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21 Jun 2004 : Column 1236W—continued

Small Business Rates Relief Scheme

Brian Cotter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which hon. Members have made representations to his Department regarding the concerns of businesses in their constituencies about the low rateable value eligibility threshold of the proposed small business rates relief scheme. [179252]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received letters from nearly sixty hon. Members on the rate relief scheme since the enabling provisions were enacted in the Local Government Act 2003 last September. As stated during the passage of the Bill we will be reviewing the thresholds for the scheme in the light of any general increase of rateable values arising from the general revaluation which, like the rate relief scheme, will take effect from 1 April 2005.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Child Psychiatrists

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many consultant child psychiatrists are employed by each of the health boards in Northern Ireland; and how many vacancies there are in each case. [179045]

Mr. Gardiner: The information requested is as follows.
 
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Table 1: Number of consultant child psychiatrists employed in each health board as at 31 March 2004 excluding vacancies

Health board area	Headcount	Whole-time equivalent
Eastern	11	7.65
Western	2	2.00
Northern	2	2.00
Southern	3	3.00
Total	18	14.65

Table 2: Number of consultant child psychiatrist vacancies (including long-term vacancies) by health board as at 31 March 2004

Health board area	Headcount	Whole-time equivalent
Eastern	7	6.30
Western	0	0.00
Northern	0	0.00
Southern	0	0.00
Total	7	6.30

Table 3: Number of long-term (vacant more than three months) consultant child psychiatrist vacancies by health board as at 31 March 2004

Health board area	Headcount	Whole-time equivalent
Eastern	5	5.00
Western	0	0.00
Northern	0	0.00
Southern	0	0.00
Total	5	5.00

Family Planning Association

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds have been provided by his Department to the Family Planning Association in each of the last five years. [179084]

Mr. Gardiner: The information requested is as follows:

	Amount (£)
2003–04	82,019
2002–03	78,895
2001–02	63,800
2000–01	52,606
1999–2000	51,323

Foreign Nationals (Support)

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what support arrangements Government Departments provide for foreign nationals coming to Northern Ireland to work. [178764]

Mr. Spellar: Under current EU rules, EU nationals, who come to work in Northern Ireland, are covered for social security purposes, by EC Regulation 1408/71. The aim of the rules is to ensure that employed and self-employed people who exercise their right to free movement are not adversely affected by the application of different national legislation. In addition, there are a number of UK reciprocal bilateral agreements with
 
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countries outside the EU. These agreements protect the social security position of workers moving between the two countries during their working lives.

The Allocation of Housing Regulations (NI) 2004 provide that a person who is not habitually resident in the Common Travel Area comprising the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland, or whose right to reside in that area derives solely from certain European directives, is not eligible to be allocated housing accommodation by the Housing Executive. However, an exception is made for certain classes of persons including "workers" for the purposes of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68 or (EEC) No. 1251/70 and persons from new EU accession states who are treated as workers for the purpose of the definition of "qualified person" in regulation 5(1) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2000 pursuant to regulation 5 of the Accession (Immigration and Worker Registration) Regulations 2004. The Homelessness Regulations (NI) 2004 make similar provision in respect of access to housing assistance under the homelessness legislation.

The Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) is working to promote race equality for foreign nationals both as service users and as staff in the Health and Personal Social Services. Last year DHSSPS published a Guide to Race Equality in Health and Social Services and also issued guidance on access to information, handling complaints, user involvement and promoting positive staff attitudes to diversity to all HSS boards, trusts and agencies.

DHSSPS and the HSS trusts, boards and agencies are working together to ensure that people belonging to minority ethnic groups enjoy the access to services that they are entitled to have. This work includes the establishment of a Regional Interpreting Service for health and social services, which is due to come into operation at the end of this month, and initiatives by HPSS organisations including events, websites and information in translation, to improve access to services and to promote diversity.

DHSSPS recently organised an anti-racism workshop involving trusts, staff side organisations, some overseas staff, and the NI Council for Ethnic Minorities, to help trusts to share good practice and it is currently drafting guidance for employers in the health sector on how best to support their minority ethnic staff including those from overseas.

Health Services

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) average and (b) current longest waiting times are for a (i) emergency, (ii) urgent and (iii) routine dermatology assessment in each health trust area. [179071]

Mr. Gardiner: The information on waiting lists and waiting times that is collected centrally is on the basis of time bands.
 
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(a) It is not possible to derive an average from this information.

(b) The longest wait occurs in the 24+ months time band,

(i)—(iii) Information requested is not collected centrally.

 
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Information on patients awaiting a first out-patient appointment is collected at Trust and specialty level. The latest available waiting list statistics show the position at 31 March 2004.
Table 1: Number of patients awaiting a first out-patient appointment in the dermatology specialty

	Time waiting (months)
Provider Trust	0–2	3–11	12–17	18–23	24+	Total
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust	974	321	10	0	1	1,306
Down and Lisburn HSS Trust	258	314	124	63	15	774
Mater Infirmorum HSS Trust	105	142	55	66	9	377
The Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust	646	614	110	31	65	1,466
Ulster Community and Hospitals HSS Trust	941	1,449	207	245	361	3,203
Causeway HSS Trust	357	579	192	74	0	1,202
United Hospitals HSS Trust	575	395	111	75	57	1,213
Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust	123	23	0	0	0	146
Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust	853	283	18	8	1	1,163
Newry and Mourne HSS Trust	439	22	1	0	0	462
Altnagelvin Area Hospitals HSS Trust	1,092	530	1	0	0	1,623
Northern Ireland	6,363	4,672	829	562	509	12,935

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to ensure that all multiple sclerosis sufferers who would benefit from beta interferon or glatiramer are receiving that treatment. [179114]

Mr. Gardiner: An additional £3.1 million for the provision of specialist drugs, including £100,000 specifically to provide the infrastructure to treat more people who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), was allocated to Boards in 2002–03. This funding has been uplifted for inflation and is provided on a recurrent basis. As well as recruiting additional consultants, additional nursing and pharmacy staff have been appointed together with Specialist MS nurses to provide patient education and support.

Currently 511 patients in Northern Ireland are receiving beta interferon treatment and there are around 70 on the waiting list.

My Department will continue to seek additional resources for specialist medicines that offer the potential for significant improvement in patient care.

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