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3 Feb 2005 : Column 1059W—continued

English Heritage

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the projected grant in aid funding for English Heritage is for each of the next three years. [213076]

Mr. Caborn: English Heritage's grant in aid funding for the next three years is as follows:
£
2005–06127,768,000
2006–07130,768,000
2007–08131,738,000

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what categories of information are available under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers by her Department in the last three years. [207825]


 
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Mr. Caborn: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 140W, by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Leslie).

Lottery Funds

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will ensure that investment income accruing to the lottery distributor during delays in complex heritage projects remains with that distributor. [213867]

Estelle Morris: Under the measure proposed in clause 8 of the National Lottery Bill, investment income will be shared out in the same fixed proportions as each distributor's share of operator-related lottery income. This will end the current arrangement whereby those distributors that manage to reduce their balances receive proportionately less investment income, and it will also make the estimation of future income simpler and more transparent for all. When this measure takes effect the Heritage Lottery Fund will therefore receive 16.67 per cent. of all the income that the lottery generates for good causes.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from national governing bodies for sport on the impact of devolution on UK medal prospects in Olympic team sports. [211742]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 31 January 2005]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received no specific representations regarding the impact of devolution on UK medal prospects in Olympic team sports.

Tourism

Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the balance of payments in the tourism sector was in each of the last two years for which figures are available. [213075]

Mr. Caborn: The balance of payments in tourism for the UK in each of the last two years for which figures are available is shown in the table.
£ million

Tourism balance of payments20022003
Expenditure by overseas residents in the UK11,73711,855
Expenditure by UK residents overseas26,96228,550
Balance of payments-15,225-16,695




Source:
International Passenger Survey



Provisional figures for 2004 will be published on the 9 February on the National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk
 
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Pay TV

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pay television subscriptions the Department had in each year since 1997; and what the cost was in each year. [207655]

Mr. Caborn [pursuant to the reply, 10 January 2005, Official Report, c.48W]: I regret that in my previous answer the figures given for pay television subscription channels were incorrect. The correct figure for each of the years 2002–03 and 2003–04 is £20,203.92.

Queen's Flight

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions her Department's Ministers used the Queen's flight in each of the past five years. [213696]

Mr. Caborn: The Queen's flight service has not been used by any Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the past five years.
 
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Religious/Cultural Bodies (Funding)

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will establish a fund similar to that set up with national lottery funding but which is accessible to those unable to accept money from the lottery on religious or cultural grounds. [213971]

Estelle Morris: We have no plans to do so. There is already a wide range of funds—in the public, private and voluntary sectors—available to those who do not wish to receive lottery money.

Sports Funding

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date she expects Lord Carter to publish the report on the review of the co-ordination of national sports effort and resources. [213294]

Mr. Caborn: I am expecting Lord Carter's report on the co-ordination of national sports effort and resources shortly. A date has yet to be set for publication.
 
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NORTHERN IRELAND

Taxi Drivers

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many attacks on taxi drivers in North Belfast have been reported in the last year; and who was found to be responsible in each case. [211969]

Mr. Pearson: Due to the nature of the statistics held by PSNI, it is not possible to ascertain how many specific attacks upon taxi drivers occurred between 1 January 2004 and 27 January 2005, as victims are not identified by occupation. However, the DCU Commander in North Belfast reports that between those dates 124 incidents involving taxis occurred. These incidents vary in nature and include incidents where persons run off without paying, as well as more serious offences such as assault and aggravated criminal damage.

The vast majority of those incidents are unrelated to the recent series of attacks upon taxis and taxi drivers in North Belfast. The recent spate of attacks upon taxis in that area can be attributed to organized criminality with links both to the UVF and LVF. Since 1 December 2004, North Belfast DCU has recorded 12 incidents involving taxis. On three of those occasions a taxi driver was threatened. On 10 of those occasions a taxi has been set alight.

Autism

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time from diagnosis for (a) occupational therapy and (b) speech therapy assessment of children with autistic spectrum disorders is in each of the health board regions in the Province. [212177]

Angela Smith: Information is not available on waiting times for occupational therapy in respect of children with autistic spectrum disorder.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources have been provided for the treatment of autistic spectrum disorders in the Western Health Board area. [212178]

Angela Smith: The Department's Priorities for Action 2004/05" requires boards and trusts to enhance diagnostic, assessment and early intervention services for children with autism. An additional £500,000 has been allocated to boards for this purpose, of which the Western Health and Social Services Board received £85,000.

Consultant Vacancies

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many consultant vacancies there are in each health trust in the Province, broken down by specialty; and for how long each post has been vacant. [212164]

Angela Smith: Information requested is as follows.
 
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Number of consultant vacancies by Health Trust as atJanuary 2005

TrustHeadcountWhole-time equivalent
Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust1111.00
Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust00.00
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust77.00
Causeway HSS Trust88.00
Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust00.00
Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust1311.64
Down Lisburn HSS Trust1010.00
Foyle Community HSS Trust21.30
Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust33.00
Homefirst Community HSS Trust22.00
Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust98.50
Newry and Mourne HSS Trust22.00
North and West Belfast HSS Trust00.00
Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust1512.94
South and East Belfast HSS Trust33.00
Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust1212.00
Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust00.00
United Hospitals Group HSS Trust1414.00
Total111106.38




