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10 Nov 2004 : Column 785W—continued

Enviromental Heritage Service

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) facilities and (b) assistance are available at properties under the control of the Environmental Heritage Service in Northern Ireland for the admission of visitors with mental and physical disabilities. [196915]

Angela Smith: Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) manages over 250 sites. These include monuments in state care or guardianship, country parks and nature reserves.

At the major sites, there are visitor centres, at which visitors with mobility difficulties have access to reception and exhibition areas, classrooms, lecture theatres, toilets and cafes. Some stretches of the paths at each country park are accessible to wheelchairs. At some of these sites special facilities have been provided. These include a special trail for the visually impaired at Roe Valley Country Park, mobility scooters at Crawfordsburn and Roe Valley Country Parks, and a narrow-gauge railway at Peatlands Park, which can take people with disabilities. A stair-lift takes visitors to the upper floor of Bellaghy Bawn, and one is planned for the keep at Carrickfergus Castle. A new ferry, capable of taking people with mobility difficulties to the monastic site on Devenish Island, is to be in place by Easter 2005.

The staff who assist visitors at EHS's most popular sites receive formal training in customer care and disability awareness. Individual tours, tailored to the requirements of visitors with special needs, are provided by educators and tour guides at all major visitor attractions.

However, given the nature and location of some of the minor EHS properties, it is not possible to provide access to all sites for people with mobility difficulties.

EHS is carrying out a disability audit of its main priorities to identify any improvements which could be made.

External Terrorism

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to protect the Province from the threat of external terrorism. [196186]

Mr. Pearson: The Government are committed to the fight against terrorism, whatever its origin. Since the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001, the Government and their partners have been completely
 
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overhauling arrangements to protect the UK, working both to help prevent terrorist attacks wherever possible, and to minimise the impact of an attack. Northern Ireland is fully involved in that programme where appropriate.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prevalence of foetal alcohol syndrome in the Province. [196254]

Angela Smith: It is not possible to provide data in the manner requested that will enable a statement on the prevalence of foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in Northern Ireland to be made as there is no database or registry of people in Northern Ireland with FAS.

Glycogen Storage Disease

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the prevalence of glycogen storage disease is in the Province; and if he will make a statement. [196350]

Angela Smith: The number of patients admitted to hospital in Northern Ireland with a diagnosis of glycogen storage disease is very low. Records held indicate three admissions in 2000–01, no admissions in 2001–02 and one admission in 2002–03.

General Practitioners

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the most common reasons for attending general practitioner surgeries in the Province. [196314]

Angela Smith: Information is not collected on the specific reasons why people in Northern Ireland visit their general practitioner surgeries and thus no assessment has been made of the most common reasons.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2004, Official Report, column 510W, on general practitioner contract/services, from whom, and in what form he has received representations regarding the implementation of the new general practitioner contract in the Province. [196283]

Angela Smith: Representations have been made to the Department in the form of correspondence from the General Practitioners Committee (NI) of the BMA, Members of the Legislative Assembly, the Royal College of Nursing (NI) and a small number of GP practices. A number of PQs have also been raised by hon. Members. Some of these representations have been received since my previous reply to the hon. Lady on this matter on 18 October.

In addition, the Department has held regular meetings with representatives of the General Practitioners Committee (NI) on matters concerning implementation of the new general practitioner contract.
 
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Hazardous Waste

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answers of 27 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1261–62W, on hazardous waste, what assessment has been made of the sources of illegal special waste being dumped in Northern Ireland; if he will list the nature of the special waste being dumped; and what action is being taken to prevent future incidences of the illegal dumping of special waste. [197071]

Angela Smith: The majority of special waste illegally deposited is the residual material produced from the illegal laundering of diesel with a small amount (less than 2 per cent.) of waste asbestos accounting for the remainder.

Given the very nature of the waste and the way in which it is deposited (fly-tipped usually at night), it is difficult to trace the source. In most cases there is insignificant evidence or eye witness accounts to identify the culprit and hence pursue a prosecution.
 
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The Department carries out a comprehensive programme of audits and inspections of those involved in the movement of special waste, including those producing special waste, the waste carriers and the facilities receiving the waste, to ensure compliance with the regulations. The Department also works closely with other Agencies, sharing information and intelligence.

