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LMS Scheme

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the funding surplus within the LMS scheme was for each school in the South Eastern Education and Library Board in each of the last five years; and how each surplus was used. [200501]

Mr. Gardiner: I understand from the Chief Executive of the South-Eastern Education and Library Board that the funding surpluses and deficits within the Local Management Scheme for each school in the South-Eastern Education and Library Board in each of the last 5 years is set out in the published outturn statements for those years. A table containing the funding surplus for each school for the period in question has been placed in the Library. Information on how each school has been or will be using its budget surplus could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Political Situation

Mr. McGrady: If he will make a statement on the political situation in Northern Ireland. [199737]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Members for South Antrim (David Burnside) and Edinburgh West (John Barrett).

Racist Attacks

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of racist attacks in Northern Ireland (a) generally and (b) with specific reference to attacks on the Chinese community. [199423]

Mr. Spellar: Government are working on many fronts to tackle this problem. Action is being taken at operational and strategic levels by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Government Departments and through funding of the voluntary sector. Government are committed to eradicating all manifestations of hatred, and will be unceasing in their efforts to create a safer and more tolerant Northern Ireland.
 
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The attacks on people from minority communities are unacceptable and to be deplored. They are an issue for all sections of society in Northern Ireland. Some of the recent media headlines would lead observers to the conclusion that Northern Ireland has become a hotbed of racial intolerance. However, this is not the case. It is frequently only the bad news that is reported, not the work going on behind the scenes to promote integration and tolerance. And while crimes have increased significantly over a number of years, I am pleased to report that the rate of increase in the number of attacks appears to be slowing down.

The following table shows the number of racist attacks in Northern Ireland since 2001:

	Number
2001–02	185
2002–03	226
2003–04	453
2004–05 (first six months)	312

The following table shows the number of recorded racist attacks on the Chinese community since 2002:

	Number
2002–03	44
2003–04	100
April 2004 to September 2004	51

Security Situation

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Northern Ireland. [199402]

Mr. Pearson: The general security situation is improving. Dissident republicans remain a threat, though for the most part their activities have been thwarted, intercepted or nullified by good policing and intelligence operations.

Worktrack

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to replace the Worktrack programme in Northern Ireland. [200084]

Mr. Gardiner: The Department for Employment and Learning is not planning any direct replacement for the Worktrack programme. There are already significant resources available in a comprehensive provision under the various New Deals and other employment programmes. Significant provision to improve workforce skills is also available through higher and further education.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been placed on the Worktrack programme in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland in each year since 2000. [200903]

Mr. Gardiner [pursuant to his reply, 30 November 2004, Official Report, c. 63W]: There was a factual
 
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inaccuracy in the figure provided for the "Number of starts in Northern Ireland—2003–04". The correct information is as follows.

	Number of starts in North Belfast	Number of starts in Northern Ireland
1999–2000	43	691
2000–01	203	1,768
2001–02	141	1,880
2002–03	233	2,257
2003–04	255	2,196

PRIME MINISTER

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Prime Minister, how many written questions for his Office were unanswered when Parliament Prorogued; and how many of the unanswered questions were tabled in each of the previous months of the 2003–04 Session. [201557]

The Prime Minister: None.

President Bush

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the actions achieved in 2004 through his diplomatic engagement with President Bush. [200899]

The Prime Minister: As always, during 2004 the UK and US worked closely together on a range of issues including Iraq, Iran, the Middle East Peace process and Afghanistan. I look forward to working with President Bush over the coming months in order to make further progress on these, and other matters.

Sir John Day

Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister, (1) on how many occasions he has (a) met and (b) spoken to Sir John Day in the last 12 months; what was discussed on each of those occasions; on how many occasions he has (i) met and (ii) spoken to (A) other Ministers, (B) Government officials or (C) other staff of BAE Systems with regard to Sir John Day's appointment to BAE Systems; and what was discussed on each of those occasions; [200510]

(2) whether he had been informed of Sir John Day's role in assessing the causes of the crash of the RAF Chinook HC2 helicopter ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994; when he overturned the ruling of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments; and on how many occasions he has overruled the Advisory Committee on business appointments; [200511]

(3) whether he has discussed with Sir John Day his role in assessing the causes of the crash of the RAF Chinook HC2 helicopter ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994; [200512]

(4) how he was first informed of Sir John Day's appointment to BAE Systems; and what factors underlay his assessment that it would be in the wider
 
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national interest for Sir John Day to take up his post at BAE Systems three months after his retirement from the RAF. [200513]

The Prime Minister: As set out in my letter to the hon. Member on 11 October 2004, copies of which have been placed in the Library, the tragic helicopter accident on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994 played no part in this case. As in previous cases, the procedures and rules governing Business Appointments were rigorously adhered to.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Child Allergies

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children with severe allergies were denied access to local authority extra-curricular schemes because of the lack of trained staff who can administer adrenaline in the last year for which figures are available. [199757]

Margaret Hodge: My Department does not keep a central record of the number or type of study support (out of school hours learning) activities provided by schools or local authorities, nor of the number of children who attend them. It is for local authorities and schools to determine what provision best meets the needs of the young people in the area.

We encourage schools and local authorities to make study support activities available to all young people who wish to attend. This includes ensuring that all provision incorporates a health and safety policy. The DfES publication "Safe Keeping: a good practice guide for health and safety in study support" provides information on the legal responsibilities of staff, and guidance on first aid requirements. Copies of the publication are held in the Library of the House of Commons.

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