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9 Nov 2004 : Column 661W—continued
NORTHERN IRELAND
Sports Boards
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money the Sports Council distributed to Northern Ireland sports boards in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003. [195177]
Angela Smith: The total exchequer and lottery funding distributed by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland to sporting bodies, (including governing bodies and sports clubs) in the financial years 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 is as follows:
| 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exchequer | 3,545,000 | 3,794,000 | 4,752,000 |
| Lottery | 3,405,223 | 3,595,894 | 3,211,916 |
Blood Donation
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the regulations in Northern Ireland which prevent wheelchair users from being eligible to donate blood through the Blood Donation Service. [193930]
Angela Smith:
The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service's (NIBTS) policies and procedures for selection of blood donors are based on national guidelines produced and agreed by the four United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Services. NIBTS policy and practice for wheelchair users is consistent with these guidelines.
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Any donor may suffer adverse reactions to blood donation, which on occasions can be quite severe. Such reactions must be dealt with on a proper blood donation couch (not a wheelchair) so that they can be addressed safely. Donors must therefore not donate blood in their wheelchair, and be able to climb on and off the donation couch. If the underlying cause of disability in the case of a wheelchair user, or others, is not a contraindication, blood donation may be acceptable. However, certain causes of disability may preclude individuals from donating for reasons of safety to the recipient as well as the donor. Health and safety issues for staff normally preclude donors being physically lifted onto a donor couch. NIBTS provides wheelchair access at all its fixed (permanent) donation venues including the purpose designed BloodMobile and also at the vast majority of mobile donation sessions throughout the province.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what review he has carried out of the operation of the regulations in Northern Ireland which prevent permanent wheelchair users from donating blood; and what plans he has to amend them. [193931]
Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service operates under the United Kingdom guidelines produced and agreed by the four national Blood Transfusion Services. The Joint Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the United Kingdom Blood Transfusion Service and the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control is responsible for the guidelines. JPAC receives professional advice from the standing advisory committees that form part of its structure. The criteria are reviewed regularly and users of the guidelines must ensure that they have the latest version and that recent changes (usually within three months) have been implemented by the respective national service There are no plans to amend the guidelines locally in relation to wheelchair users.
Breast Cancer
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of breast cancer have been recorded in (a) north Belfast, (b) Belfast and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [194609]
Angela Smith: The following table details the numbers of incidences of breast cancer since 1997.
Note:
This information has been provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died of breast cancer in (a) north Belfast, (b) Belfast and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [194610]
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Mr. Pearson: The following table gives the number of registered breast cancer deaths (a) of Belfast, North parliamentary constituency residents, (b) of Belfast local government district residents and (c) in Northern Ireland for each year between 1997 and 2003.
(37) Data for 2003 are provisional
British/Irish Sign Languages
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the final report of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure working group on British and Irish Sign Languages will be published; and what the proposed timescale is for implementation of the recommendations of that report. [196886]
Angela Smith: A Sign Language Partnership Group, comprising representatives of the Deaf Community in Northern Ireland and departmental officials, is addressing a number of key issues regarding the provision of tutors and interpreters, raising awareness, and best practice guidance. The Group's proposals are expected to be submitted to Ministers by the end of the year. It is anticipated that publication of the proposals and implementation will commence early next year.
Bullying
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the financial cost resulting from bullying in Northern Ireland's (a) schools and (b) workplaces in the last year for which figures are available. [196260]
Mr. Gardiner: The information sought in respect of schools is not available and could be collected only with considerable difficulty and at disproportionate cost.
The Department for Employment and Learning does not make estimates in relation to the financial costs resulting from bullying in workplaces.
The Office of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal cannot specify the costs of bullying to Northern Ireland workplaces. While bullying may form part of an applicant's complaint to a tribunal there is no specific jurisdiction relating to bullying. Any award made by a tribunal relates to the jurisdiction specified in the complaint and an award made will be determined within the parameters set out in the relevant legislation.
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Cancer Treatment
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of cancer have been recorded in (a) north Belfast, (b) Belfast and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [194611]
Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows:
| Year of diagnosis | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
| Northern Ireland | 8,533 | 8,665 | 8,645 | 8,733 | 8,632 | 8,923 |
| Belfast | 1,645 | 1,691 | 1,624 | 1,654 | 1,506 | 1,604 |
| North Belfast | 577 | 568 | 551 | 569 | 516 | 538 |
Note:
Non-malignant skin cancers have been included in this table.
This information has been provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to tackle the backlog of cases in the Child Support Agency in Northern Ireland. [197107]
Mr. Spellar: The current backlog of applications in the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency is due to cases that cannot be progressed due to system defects within the new computer system. All of the defects have been logged with the service provider, Electronic Data Systems Limited (EDS). These cases can only be progressed once EDS have resolved the incident and freed up the case.
EDS, along with the Great Britain Child Support Agency, have implemented a recovery plan to address problems with the computer system and cases are progressively being released. The Northern Ireland Child Support Agency is part of this overall recovery plan.
Latest management information shows that since the end of June 2004 the weekly number of cases assessed has risen by 30 per cent.
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