Hospital Waiting Times

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients and what proportion of relevant patients had to wait (a) up to six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) 12 to 18 months and (d) more than 18 months for hospital inpatient or day treatment in each of the last four years in (i) Northern Ireland, (ii) each health and social services board area and (iii) each health and social services trust. [195363]

Angela Smith: The most recent published waiting list data available shows the position at 30 June 2004. Data in the tables refer to the position at this date in 2004 and at the same date in the previous four years.
(i) Northern Ireland—Number of people waiting for inpatient admission to hospital (includes normalinpatients and day cases)by time waiting

Patients waiting for Inpatient Admission
Quarter Ending(a) Up to
6 months		percentage(b) 6 to
12 months		percentage(c) 12 to
18 months		percentage(d) More than 18 monthspercentageTotal
30 June 200029616599807204656959161249995
30 June 20013165558110102053501068771354892
30 June 20023259654122812062101088641559951
30 June 2003336706110201184888966551255414
30 June 20043424267987519362873230650975

(ii) Provider1 Health and Social Services Board Area—Number of people waiting for inpatient admission to hospital (includes normal in patients and day cases) by time waiting

Patients waiting for Inpatient Admission
Quarter
Ending		 Health Board(a) Up to
6 months		 percentage(b) 6 to
12 months		 percentage(c) 12 to 18 months percentage(d) More than 18 months percentage Total
30 June 2000Eastern168505560672030501047901630757
Northern449167128019629928046680
Southern42645914202070410810117198
Western40117510401927353615360
30 June 2001Eastern178185366752035181153801633391
Northern503367144619646942567550
Southern434555163221916121021137914
Western44597412572127045116037
30 June 2002Eastern177295171812137501162141834874
Northern5492592063229721075489281
Southern4978521657171069111859199563
Western43977113802241973716233
30 June 2003Eastern182785763462030661044551432145
Northern5677671314166408820108451
Southern52295914701781591304158818
Western44867510711836767616000
30 June 2004Eastern1954665609420231982302830261
Northern46007594716370617836095
Southern519163159519687871598188
Western49057612391925243516431


(39) Health Board where the patient will be receiving treatment



(iii) Health and Social Services Trust—Number of people waiting for inpatient admission to hospital (includes normal inpatients and day cases) by time waiting

Patients waiting for Inpatient Admission
Quarter
Ending		 Trust(a) Up to
6 months		 percentage(b) 6 to
12 months		 percentage(c) 12 to
18 months		 percentage(d) More than 18 months percentage Total
30 June 2000Mater Infirmorum11847923916685001491
Belfast City309348112317756121509236481
Royal Group62205427542411961014291211599
Green Park23414710262166813948194983
UC&HT328762854163376862165340
Down Lisburn72584718253425863
United34756899619484916735122
Causeway10166528418145911371558
Craigavon Group35725712422065410794136262
Newry & Mourne6927417819505162936
Altnagelvin2716727782122463213750
Sperrin Lakeland12958026216493401610
30 June 2001Mater Infirmorum134981193124438151667
Belfast City371649141819779101681227594
Royal Group63055128582314781217571412398
Green Park228645107021750151000205106
UC&HT3406591040184348852155732
Down Lisburn75685961133491894
United3553661099205241022645402
Causeway14806934716122619992148
Craigavon Group36375215232285412990147004
Newry and Mourne7087810912627313910
Altnagelvin2902729062218453514027
Sperrin Lakeland155777351178641612010
30 June 2002Mater Infirmorum160578303157947132058
Belfast City343046128117852121842257405
Royal Group62254831732414671121961713061
Green Park235844113721735141130215360
UC&HT3331551141195679965166004
Down Lisburn7807914615505101986
United4025611456226481042466553
Causeway1467546072232412330122728
Craigavon Group422150154018992121750218503
Newry and Mourne7577111711777109101060
Altnagelvin2678679932531383314017
Sperrin Lakeland171978387171065402216
30 June 2003Mater Infirmorum1486792611411262811887
Belfast City3821581279195989861136559
Royal Group61765226592213261117551511916
Green Park23324811042360112845174882
UC&HT356560991174167953165925
Down Lisburn89892525131131976
United433370103617425742876222
Causeway1344602781221510392182229
Craigavon Group442258129317733101230167678
Newry and Mourne80771177168277461140
Altnagelvin3023737931927677224164
Sperrin Lakeland14638027815915401836
30 June 2004Mater Infirmorum2017965331211412096
Belfast City3799601295205298708116331
Royal Group647361213420899910451010551
Green Park2889561626315231014735185
UC&HT35577081116324638685078
Down Lisburn8118017517323201020
United38297389417363717735263
Causeway771935367110832
Craigavon Group453061153221647970397412
Newry and Mourne66185638405122776
Altnagelvin34817210912224653514853
Sperrin Lakeland142490148960001578




Note:
Percentages may not total 100 per cent. due to rounding.





