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Salmon

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made regarding the buy-out of salmon nets in Northern Ireland's river estuaries. [178622]

Angela Smith: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has spent just over £1.1 million on the buy-out of 27 owners of commercial salmon nets with the potential to operate 49 commercial salmon nets in the Fisheries Conservancy Board (FCB) area. This represents an 87.5 per cent. reduction in the potential number of commercial nets available to fish in the FCB area. The 10-year average number of salmon taken by these nets was 9,800 out of a 10-year average declared commercial catch of between 10,000–11,000 salmon.

Smoking

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) discussions he has had with and (b) advice he has received from the Chief Medical Officer in relation to the possible introduction of a ban on smoking in public places in Northern Ireland. [178702]

Mr. Pearson: The Chief Medical Officer and I have had a number of wide-ranging discussions about tobacco control, including a possible ban on smoking in public places in Northern Ireland. We agreed that it was important for us to contribute to the wider UK debate on possible smoking prohibitions/restrictions by assessing the level of public support here. We also agreed that officials should consider the implications of a ban, including those relating to enforcement.
 
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As Dr. Campbell made clear in her recent interview with the Belfast Telegraph, while she favours a ban, this would not, of itself, address the appalling toll of premature death and avoidable illness caused by smoking. The ongoing inter-agency work to implement the Tobacco Action Plan is of paramount importance in pursuing our long-term aim of a tobacco-free society.

Students (Appeals)

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on future arrangements for students to appeal against decisions made by further education colleges which are currently dealt with by the Education Department. [177738]

Mr. Gardiner: Colleges have formal procedures for dealing with complaints that involve the Principal, the Board of Governors and ultimately referral to the Department for Employment and Learning. The Department has the power to give direction to remedy the complaint. These arrangements, however, are being reviewed in partnership with the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges, the Trade Unions and the Department.

Variable Fees

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the advice provided by the Northern Ireland Higher Education Council to him on the proposal to introduce variable fees in Northern Ireland. [177737]

Mr. Gardiner: The Northern Ireland Higher Education Council (NIHEC) is an advisory body to the Department for Employment and Learning on higher education matters.

The Council has provided advice on a number of key issues including the implications for Northern Ireland of proposals to increase funding of higher education through the introduction of variable deferred fees.

NIHEC advice is provided to the Department on a confidential basis.

Vehicle Tax

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to assist motorists and hauliers whose MOT and PSV tests have been postponed as a result of industrial action by civil servants and who are unable to tax their vehicles. [178856]

Angela Smith: The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA), which is responsible for vehicle testing, has taken a range of measures to alleviate the impact of industrial action. These include contacting customers directly affected and, where possible, offering alternative appointments; maximising the use of the capacity available at other test centres; redeploying staff from non-urgent duties; and cancelling non-essential training.

DVTA has also introduced temporary exemption certificates for goods vehicles, to mitigate the difficulties for the commercial sector. A temporary exemption certificate allows a vehicle to be used on the road without a goods vehicle test certificate for up to three
 
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months from the date of issue. It does not alter the responsibility of the owner or operator to maintain the vehicle in a roadworthy condition. The use of temporary exemption certificates has freed up capacity for the testing of vehicles in priority categories such as ambulances and public service vehicles.

DVTA has also been keeping in contact with the Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland (DVLNI) regarding the implications for motorists. The law is very clear: technically it is an offence to drive a vehicle without a valid MOT certificate, and it is an offence to use or keep an unlicensed vehicle on a public road. However, PSNI and DVLNI are aware of the difficulties and have advised that for the moment each case will be considered on its merits. They have also indicated that all relevant circumstances will be taken into account before anyone is prosecuted. The agency has also been in touch with the Association of British Insurers, who have indicated that in most cases motorists affected by industrial action will continue to be covered by their insurance policies. However, they have also advised those affected to check the detail of their policies and also to make direct contact with their insurers.

Longer term measures under active consideration include temporary exemption certificates for cars and making alternative arrangements for vehicle testing.

Young Offenders

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) boys and (b) girls up to the age of 16 years are detained in young offenders' institutes in Northern Ireland. [178684]

Mr. Pearson: At present there are two boys aged 16-years-old detained at Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre in Northern Ireland. There are currently no females up to the age of 16 detained in young offenders institutions in Northern Ireland.

HEALTH

Carers

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of carers of working age who gave up jobs to care for a sick or disabled relative in each of the last five years. [178199]

Dr. Ladyman: The Government have made no estimate of the number of carers of working age who have given up work to provide care.

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland are carers; and what the estimated cost of paid carers being substituted for the care they provide would be. [178596]

Dr. Ladyman: The number of people providing unpaid care in England as recorded in the 2001 Census
 
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is 4.9 million. The Government have made no estimate of the cost of paid carers being substituted for the care they provide.

Matters relating to Scotland and Wales are matters for the devolved administration. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with the Northern Ireland Office.

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of carers in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland have access to respite care. [178599]

Dr. Ladyman: The information on the proportion of carers in England that have access to short breaks is not held centrally. Local authority data showed that the 2002–03 Carers' Grant provided 2,140,632 breaks for 143,231 carers, with 31,082 carers benefiting from the services provided directly to them.

Matters relating to Scotland and Wales are matters for the Devolved Administration. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with the Northern Ireland Office.

Fast Food Outlets

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment has been made of the capacity of local authority environmental health departments to police adequately fast food restaurants and other food outlets; and if he will make a statement. [178256]

Miss Melanie Johnson: There has been no recent assessment of the capacity of local authority environmental health departments to police fast food restaurants and other food outlets. Local authorities receive funding through the Revenue Support Grant, to enable them to undertake inspections to the full range of food premises. It is for each local authority to decide specific resource allocations to ensure that it has the capacity to undertake this work.

The Food Standards Agency monitors and audits the food law enforcement work of local authorities. This enables assessments to be made of individual local authority food law enforcement systems and activities, including whether food businesses are inspected in accordance with risk as required under statutory codes of practice.

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