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25 Jan 2005 : Column 302W—continued
Domiciliary Care
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average cost is of a (a) residential, (b) nursing home and (c) domiciliary community care package in the Province. [210046]
Angela Smith:
An average residential home package costs £25,500 per year and a nursing home package costs £22,600 per year, based on the annualised weekly cost. domiciliary care costs £10 per hour delivered. These are average costs based on packages provided to a wide range of clients with differing care needs.
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Drugs Bill
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding the extension of the Drugs Bill to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [210430]
Mr. Spellar: I have sought and obtained approval for the extension to Northern Ireland of the following provisions in the Drugs Bill:
The ability for a court to draw adverse inferences from a refusal to consent to an intimate drugs search;
Amendment to the offence of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs so that intent is presumed if the amount of drugs held by the person exceeds a certain threshold;
Creation of aggravating circumstances in which a dealer will face an enhanced sentence—such as dealing near a school or using young persons as couriers; and
Clarifying the law about magic mushrooms by making it a specific offence to possess with intent to supply, to supply, produce or import hallucinogenic mushrooms.
The Bill was introduced in the House on 16 December 2004.
EU Environmental Directives
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 784W, on Article 226 Reasoned Opinion proceedings, what the cause of the infraction proceedings was in each case. [208664]
Angela Smith: The following list sets out the EU directives that are subject to Article 226 Reasoned Opinion proceedings or beyond and the cause of the infraction in each case.
(12) Shellfish Waters—this case is at Article 226 and not Article 226 Reasoned Opinion as previously notified. The case has been dormant for a considerable period of time.
Note:
Two of the above cases are now closed i.e. Nitrates from Agricultural Sources and Drinking Water Quality.
GCSE Qualifications
Mrs. Iris Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the GCSE point scores for all
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school types in Northern Ireland excluding GNVQ Part 1 qualifications and GCSE short courses have been in each year since 2000. [210769]
Mr. Gardiner: I refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Lagan Valley (Mr.Donaldson) on 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 973W.
Genito-urinary Medicine Services
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the number of individuals in Northern Ireland awaiting assessment by genito-urinary medicine services. [210040]
Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave on 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 245W, question reference 205992.
Grammar Schools
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many pupils are enrolled in grammar schools in Northern Ireland; and how many were so enrolled in 2002–03. [210773]
Mr. Gardiner: The number of pupils enrolled at grammar schools in Northern Ireland in 2002–03 was 63,102; in 2004–05 it is 63,364. These figures exclude pupils in preparatory departments.
Hearing Impairment Services
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what monitoring controls are in place to assess quality of Government service delivery to deaf and hard of hearing people in Northern Ireland. [208321]
Mr. Spellar: All 11 departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office have been issued with guidance on making information and events accessible, including to people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Some of these departments are working with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf to ensure that customer services are accessible.
In addition, the Department of Finance and Personnel is taking forward a work programme to ensure Government Buildings meet the needs of those with any form of disability, including those who are deaf or are hard of hearing. Departments in Northern Ireland, led by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, have been working in partnership with representatives of the deaf community to address important sign language issues, including best practice for the Northern Ireland civil service.
Further work will be taken forward by an inter departmental, inter sectoral group which has been established to address issues around barriers to participation experienced by people with disabilities, including access to services. Part of this work will involve a survey of people with disabilities in Northern Ireland.
Lady Hermon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what communication training other than deaf awareness training to communicate with those
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who are deaf or hard of hearing has been undertaken by each Northern Ireland Office department in the last 12 months. [208322]
Mr. Spellar: In the last 12 months Northern Ireland Departments have delivered the following communication training—'An Introduction to Sign Language' to 33 trainees, 'Sign Language Bridging Course' to one trainee, 'Sign Language Level 1' to four trainees and Text Phone Training" to seven trainees.
Hip Replacements
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the latest estimate is of the cost of carrying out a hip replacement operation on the NHS in Northern Ireland; and how many people are waiting for a hip replacement operation in Northern Ireland. [211070]
Angela Smith: An average hip replacement operation cost £5,400 in 2003–04.
Waiting list information is not collected at procedure level, only at specialty level. At 30 September 2004, there were 5,668 patients awaiting admission to hospital in Northern Ireland in the trauma and orthopaedics specialty.
HIV Infection
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals in Northern Ireland have been diagnosed with HIV in (a) 2004 and (b) each of the 10 preceding years; and if he will make a statement on steps to limit the spread of HIV infection in the Province. [210037]
Angela Smith: The figures requested are as follows:
| Number diagnosed with HIV | |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 12 |
| 1994 | 14 |
| 1995 | 12 |
| 1996 | 16 |
| 1997 | 9 |
| 1998 | 9 |
| 1000 | 14 |
| 2000 | 19 |
| 2001 | 20 |
| 2002 | 26 |
| 2003 | 32 |
| 2004(13) | 31 |
(13) Figure for this year represents the first three quarters of the year (until September 2004). This figure is provisional and is liable to change as further reports for this period are received.
Note:
Figures for new diagnoses of HIV infection relate to first UK diagnoses. Thus figures for Northern Ireland report cases whose first diagnosis of HIV in the UK was made in Northern Ireland
Source:
Health Protection Agency
All sexual health promotion work undertaken by Health and Social services Boards and Trusts and the Health Promotion Agency includes the prevention and spread of HIV infection. In October last year the Department hosted a major conference to increase awareness of sexually transmitted infections and is presently preparing a sexual health promotion strategy and action plan which includes HIV prevention and will
25 Jan 2005 : Column 306W
be issued before the summer. In addition the Department funds a number of voluntary organisations working in the HIV prevention field.
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