 
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Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of patients had to wait more than two hours in accident and emergency departments in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) each health and social services board area and (c) each health and social services trust between a clinician's decision to admit and admission to a ward in each year since 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [195414]

Angela Smith: The information provided is based on
 
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quarterly returns received by the Department from HSS Trusts.
(a) Northern Ireland— Patients waiting more than two hours in Accident and Emergency Departments between a clinician's decision to admit and admission to a ward

Patients waiting more than twohours for Admission
NumberPercentage
2000–0110,34614
2001–0215,04119
2002–0325,13126
2003–0429,97829








(b) Provider(40) Health and Social Services Board Area —Patients waiting more than two hours in Accident and Emergency Departments between a clinician's decision to admit and admission to a ward

Patients waiting more than two hours for admission
2000–01
 2001–02
 2002–03
 2003–04
Health BoardNumberPercentageNumberPercentageNumberPercentageNumberPercentage
Eastern5,843158,4412213,3672616,66631
Northern1,24481,735115,294286,89135
Southern2,392193,740274,759314,55125
Western867101,125131,711171,87015


(40) Health Board where the patient receives treatment



(c) Health and Social Services Trust—Patients waiting more than two hours in Accident and Emergency Departmentsbetween a clinician's decision to admit and admission to a ward

Patients waiting more than two hours for admission
2000–01
 2001–02
 2002–03
 2003–04
TrustNumberPercentageNumberPercentageNumberPercentageNumberPercentage
Royal Group2815531191,503151,98116
Belfast City1,173101,712132,245183,07625
UC and HT3,293233,991305,805416,46148
Down Lisburn772131,10817589885912
Mater Infirmorum324461,099383,225434,28959
Causeway163100121,311842,17280
United1,22881,635113,983234,71928
Craigavon Group2,349193,717284,702324,46225
Newry and Mourne4172365798913
Armagh and Dungannon2200————
Altnagelvin864171,125211,701291,81724
Sperrin Lakeland3000100531




Note:
Data for 2003–2004 is provisional and may be subject to change. I have set a target for 2004–05 to reduce the number of patients waiting more than two hours in an A&E department between the clinician's decision to admit and admission to a ward by one third compared to 2003–04 levels.




Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time is for each speciality in elective surgery in each (a) health and social services board and (b) health and social services trust; what the equivalent figures for the last three financial years were; and if he will make a statement. [195424]

Angela Smith: Waiting list information is collected by time band. It is therefore not possible to calculate the arithmetic mean length of time waiting. It is however possible to identify the median or mid point waiting time band.
(a) Median waiting time band by specialty for each health and social services board

As at 30 June:
Provider boardSpecialty2001200220032004
EasternAnaesthetics12–146–80–20–2
EasternCardiac Surgery3–53–53–50–2
EasternENT3–53–53–53–5
EasternGeneral Surgery6–86–83–53–5
EasternGynaecology3–53–53–50–2
EasternNeurosurgery15–1715–1715–1715–17
EasternOphthalmology3–53–53–53–5
EasternOral Surgery3–53–53–56–8
EasternPaediatric Dentistry0–23–50–20–2
EasternPaediatric Surgery3–53–53–53–5
EasternPlastic Surgery12–1412–149–116–8
EasternRestorative Dentistry6–8—0–212–14
EasternT and O Surgery6–86–86–83–5
EasternThoracic Surgery3–512–146–83–5
EasternUrology3–53–53–53–5
NorthernENT3–56–83–53–5
NorthernGeneral Surgery3–53–53–50–2
NorthernGynaecology3–53–53–53–5
NorthernUrology3–53–53–50–2
SouthernENT3–56–83–53–5
SouthernGeneral Surgery6–86–83–53–5
SouthernGynaecology0–20–23–50–2
SouthernOphthalmology6–83–56–83–5
SouthernOral Surgery0–20–20–20–2
SouthernUrology6–86–83–56–8
WesternENT3–53–53–53–5
WesternGeneral Surgery0–20–20–20–2
WesternGynaecology0–20–20–20–2
WesternOphthalmology3–53–53–53–5
WesternOral Surgery0–23–50–20–2
WesternT and O Surgery3–56–83–53–5
WesternUrology3–53–53–50–2

