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7 Sept 2004 : Column 1143W—continued

Mortality Statistics

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 20 July 2004, reference 184778, how many of the patients in the table for (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03 subsequently died in hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [187155]

Angela Smith: There is no information available on whether any particular patient recorded in the mandatory surveillance of MRSA patient episodes subsequently died in hospital as a result of that episode. The tables published annually by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland regarding such patient episodes of MRSA are derived from data mandatorily supplied by acute hospital trusts. The data is aggregated and does not carry personal identifiers.

Movanagher Fish Farm

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) temperature and (b) quality checks have been carried out in the last 12 months by staff of the Movanagher Fish Farm to detect poor water quality. [181819]

Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows:

(a) Staff at Movanagher Fish Farm record the temperature of the inflowing water supply on a daily basis for management purposes.

(b) Staff at Movanagher fish farm do not monitor water quality in the river and canal supplying water to the farm. This is the responsibility of the EHS Water Management Unit. Water quality is monitored at four points on the Lower Bann. The nearest monitoring point to Movanagher Fish Farm is at Kilrea Bridge, 3 to 4 km upstream of the farm. Samples are taken monthly. In addition, farm staff undertake checks of dissolved oxygen of the inflowing water supply if flows and temperature suggest that fish may be stressed.

EHS is committed to chemical and biological monitoring of all significant waterways in Northern Ireland in line with national and international classification schemes and agreements. DCAL continues to engage with EHS and others to bring forward initiatives to address widespread water quality problems in Northern Ireland's waterways.

National Stadium

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why the specification for a national stadium requires a site of 60 acres. [186018]


 
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Angela Smith: In setting the minimum acreage specification for a possible multi-sports stadium in Northern Ireland at 60 acres, the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) is seeking to satisfy both the design requirements of the three sports concerned (soccer, rugby and Gaelic games) and defray costs to the public purse as much as possible through the acquisition of additional land space for mixed-use business development in and around the stadium itself. However, as this is not yet a formal procurement process, the SIB has been willing to consider notifications of interest from landowners of sites below 60 acres provided they satisfied the key criteria of acceptability to the three sports, deliverability and potential economic benefits.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the reason was for a deadline of 30 June for submissions on a new national stadium. [186019]

Angela Smith: The deadline of 30 June for submissions on a possible multi-sports stadium in Northern Ireland was set because I have asked the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) to complete its evaluation of potential sites for a multi-sports stadium and report back to me with an appropriate location by the autumn. However, as this is not yet a formal procurement process, the SIB has been willing to consider notifications of interest from landowners submitted after 30 June provided they satisfied the key criteria of acceptability to the three sports concerned (soccer, rugby and Gaelic games), deliverability and potential economic benefits.

Nursing Staff

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the nursing staff at each Northern Ireland hospital are not of UK origin. [186184]

Angela Smith: Nurses not of UK origin are employed within the HPSS but cannot be identified separately either from HRMS or by the Trusts themselves. Information is only held by Trusts on the number of EC and non-EC nurses employed. Figures for the percentage of non-EC nursing staff working within each Health and Social Services Trust are as follows.
Percentage of non-EC nurses working within each Health and Social Services Trust as at 30 June 2004

HSS(69) TrustPercentage of non-EC nurses working within each HSS Trust
Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust3.0
Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust0.0
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust4.0
Causeway HSS Trust1.4
Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust4.5
Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust0.5
Down Lisburn HSS Trust5.0
Foyle Community HSS Trust0.3
Green Park Healthcare HSS Trust8.0
Homefirst Community HSS Trust9.3
Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust7.5
Newry and Mourne HSS Trust0.4
North and West Belfast HSS Trust0.2
Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust10.3
South and East Belfast HSS Trust0.0
Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust1.5
Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust3.6
United Hospitals Group HSS Trust3.8
Total3.8


(69) Health and Social Services



 
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Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the potential impact recruiting nursing staff from overseas to work in Northern Ireland's hospitals will have on health services in less developed countries. [186185]

Angela Smith: The Department is currently drafting guidance on International Nursing Recruitment that will advise HPSS employers not to actively recruit from developing countries that are experiencing nursing shortages of their own.

The majority of overseas nurses currently employed within the HPSS are from the Philippines, where nursing surpluses exist and the national Government actively supports recruitment by health service employers.

Parades

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what participating bands were listed in the notification to the Parades Commission submitted by Ballymacarrett District Loyal Orange Lodge No 6 as organisers of the 1 July parade; and what bands participated in the parade. [182845]

Mr. Pearson: Information in relation to Notified bands is as follows. Police are currently investigating if additional bands attended without prior notification.

Notified


 
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