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NORTHERN IRELAND
Appliance Safety Testing
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the policy of (a) the Department of Education and (b) each of the Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland is on appliance safety testing, including the testing of portable appliances. [180295]
Mr. Gardiner: In line with Electricity at Work Regulations, which came into effect on 6 January 1992, and guidance from the Health and Safety Executive, the Department of Education's policy in relation to the testing of electrical appliances including portable appliances, is to test all electrical equipment on annual basis.
Each Education and Library Board has local arrangements in place to ensure that they comply with the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations (N.I.) 1991 and the associated Codes of Practice. These arrangements include the routine testing of portable appliances in Board properties and schools by approved contractors and suitably trained staff.
Comber High School/Bangor Academy
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the South Eastern Education and Library Board has completed a preliminary inquiry in order to establish the need for an equality impact assessment with regard to the public-private partnership scheme to provide new accommodation at Comber High School and Bangor Academy. [179889]
Mr. Gardiner:
I understand from the Chief Executive of the South Eastern Education and Library Board that the Board carried out a screening exercise which
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concluded that an Equality Impact Assessment was not required for this project. The Board is awaiting a determination from the Equality Commission in relation to a complaint from UNISON about the Board's Equality Screening exercise.
Juvenile Justice Centre
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice has to inspect the Juvenile Justice Centre; and if he will make a statement. [179492]
Mr. Spellar: The Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice plans to inspect the Juvenile Justice Centre in the autumn.
Part-time Police Reserve
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in implementing the Patten Report's proposal to create an enlarged part-time police reserve. [180342]
Mr. Pearson: Implementation of the Patten Report's proposal to create an enlarged part-time police reserve rests currently with both the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Policing Board. The enabling legislation has been fully implemented.
A pilot recruitment exercise in four District Command Unit areas (Lisburn, Coleraine, Newtownabbey and Banbridge) has taken place.
On 17 October 2003, Denis Bradley, Vice Chairman of the Policing Board, issued a press release stating that all vacancies for part-time reserve officers in the four pilot districts would be filled. The first 10 officers from the pilot entered training in February 2004 and were attested on 5 March. However, the press release also announced the decision to evaluate the pilot recruitment exercise before a further recruitment exercise would take place to improve the process for subsequent rounds of recruitment. Following the outcome of the evaluation it will be a matter for the Policing Board and PSNI to decide the next phase of the recruitment of part-time reserve officers.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers have been recruited to the police part-time reserve in each of the last four years. [180343]
Mr. Pearson: The Police Service of Northern Ireland has provided the following information on the recruitment of part-time reserve officers in each of the last four years.
| Number of part time reserve recruited | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | — |
| 2002 | — |
| 2003 | — |
| 2004 | 108 |
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers have (a) resigned and (b) retired from the police part-time reserve in each of the last four years. [180344]
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Mr. Pearson: The Police Service of Northern Ireland have provided the following information in respect of part-time reserve officers who have (a) resigned and (b) retired in each of the last four years.
| Resigned | Retired | |
|---|---|---|
| June to December 2000 | 25 | 23 |
| January to December 2001 | 51 | 24 |
| January to December 2002 | 46 | 23 |
| January to December 2003 | 48 | 32 |
| January to June 2004 | 23 | 18 |
Pensioners (Dental Care)
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce free dental care for pensioners in Northern Ireland. [180292]
Angela Smith: The Department currently meets 78 per cent. of the total cost of health service dentistry in Northern Ireland. As in the rest of the UK, all dental treatment for pensioners on pension credit guarantee credit is free and other pensioners, depending on circumstances, can get help with the costs involved through the Low-Income Scheme. There are no plans to change current policies in this area.
Public Bodies
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the Ulster-Scots Agency are; how many meetings each member has attended since their appointment; and where each meeting was held. [176892]
Angela Smith: The following members of the North South Language Body constitute the Board of the Ulster-Scots Agency:
Jim Devenney
Alistair Simpson
Dr. Ian Adamson
Pat Wall
Bob Stoker
Dr. Linde Lunney
Eddie O'Donnell
Ian Adamson was appointed to the Board on 1 September 2003. The other members were appointed (or reappointed) on 13 December 2002. Since then the Board has met 11 times at the following locations:
| Location | |
|---|---|
| February 2003 | Franklin House, Belfast |
| March 2003 | Waterfront Plaza |
| May 2003 | Stranmillis University College |
| June 2003 | RIA, Dublin |
| July 2003 | Four Season Hotel, Monaghan |
| September 2003 | Institute of Ulster-Scots Studies, Londonderry |
| November 2003 | Strabane Council Office |
| January 2004 | Franklin House |
| March 2004 | Hilton Grosvenor, Edinburgh |
| April 2004 | Jackson Hotel, Ballybofey, Co Donegal |
| May 2004 | Grosvenor House, Belfast |
Of the 11 meetings, Mr. Devenney, Mr. Simpson and Mr. Wall each attended nine; and Mr. Stoker five meetings. Mr. O'Donnell and Dr. Lunney attended 10 meetings during this period; while Dr. Adamson attended five of the six meetings held since his appointment in September 2003.
Rainbow Network
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been provided to the Rainbow Network in each of the last five years. [179659]
Mr. Spellar: Records indicate that none of the 11 Northern Ireland Government Departments or the Northern Ireland Office has provided funding to the Rainbow Network during the last five years.