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Criminal Justice Inspectorate

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the work of the Criminal Justice Inspectorate for Northern Ireland. [196182]

Mr. Spellar: The Government supports the work of the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland and welcomed the first Annual Report which was published on 18 October 2004. Since taking up his post, the Chief Inspector, Kit Chivers, has consulted with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Prisons, HM Crown Prosecution Service and the Social Services Inspectorate for Northern Ireland. The Chief Inspector has also explored links with HM Inspectorate of Probation and the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. He has agreed with the partner Inspectors the principles by which they would work together and agreed the outlines of a future programme comprising inspections of individual agencies and cross-cutting thematic studies of aspects of the criminal justice system.

Crumlin Road Jail

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of Crumlin Road jail. [199261]

Mr. Pearson: The North Belfast Community Action Unit, a Division of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, has been taking forward work on the redevelopment of the Crumlin Road gaol. This has
 
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involved clearing the site, demolishing non-listed buildings, commissioning structural surveys and initial work on a programme of repair and restoration. The unit has also facilitated public visits and promoted the gaol as a location for film and TV productions.

A planning review has been undertaken and consultants have been appointed to carry out a detailed technical study of the site.

Informed by the technical studies, an integrated development plan will be commissioned to assess options and provide a concept and implementation plan for the site. Consideration is being given to an appropriate steering mechanism to guide the development plan process. We are committed to full consultation with a full range of interests in determining the best options for the development of the gaol.

Culture, Arts and Leisure

Mr. Hume: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent per capita on culture, arts and leisure in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available. [198546]

Angela Smith: As set out in the audited Resource Accounts of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure for the year ended 31 March 2004, £96.6 million was expended by the Department during 2003–04, representing a per capita spend of £57.30 based on the population of 1.685 million recorded on Census day 2001.

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that a range of cultural, arts and leisure activities or amenities are funded by various NI government departments, but it is not practical to identify an exhaustive list to provide an all-inclusive figure.

Departmental Property

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the properties occupied (a) by his Department and (b) by its agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004, showing (A) each and (B) in aggregate (1) the area and (2) the annual rental value. [195427]

Mr. Pearson: It is not possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary session.

Departmental Spending

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by each Government Department in the Province on (a) consultations and reviews and (b) advertising in each year since April 1998. [190586]

Mr. Pearson: Given the general nature of this question and the time period requested, the relevant information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety spending in the last year on (a) EU programmes and (b) special initiatives. [198140]

 
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Angela Smith: From April 2003 to date, the Department Of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has made available to projects £4,718,054 through PEACE II and £1,609,185 through INTERREG IIIA. Over the same period, it has paid grants to projects totalling £764,443 through Making Belfast Work and £359,430 through the Londonderry Regeneration Initiative.

Disability Living Allowance

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research his Department has undertaken into the cost involved in removing the bar on disabled people over the age of 65 years claiming disability living allowance. [198291]

Mr. Spellar: The social security system in Northern Ireland operates in parity with Great Britain.

Eastern Health Board

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to (a) maintain and (b) develop facilities for in-service nursing education in the Eastern Health Board area; and if he will estimate the expected time frame involved. [198836]

Angela Smith: In-service nursing education within the Eastern Health Board Area is planned to continue. The Education Unit will, however, be relocating to new enhanced premises within Knockbracken Healthcare Park. The business case for the development of the new premises has been approved by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and it is anticipated that the new premises will be ready for occupation in August 2005.

Energy Efficiency

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the role of (a) fuel cost reduction and (b) income maximisation in energy efficiency. [199031]

Mr. Gardiner: It has not been possible to answer the hon. Member's question in this parliamentary Session.

Enterprise Northern Ireland

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of Enterprise Northern Ireland's Strategic Development Programme carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (a) in total and (b) broken down by local enterprise agency involved in the exercise. [198195]

Mr. Gardiner: The Government do not hold this information.

Equal Opportunities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many (a) Catholics and (b) Protestants were employed in the (i) private and (ii) public sector in Northern Ireland in each of the last 30 years; [199319]

(2) how many (a) Catholics and (b) Protestants were employed in the (i) fire service, (ii) police service and (iii) civil service in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10
 
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years; and what percentage of the working age population of each community each of these figures represents. [199323]

Mr. Spellar: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland to write to my hon. Friend. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Fertility Treatment

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used to select couples for ICSI and other sub-fertility treatments in the Province; and whether the fact that a couple already have a child excludes them from such treatment. [198651]

Angela Smith: The interim sub-fertility service commenced on 17 December 2001, at the Royal Group of Hospitals. Access to public funded provision is regulated by the criteria recommended by an expert group. The criteria specify that to avail of the service:

Couples should have no children living with them (this does not apply to stimulated intra-uterine insemination—SIUI);

Couples should have had fewer than four previous unsuccessful treatment cycles;

The woman should be under 38 (this does not apply to SIUI); and

There has to be a medical reason for the sub-fertility, lasting for over three years.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the average waiting time from GP referral through to initial hospital assessment for those seeking sub-fertility treatment in the Province in the last year. [198654]

Angela Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many couples in the Province have received publicly-funded treatments for sub-fertility in the Province each year since December 2001; and what proportion of these procedures have proved successful. [198655]

Angela Smith: Publicly funded fertility services are provided at three levels: primary care level, secondary care level and tertiary care level. Specific fertility data is only available for patients treated at the tertiary care level—services at this level are provided by the Regional Fertility Centre (RFC). Data in relation to the usage of services at primary and secondary care levels are included within general gynaecology data and are not available separately.

The RFC has informed me that 433 patients received publicly funded fertility treatments in 2003–04, and to date 315 patients have been treated in 2004–05, the only periods for which detailed data are available.

Details of the success of these procedures is collated in line with Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) requirements which do not stipulate that the rates for private and NHS patients should be monitored separately. The success rate, based on pregnancies achieved per embryo transfer for patients receiving in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intra
 
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cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments for the 12-month period ending 30 June 2004 is in the range of 32 per cent. to 38 per cent. Success rates are subject to variation as the outcome of fertility treatment is dependent on many factors including age, the nature of the fertility problems and lifestyle factors.

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