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6 May 2004 : Column 1716W—continued

NORTHERN IRELAND

Arts Funding

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was allocated by (a) the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, (b) the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, (c) the Ultach Trust and (d) Foras na Gaeilge towards the arts in each year since 1999. [168559]

 
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Angela Smith: Expenditure on the arts since 1999 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is as set out in the following tables:

	£ million
1999–2000	15,522,314
2000–01	11,699,055
2001–02	13,040,613
2002–03	14,997,581
2003–04 (Subject to audit)	16,074,500

Expenditure on the arts since 1999 by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is as follows (excluding grant in aid to the Arts Council):

	£000
1999–2000	367,910
2000–01	469,500
2001–02	730,000
2002–03	756,672
2003–04	492,405

The Ultach Trust is a registered charitable trust. The Government are not responsible for the Trust's expenditure.

Expenditure on the arts since 1999 by Foras na Gaeilge is as follows:

	£000
1999	—
2000	150,000
2001	170,000
2002	200,000
2003	200,000

Bank Charges

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to bring about the reduction of charges to customers by banks operating in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [165784]

Mr. Gardiner: Banking is a reserved matter under Schedule 3 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Departments have no powers in this area. The hon. Lady will, however, wish to note that the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (GCCNI) produced a report, "Short Changed", in 2002, which highlighted the need to make banking easy, affordable and accessible for all Northern Ireland's consumers. In subsequent press releases, GCCNI has advised consumers to shop around and has called on local banks to scrap unnecessary charges and advertise the existence of their low-cost basic bank accounts. It is also promoting financial education initiatives. Powers in relation to the areas referred to by the hon. Lady are vested in the Office of Fair Trading. I have asked my officials to bring the hon. Lady's concerns to the attention of that organisation to which further questions should be directed.
 
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Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether all bank charges in Northern Ireland meet the code and ethics laid down by the UK banking industry; what steps the Government can take to protect Northern Ireland bank customers; and if he will make a statement. [165785]

Mr. Gardiner: Banking is a reserved matter under Schedule 3 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Departments have no powers in this area. Compliance with the Banking Code and the Business Banking Code is a matter for the Banking Code Standards Board. In relation to the steps the Government can take to protect Northern Ireland bank customers, I would refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave today to Question Number 165784.

Benefit Fraud

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is of the extent of benefit fraud in Northern Ireland; and what measures are in place to deal with it. [170482]

Mr. Spellar: I am totally committed to a robust approach to tackling fraud and error and abuse of the social security system wherever it occurs.

The Social Security Agency is unable to measure the amount of fraud across all benefits on an annual basis. However, a programme of Benefit Reviews is carried out on a regular basis across all of the major Social Security benefits. During the 2003–04 year the following levels were estimated:

Income support, 1.6 per cent. (£7.625 million) of benefit expenditure;

Jobseekers allowance, 6.1 per cent. (£6.626 million) of benefit expenditure;

Housing benefit, 2.2 per cent. (£6.967 million) of benefit expenditure.

During 2002–03, a Benefit Review was carried out in Incapacity Benefit. A total of 591 cases were examined of which only 2 (0.3 per cent.) were found to be fraudulent. Based on this small number of fraudulent cases, it is anticipated that this equates to £0.94 million of benefit expenditure.

The Social Security Agency has a comprehensive and rigorous strategy for combating fraud designed to ensure that:

claims entering the system are legitimate;

once in the system claims are maintained properly; and

where fraud does enter the system it is detected and appropriate action is taken.

In the period from April 2003 to March 2004, 7,761 cases of suspected fraud were investigated. Of these cases, 3,944 (51 per cent.) resulted in withdrawal of claims or changes in the rate of benefit paid and 345 were referred for prosecution. In the same period there were 101 cases where administrative penalties were imposed and 54 cases where cautions were issued.
 
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Childhood Tumours

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that (a) the new regional cancer unit at the Belfast City Hospital and (b) local research prioritise childhood tumours; and if he will make a statement. [171030]

Angela Smith: I have been asked to reply.

(a) The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children is responsible for the management of childhood cancers and this will not change when the new Cancer Centre opens at the Belfast City Hospital in 2006. Children requiring radiotherapy will continue to be referred to Belfast City Hospital Trust, which currently provides radiotherapy for around 15 children each year.

The effective management of childhood cancers is already a key priority for the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. The Hospital is a member of the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group, comprising 22 specialist centres. Each of the centres adheres to agreed protocols for the treatment of childhood cancers, developed in collaboration with European and worldwide oncology centres.

(b) In Northern Ireland, there is an active research base in both cancer and child health and welfare, through the Recognised Research Groups, supported by the R&D Office for the HPSS.

Hotel Accommodation

Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much capital grant has been paid by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board for the provision of upgrading hotel accommodation in each of the last five financial years. [170435]

Mr. Pearson: In April 2002 the Capital Investment Programme for accommodation development moved from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) to Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI). Invest NI has responsibility for allocation of resources to accommodation infrastructure projects through the Tourism Development Scheme whilst the NITB retains responsibility for investment in visitor attractions, visitor amenities and visitor servicing.

From April 1999 to March 2004 inclusive, £3,961,879 has been paid by the NITB and Invest NI towards the upgrading of hotels in Northern Ireland. The payment figure can be broken down as set out in the following table:

	Payments made (£)
1999–2000	1,048,199
2000–01	946,826
2001–02	1,045,610
2002–03	567,430
2003–04	353,814
Total	3,961,879

Housing Executive (Rent Levels)

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the annual changes in Northern Ireland housing executive rents were over the last six years. [171001]

 
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Mr. Spellar: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 820W, which provides information about the Housing Executive rents in Northern Ireland over the five year period 2000–01 to 2004–05. The increase for 1999–2000 was 4.5 per cent.

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