Source:
NI Health Trusts




Number of consultant vacancies by speciality as at January 2005

Consultant specialismHeadcountWhole-time equivalent
Addictions/substance abuse11.00
Anaesthetics1818.00
Cardiac anaesthetics11.00
Intensive care anaesthetics11.00
Paediatric anaesthetics22.00
Cardiology33.00
Cardiothoracic surgery11.00
Care of the elderly11.00
Care of the elderly (stroke care)11.00
Clinical oncology22.00
Ear, nose and throat33.00
Emergency medicine (accident and emergency)22.00
Endocrinology11.00
Fractures10.55
General internal medicine/care of the elderly11.00
General internal medicine and subspecialty22.00
General medicine22.00
General surgery88.00
Breast surgery11.00
Surgery-plastic and burns11.00
Haematology44.00
Histo cyto pathology43.50
Histopathology11.00
Immunology11.00
Microbiology11.00
Nephrology11.00
Obstetrics and gynaecology32.14
Obstetrics and gynaecology-HRT10.27
Opthalmics11.00
Paediatrics11.00
Physician32.18
Physician in diabetics11.00
Psychiatry34.30
Psychiatry-adult31.00
Psychiatry-child and adolescent44.00
Forensic psychiatry22.00
Radiology1615.44
Radiology-breast screening22.00
Renal22.00
Restorative dentistry11.00
Urology33.00
Total111106.38




Source:
NI Health Trusts




 
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Length of time each consultant post has been vacant as at January 2005

Trust/consultant:Length of time post vacant
Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust:
General medicinePost vacant for 4 months
General surgeryPost vacant for 11 months
Ear, nose and throatPost vacant for 22 months
2XAnaestheticsPost vacant for 15 months
RadiologyPost vacant for 19 months
RadiologyPost vacant for 2 years
MicrobiologyPost vacant for 3 years
OncologyPost vacant over 3 years
HaematologyPost vacant for 19 months
HaematologyPost vacant for 20 months
Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust:
NilNil
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust:
HaematologyPost vacant for 4 months
Clinical oncologyNew post
RadiologyNew post
2XGeneral surgeryNew posts
2XUrologyNew posts
General surgeryPost vacant for 4 months
General surgeryPost vacant for 5 years
Emergency medicinePost vacant for 1 year
UrologyPost vacant for 5 months
AnaestheticsPost vacant for 1 month
RadiologyPost vacant for 1 month
Psychiatry—adultPost vacant for 6 months
Psychiatry—old agePost vacant for 6 months
Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust:
NilNil
Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust:
AnaestheticsPost vacant for 11 months
AnaestheticsNew post pending appointment of a consultant breast surgeon
HaematologyPost vacant for 20 months
Histo/Cyto pathologyNew post
Histo/Cyto pathologyPost vacant for 15 months
Histo/Cyto pathologyPost vacant for 17 months
Histo/Cyto pathologyPost vacant for 19 months
CardiologyPost vacant for 1 year
Obstetrics/gynaecologyPost vacant for 16 months
3XRadiologyNew posts
Breast surgeryNew post
Down Lisburn HSS Trust:
2XPsychiatry-child and adolescentPosts vacant over 2 years
General internal medicine and care of the elderlyPost vacant over 2 years
General internal medicine and subspecialtyPost vacant for 7 months
General internal medicine and subspecialtyPost vacant for 1 month
General surgeryPost vacant over 1 year
Addictions and substance abusePost vacant for 9 months
2XAnaestheticsBoth posts have been filled by long-term locums, but one became vacant again in December 2004
EndocrinologyAppointment has now been made. Due to start in March 2005.
Foyle Community HSS Trust:
PsychiatryPost vacant for 10 months
PsychiatryPost vacant over 2 years
Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust:
Psychiatry—child and adolescentPost vacant for 8 months
2XAnaestheticsPosts vacant for 9 months
Homefirst Coummunity HSS Trust:
Psychiatry—adultPost vacant for 4 months
Psychiatry—adultPost vacant for 20 months
Mater Infirmorum Hospital HSS Trust:
General surgeryPost vacant for 9 months
ObstetricsPost vacant for 1 month
Care of the elderly (interest in stroke care)Post vacant for 1 year
Emergency medicinePost vacant for 1 year
RadiologyPost vacant for 1 year
RadiologyPost vacant for 2 years
Physician in diabeticsPost vacant for 9 months
CardiologyPost vacant for 1 year
OpthalmicsNew post
Newry and Mourne HSS Trust:
PaediatricsPost vacant for 10 months
RadiologyPost vacant for 20 months
North and West Belfast HSS Trust:
NilNil
Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust:
Obstetrics/gynaecologyInterviews February 2005
Surgery—plastics and burnsAppointment has now been made. Due to start in February 2005
HistopathologyInterviews February 2005
Restorative dentistryInterviews March 2005
2XPaediatric anaestheticsLong-term vacancies
Cardiothoracic surgeryLong-term vacancy
FracturesLong-term vacancy
2XradiologyLong-term vacancies
AnaestheticsLong-term vacancy
Cardiac anaestheticsNew post—has not been advertised as yet
PhysicianLong-term vacancy
Obstetrics/gynaecology (HRT)Long-term vacancy
ImmunologyLong-term vacancy
South and East Belfast HSS Trust:
Psychiatry—adolescentPost vacant for 5 months
2XForensic psychiatryNew posts—have not been advertised as yet
Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust:
1XGeneral surgery
3XAnaesthetics
2XRenal 2XENTSperrin Lakeland HSS Trust were unable to provide details on the length of time each post was vacant
3XRadiology
1XGeneral medicine
Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust:
NilNil
United Hospitals Group HSS Trust:
5XAnaestheticsPosts vacant for 8 years
Anaesthetics—intensive carePost vacant for 6 months
NephrologyPost vacant for 2 years
Physician—care of the elderlyPost vacant for 2 years
RadiologyPost vacant for over 2 years
Radiology—breast screeningPost vacant for 3 years
Radiology—breast screeningPost vacant for 1 year
CardiologyPost vacant for 6 months
2XPhysicianPosts vacant for 2 years

 
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