resulted in (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal injuries; and what steps he is taking to reduce these figures. [144345]

Jane Kennedy: "Joyriding" is currently not a specific offence in law so the information is not available in the format requested. The table sets out the number of convictions for taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent from 1997 to 2001 which is the most up to date information available.

	Taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent
1997	453
1998	401
1999	294
2000	328
2001	350

The following tables set out details of collisions involving stolen vehicles and hit and run collisions but the identification of those specifically relating to "joyriding" could be obtained only at disproportionate expenses.

Road traffic collisions involving stolen vehicles⁽¹⁷⁾; 1998–2002

	Fatal collisions	Serious collisions	Slight collisions	Total
1998	6	29	165	200
1999	3	25	196	224
2000	4	45	228	277
2001	6	50	231	287
2002	5	29	192	226

Road traffic collisions involving hit and run vehicles⁽¹⁸⁾ 1998–2002

	Fatal collisions	Serious collisions	Slight collisions	Total
1998	6	44	483	533
1999	9	54	550	613
2000	4	98	734	836
2001	4	83	738	825
2002	6	103	659	768

⁽¹⁷⁾ Stolen vehicles only include those vehicles which are known by the police to be stolen

⁽¹⁸⁾ Hit and run vehicles may include vehicles which are stolen

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The PSNI are involved in a number of initiatives to reduce the number of vehicles taken without the permission of the owner. In West Belfast an Auto Crime Team has been established to specifically address this issue. While such initiatives can help reduce the incidence of vehicle crime it has been recognised that a long-term strategy is required and the PSNI are working in partnership with a number of agencies and groups, to tackle this problem as part of a multi-agency project. Each District Command Unit uses a range of resources and methods to target vehicle related crime in their area as effectively as possible.

In addition to these measures the Government will publish draft legislation for Northern Ireland for consultation by the end of January, aimed at tackling so-called "joy-riding" offences. The proposed legislation will introduce two new offences: "aggravated vehicle taking", attracting a maximum prison sentence of five years and "causing death or grievous bodily injury by aggravated vehicle taking", which will attract a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. These tough new measures are part of the Government's overall strategy to specifically target and punish so-called "joy-riders".

Learning Disabilities Strategy

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the Strategy for People with Learning Disabilities; and when recommendations will be published. [156165]

Jane Kennedy: A great deal of work is being taken forward by the Department of Education in a range of areas to improve the levels of provision for children with learning difficulties, and in particular autism and dyslexia. While this represents a broad strategic approach, the Department is not engaged in a formal exercise to draw up a Strategy for People with Learning Disabilities.

In 2002, two Northern Ireland Education Task Groups published reports, with recommendations, on the future development of educational provision for children with autism and dyslexia. Following DE-led conferences on these areas in autumn 2002, Education and Library Boards (ELBs) have prioritised the reports' recommendations and consequently the Department has made £270,000 available in 2003–04 and up to £540,000 in 2004–05 to the ELBs to develop training needs and support measures in the field of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An Inter Board ASD Group has been established, which will promote consistency of approach in relation to children with ASD across the five ELBs. A further £500,000 was allocated in 2003–04 to provide support and training for parents and staff in pre-school settings working with children with ASD.

DE led the collaborative North/South production of complementary parent and teacher videos/CD-ROMs and guidance material on autism. These were distributed widely across Northern Ireland in 2003. A dyslexia video/DVD ROM is also nearing completion by a joint North/South group and it is hoped to distribute this in the near future. The Education and Training Inspectorate is working to produce a "Dyslexia Friendly Schools" guide during 2004.

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A Steering Group, comprising health and education authorities from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, are taking forward the development of the Centre of Excellence for children and young people with ASD at Middletown, Co. Armagh.

Local Management of Schools

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of the formula for funding local management of schools on primary schools' ability to fund full teaching costs. [157319]

Jane Kennedy: The cost of teaching staff is met from each school's budget. The number of teachers appointed and the management structure within a school is a matter for the Board of Governors of the school to determine, taking account of the school's policies, priorities and overall financial position.

In determining the amount to be made available for allocation to schools, account is taken of the likely change to the overall teacher salary bill arising from, among other things, pay settlements. Additional resources are made available for small schools with above average teacher salary costs.

Medical Negligence

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many medical negligence cases are pending within each health trust. [157393]

Angela Smith: At 31 January 2004, the number of cases pending in each Trust was as follows:

Trust	Number of Cases
Altnagelvin Hospitals HSS Trust	216
Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust	37
Belfast City Hospital Trust HSS Trust	273
Causeway HSS Trust	90
Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust	15
Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust	167
Down Lisburn HSS Trust	145
Foyle HSS Trust	14
Green Park HSS Trust	53
Homefirst Community HSS Trust	19
Mater Hospital HSS Trust	103
Newry and Mourne HSS Trust	118
Northern Ireland Ambulance Service HSS Trust	1
North and West Belfast HSS Trust	9
Royal Group of Hospitals and Dental Hospital HSS Trust	482
South and East Belfast HSS Trust	9
Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust	112
United Hospitals HSS Hospital Trust	220
Ulster Community and Hospitals HSS Trust	291

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