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3 Nov 2004 : Column 330W—continued
Crowd Control (Policing Ombudsman)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many instances in the last year police in Northern Ireland have dealt with crowds of people involved in riotous behaviour or behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace resulting in the case being referred to the Policing Ombudsman. [194794]
Mr. Pearson: The Police Ombudsman has advised that the office has recorded 16 incidents in the last 12 months, which they would classify as public order incidents, in relation to which complaints have been received.
Dementia
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on provision of care (a) within the community and (b) in residential or nursing homes for those in the Province with learning disability who suffer dementia. [194635]
Angela Smith: Health and Social Services Boards are expanding and developing services to meet the needs of people with a learning disability who also suffer from dementia. The aim is to support such people in familiar surroundings. In the community, this need is primarily met by psychiatric, nursing, allied health professional and social care within learning disability services. Appropriate day activity places are also being provided to meet the particular needs of individuals.
For people who require nursing or residential care, Boards endeavour to place each individual in a setting most appropriate to their assessed needs.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to improve the provision of care for those with learning disability who suffer dementia; and if he will make a statement. [194636]
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Angela Smith: Health and Social Services Boards are reviewing their provision for people with learning disability who suffer dementia. This has resulted in awareness training in dementia for staff in learning disability services; the development of specific day care provision and the purchase of some dementia specific residential provision. Further service development will be subject to the availability of additional resources.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to develop services in the Province so those with learning disability who develop dementia can access mainstream dementia services in their locality. [194637]
Angela Smith: As people with a learning disability may develop dementia at a younger age it is not always appropriate for them to be cared for in settings designed for older people. Those for whom mainstream services are considered to be appropriate can already access local services.
An Expert Working Committee on Issues in Old Age has been established as part of the review of mental health to take forward further work on this issue. As dementia is not exclusive to older people, the Committee has been asked to consider the subject in its broadest sense.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what change there has been in the prevalence of dementia in the Province among (a) males and (b) females with learning disabilities in the last 10 years. [194638]
Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.
Disabled Patients (Health Service Access)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by each of the Province's health trusts to ensure disabled patients have the same access to services as the rest of the population. [194528]
Angela Smith: Health and social services trusts have been taking a range of action to meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). The action has included reviewing practices, policies and procedures on service provision, providing auxiliary aids or alternative services to improve access, and disability awareness training for staff. Trusts have also undertaken access audits of buildings and identified remedial work has been factored into planned maintenance schedules.
The Department has provided an additional £3.5 million in 2003–04 and a further £5 million in 2004–05 to address DDA remedial work. It has also recently appointed Disability Action to carry out a review of action taken to date by health and social services boards, trusts and agencies to comply with the access provisions of the DDA. A report of the review is expected in May 2005.
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Education Funding
Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the per pupil funding in each of the education and library board areas in Northern Ireland is in the current financial year. [195238]
Mr. Gardiner: The following information is taken from the Budget statements published by each of the education and library boards:
| Education and library board | Per capita (£) |
|---|---|
| BELB | 2,473 |
| NEELB | 2,340 |
| SEELB | 2,327 |
| SELB | 2,397 |
| WELB | 2.437 |
In addition to Formula Funding allocations, schools also have access to certain earmarked funds and central services provided on their behalf by the education and library boards.
Farm Payments
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many, and what value of farm payments that were due to be paid by 30 June have not yet been paid, broken down by category of farm payment. [195831]
Mr. Pearson: The number and potential value, if paid in full, of farm subsidy claims currently outstanding is as follows:
| Applications unpaid | Value (£ million) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beef special premium | 1,972 | 0.9 |
| Slaughter premium | 1,167 | 0.6 |
| Suckler cow premium | 285 | 0.3 |
| Extensification payment | 1,158 | 2.5 |
These applications relate to unresolved cases where there is a query or penalty to be applied. It is not expected, therefore, that all claims will be paid in full.
Fire Tenders
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the fire tenders manufactured by Sidhean Teo of Galway and delivered to the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade in July are now in full operational service. [195052]
Angela Smith: All of the fire tenders manufactured by Sidhean Teo of Galway are in full operational service.
Fireworks (Hospital Admissions)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many admissions to hospitals in Northern Ireland in September and October of each of the last five years were primarily as a result of involvement with, or being in close proximity to, fireworks. [194788]
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Angela Smith: Information on the number of admissions to hospitals in Northern Ireland during September and October in each of the last five years as a result of involvement with, or being in close proximity to, fireworks is not available. However, information on the number of patients reporting to A&E Departments and Minor Injuries Units with injuries from fireworks and those admitted to hospital, over a selected 4–5 week period covering the end of October and start of November (Halloween period) is available and is detailed in the following table.
Notes:
1. Figures do not include injuries from fireworks outside the survey period and will not include injuries, which were not sufficiently serious to warrant attendance at an A&E Department or Minor Injuries Unit.
2. Numbers admitted included those admitted to the hospital attended and those transferred to another hospital.
Higher Education Access
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to ensure greater access to higher education by people living in East Londonderry constituency. [194790]
Mr. Gardiner: The Department for Employment and Learning is committed to improving access to higher education to people throughout Northern Ireland including in East Londonderry, and in particular those groups who are currently underrepresented.
Measures to improve access include a marked expansion in domestic HE provision. Since 1998, DEL has allocated the University of Ulster some 1,367 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) student places. It is for the university, as an autonomous body, to determine the distribution of places among its various campuses including the Coleraine campus. The university also has the flexibility to accommodate as many part-time and post-graduate students as it wishes.
There has also been significant growth in higher education provision delivered in the further education sector. One of the main purposes behind the expansion of higher education courses delivered in further education colleges is to widen access to higher education for mature students, students wanting to study part-time, students who want to study close to home, disabled students and students who do not have traditional qualifications.
In addition, a number of measures have been introduced to widen access to higher education by disadvantaged groups. These include: a package of student support measures to assist students from low income families; a widening access premium for students from disadvantaged backgrounds; and a widening access premium for students with disabilities and capital funding to assist the universities improve access for disabled students.
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The Department has also provided special project funding specifically aimed at allowing the universities to carry out "outreach" activities in schools with traditionally low levels of participation in HE in order to raise the aspiration, motivation and academic performance of pupils to progress to higher education. These outreach activities include the tutoring of pupils, "taster" programmes, university open days, and summer schools. Decisions on where outreach activities take place are a matter for the universities.
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