 
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(b) Median waiting time band by specialty for each health and social services trust

As at 30 June:
TrustSpecialty2001200220032004
AltnagelvinENT3–50–20–26–8
AltnagelvinGeneral Surgery0–23–53–53–5
AltnagelvinGynaecology0–20–20–20–2
AltnagelvinOphthalmology3–53–53–53–5
AltnagelvinOral Surgery0–23–50–20–2
AltnagelvinT and O Surgery3–56–83–53–5
AltnagelvinUrology3–53–53–50–2
Belfast CityAnaesthetics12–146–824+—
Belfast CityENT3–53–53–53–5
Belfast CityGeneral Surgery12–1412–146–86–8
Belfast CityGynaecology3–53–53–53–5
Belfast CityPlastic Surgery——6–83–5
Belfast CityThoracic Surgery0–20–20–23–5
Belfast CityUrology3–56–83–53–5
CausewayGeneral Surgery3–56–83–50–2
CausewayGynaecology0–23–50–20–2
CausewayUrology3–53–53–50–2
Craigavon GroupENT6–86–83–53–5
Craigavon GroupGeneral Surgery6–86–83–53–5
Craigavon GroupGynaecology0–20–23–50–2
Craigavon GroupOphthalmology6–83–56–83–5
Craigavon GroupOral Surgery0–23–50–20–2
Craigavon GroupUrology6–86–83–56–8
Down LisburnENT0–26–80–20–2
Down LisburnGeneral Surgery0–20–20–20–2
Down LisburnGynaecology0–20–20–20–2
Down LisburnOphthalmology0–20–26–83–5
Down LisburnUrology0–23–50–23–5
Green ParkT and O Surgery6–86–86–83–5
Mater InformorumAnaesthetics0–20–20–20–2
Mater InformorumENT0–20–20–20–2
Mater InformorumGeneral Surgery0–23–50–20–2
Mater InformorumGynaecology3–56–89–110–2
Mater InformorumOphthalmology3–50–20–20–2
Mater InformorumOral Surgery——0–20–2
Mater InformorumUrology0–20–20–20–2
Newry and MourneENT0–20–20–20–2
Newry and MourneGeneral Surgery0–23–50–20–2
Newry and MourneGynaecology0–23–53–53–5
Newry and MourneOral Surgery0–20–20–20–2
Royal GroupCardiac Surgery3–53–53–50–2
Royal GroupENT3–56–83–53–5
Royal GroupGeneral Surgery6–89–119–113–5
Royal GroupGynaecology3–56–83–53–5
Royal GroupNeurosurgery15- 1715–1715–1715–17
Royal GroupOphthalmology3–53–53–53–5
Royal GroupOral Surgery3–53–53–56–8
Royal GroupPaediatric Dentistry0–23–50–20–2
Royal GroupPaediatric Surgery3–53–53–53–5
Royal GroupPlastic Surgery18–2021–2315–1712–14
Royal GroupT and O Surgery0–26–812–149–11
Royal GroupThoracic Surgery3–512–146–83–5
Royal GroupUrology15–1724+24+0–2
Sperrin LakelandENT3–53–53–50–2
Sperrin LakelandGeneral Surgery0–20–20–20–2
Sperrin LakelandGynaecology0–20–20–20–2
UC and HTENT3–53–50–20–2
UC and HTGeneral Surgery3–53–53–53–5
UC and HTGynaecology3–53–50–20–2
UC and HTPaediatric Dentistry3–524+——
UC and HTPaediatric Surgery0–20–20–23–5
UC and HTPlastic Surgery9–119–116–86–8
UC and HTRestorative Dentistry6–8—0–212–14
UC and HTT and O Surgery24+24+6–80–2
UC and HTUrology0–20–20–20–2
UnitedENT3–56–83–53–5
UnitedGeneral Surgery3–53–53–50–2
UnitedGynaecology3–53–53–53–5

 
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I have set targets for 2004–05 that no patient has to wait more than 18 months for treatment by March 2005, and by no more than 15 months by March 2006.

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