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3 Nov 2004 : Column 337W—continued
Medical Schools
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many medical school places there are in the Province. [192871]
Mr. Gardiner: For the 2004–05 academic year, 844 Home and EU full-time undergraduate students have been awarded places in the medical school at Queen's University, Belfast. This reflects numbers on all five years of the degree programme in medicine.
Organ Retention
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to assist those in the Province who wish to pursue compensation following the retention without permission of organs of their deceased relatives; and if he will make a statement. [194639]
Angela Smith: Since July 2003 my Department has held meetings with the relevant boards, trusts and legal advisers to facilitate a consistent and co-ordinated approach to handling claims for compensation that have arisen from the removal, retention and disposal of human organs at hospital post mortem examinations in Northern Ireland. Compensation claims in respect of coroners' post mortems are a matter for the NI Court Service.
It has been agreed that the possibility of using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in as many cases as possible should be explored with claimants' solicitors, but it is accepted that ADR might not suit all claimants and those who wish to proceed by litigation remain free to do so.
Boards and trusts have agreed to actively seek a speedy solution to as many cases as possible. In addition, my Department has continued to keep the Relatives' Reference Group apprised of any developments in relation to the handling of compensation claims.
Patient Confidentiality
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under what circumstances doctors in the Province may refuse to provide evidence in court during cases regarding patients who were under their care; and if he will make a statement. [194634]
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Angela Smith: In almost all respects the duty of a doctor in court proceedings is that of any citizen. They are required to provide evidence to help a court reach its decision. They are not obliged to answer questions that may be considered incriminating. Further, they must maintain patient confidentiality. Confidential matters may be disclosed on the order of the court. There must be a clear legal basis for a doctor refusing to provide evidence, if so ordered.
Pensioners
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to allow those over 65 (a) to claim exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty and (b) access to the Motability Scheme. [194949]
Mr. Spellar: Entitlement to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance provides access to (a) Vehicle Excise Duty exemption and (b) the Motability scheme as part of the assistance focused on people who are severely disabled early, or relatively early, in life and who therefore face significantly more difficulties than those who become disabled and develop mobility problems after the age of 65. Attendance allowance, which provides help with the disability-related extra costs of people who experience the onset of disability after age 65, is part of the wide range of support that the Government makes available to older people. There are no plans to change these arrangements.
Previous Convictions (Disclosure)
Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend to Northern Ireland changes in the legal system that would permit juries in child sex and theft cases to be made aware of previous similar convictions of defendants; and if he will make a statement. [195106]
Mr. Spellar: The Criminal Justice Act 2003 contains provisions in sections 98 to 110 to allow evidence of a defendant's previous convictions and other misconduct to be admitted at trial where these are relevant to the case and provided their value is greater than the risk that such evidence might unduly prejudice the fairness of the trial. These sections of the Act already apply to Northern Ireland. I am currently considering the Home Secretary's proposals for the first categories of offence to be covered by the Act with a view to commencement of the evidence of bad character provisions for Northern Ireland in April 2005.
Special Advisers
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unpaid special advisers the Department has; what their names are; and which Government (a) bodies, (b) committees and (c) strategy groups each unpaid adviser (i) belongs to, (ii) advises and (iii) works alongside. [194059]
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Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 28 October 2004, Official Report, column 1380W.
School Expulsions
Rev. Ian Paisley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children were expelled
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from (a) secondary schools and (b) grammar schools in Northern Ireland in the past five years, broken down by education and library board area. [195237]
Mr. Gardiner: The information sought is not available in the form requested. However, the number of pupils in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland who have been expelled in each of the past five years is as follows:
Note:
Figures in brackets denote the number of pupils expelled from post-primary schools. The Department does not have this breakdown prior to 2000–01.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Barristers
Mr. Allen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the dining requirements necessary to become a barrister are; what plans he has to remove these requirements; and if he will make a statement. [193589]
Mr. Lammy: From the beginning of the 1997–98 academic year the dining requirement forming part of the criteria for call to the Bar was changed. Students are now required to complete 12 qualifying units in order to be called to the Bar. This can be achieved in a number of ways, including attendance at education days and dining sessions (which normally include a lecture). Admission to an Inn is required before registration on the Bar Vocational Course, although many undergraduates join before this stage in order to participate in the activities, use the library, or start dining. At present the Bar have no plans to alter these arrangements. It is possible, though by no means certain, that following the Government's consideration of Sir David Clementi's report, that changes will be made to the training and education requirements.
Correspondence
Mr. Amess: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he will reply to the hon. Member for Southend, West's letter of 1 September, forwarded to his office from Her Majesty the Queen's Private Secretary, Mr. Montazir Khan; and if he will make a statement. [195836]
Mr. Lammy: My officials wrote to the hon. Member for Southend, West on 15 October requesting further documentation. We have yet to receive a reply. However, to avoid further delay, I wrote to the hon. Member on 1 November on the basis of the documentation we currently hold. I apologise for the delay.
Court of Protection
Paul Holmes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs in how many cases since 1974 a receiver has been appointed by the Court of Protection. [195685]
Mr. Lammy: There are presently 19,964 cases under administration where a receiver has been appointed by the Court of Protection.
There are also 3,869 cases where the client has died and case closure proceedings are not complete and 4,991 cases where an application has been made but no receiver has yet been appointed.
In the financial year 2003–04, 6,854 receivers were appointed by the court.
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