| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
30 Jun 2004 : Column 319W—continued
Clinical Networks
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with clinical networks as set out in the Department of Health document "Developing Better Services" of June 2002. [180992]
Angela Smith:
A number of networks are already in operation or are planned for the near future. At a regional level, networks are in place for the provision of cancer services, and trauma and orthopaedic services. At a local level, networking arrangements are in place for a wide range of services including: emergency and
30 Jun 2004 : Column 320W
ophthalmology services between Altnagelvin, Omagh and Erne hospitals; paediatric services between Antrim and Causeway hospitals, and between Craigavon and Daisy Hill hospitals; surgical services between the Lagan Valley and Downe hospitals and the Belfast City, Royal and Ulster hospitals; and, ophthalmology services between the Royal Victoria and South Tyrone hospitals.
In addition to the above, a large number of other regional and local networks are being progressed as part of the on-going implementation of "Developing Better Services".
Departmental Consultations
David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost of consultation exercises carried out by Northern Ireland Government Departments was in Northern Ireland during the past year. [176887]
Mr. Spellar: The estimated amount of money spent on consultation exercises carried out by Northern Ireland Government Departments during the last year was £863,224.
Director of Public Prosecutions
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is responsible for deciding which posts are reserved in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. [180119]
Mr. Pearson: Decisions on categorisation of posts across the civil service (including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) are made by the business area concerned in accordance with relevant domestic and EC law. Those posts which constitute "employment in the public service" within the meaning of the EC Treaty are categorised as reserved posts.
Health (Planning Applications)
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Department of the Environment will ensure that someone with a medical background is involved in determining planning applications concerning health issues; and if he will make a statement. [179881]
Angela Smith: I have been advised that Planning Service officials have finalised their investigations into the use of medical advisors to assess "special circumstances" planning applications and I expect a recommendation on the way forward in the very near future.
Illegal Organisations
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action has been taken to date to ensure that (a) the Real IRA and (b) other illegal organisations spawning from Sinn Fein/IRA in the future will be automatically proscribed. [181286]
Mr. Pearson:
The Government have consistently maintained that RIRA and similar organisations are proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. The Court of Appeal has confirmed this in its judgement today.
30 Jun 2004 : Column 321W
Land Sales (Department for Social Development)
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sales there have been involving land owned by the Department for Social Development at Craigavon, County Armagh in the last two years; and what criteria were used in each sale. [180923]
Mr. Spellar: During the last two financial years there have been 28 sales involving land owned by the Department for Social Development in the Craigavon area. Details are as follows:
seven sites within the development limit for Craigavon were disposed of in accordance with Article 5(1) of the New Town Act;
one freehold interest was purchased by the owner;
one encroachment was regularised;
one abandoned road area was sold to an adjoining owner;
two areas of land outside the development limit were sold to former owners;
one house and land outside the development limit were sold to the former owner;
two areas of land retained for road purposes were released and sold to adjoining owners; and
one area of land without road access was sold to an adjoining owner.
three sites within the development limit for Craigavon were disposed of in accordance with Article 5(1) of the New Town Act;
seven small sites retained for a road scheme now completed were sold to adjoining owners;
one encroachment was regularised; and
one area outside the development limit was sold to the former owner.
Maiden City Festival
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated value to the Northern Ireland economy is of the Maiden City Festival; and what level of Government support is provided for it. [178523]
Mr. Gardiner: The Government do not collect this information and are therefore not in a position to assess the benefit of the Maiden City Festival to the Northern Ireland economy. Set out in the following table are details of funding made available by Departments of Northern Ireland Administration during the period 2001–05.
| Department/Agency | 2001–2002 | 2002–2003 | 2003–2004 | 2004–2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland Tourist Board | 20,000 | 25,000 | 0 | Application under consideration. |
| Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | Application under consideration. |
| Department of Social Development | 0 | 0 | (12)20,800 | LRI application under Consideration. |
| Overall total | 70,000 | 75,000 | 70,800 | n/a |
(12)Allocated through the Londonderry Regeneration Initiative this funding was offered for the post of a Development Worker and associated advertising and recruitment costs.
In addition, the Ulster Scots Agency has made £120,000 available during the period (£30,000 in 2001–02, £30,000 in 2002–03, £30,000 in 2003–04 and £30,000 in 2004–05) and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland provided £50,000 of National Lottery funding in 2002–03.
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the reasons were for the decision to introduce a moratorium on Northern Ireland Housing Executive house sales on 18 May; for what reason this decision was taken prior to conclusion of the Department for Social Development's consultation on proposed changes to the housing order; and if he will make a statement. [180674]
Mr. Spellar: There has been no moratorium on Northern Ireland Housing Executive house sales; applications to purchase are being accepted and applicants are being informed that the terms upon which their application will be assessed may be subject to change pending the outcome of the consultation exercise into the proposed amendments to the scheme. The decision to proceed in this manner was taken in order to avoid an inevitable surge in applications which would have occurred had a prior announcement of the proposals been made.
The proposed changes to the house sales scheme, which may be subject to amendment following the completion of the consultation, are designed to take account of the aspirations of tenants to move to owner occupation without compromising the needs of those who continue to depend on social housing.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland Housing Executive-sector house sales applications were pending before the ministerial moratorium was introduced on 18 May; and how many applications for house sales are being processed by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. [180675]
Mr. Spellar: At 18 May, there were 3,609 house sales applications, at various stages of completion, being processed by NIHE. These cases will not be affected by whatever changes are implemented as a result of the consultation into the proposed amendments to the House Sales Scheme.
From 18 May to 24 June, the NIHE received 494 house sales applications. While preparatory work is being undertaken on these applications, offers will not be made until the consultation exercise is completed, the responses considered and the sales scheme finalised.
30 Jun 2004 : Column 323W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |