House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 4 Apr 2005 (pt 59)

4 Apr 2005 : Column 1286W—continued

BSE

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many confirmed cases of BSE were recorded in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [226960]

Mr. Pearson: The number of confirmed cases of BSE recorded in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is detailed in the following table. The table provides a breakdown of the number of cases identified through normal statutory reporting of BSE suspects (passive surveillance) and those cases identified as a result of the surveillance testing programmes (active surveillance) in operation in Northern Ireland.

Passive surveillance Active surveillance Number of BSE cases

2000 22 54 76

2001 29 40 69

2002 33 70 103

2003 11 51 62

2004 8 26 34

2005 (At 18 March 2005) 1 6 7

	Passive surveillance	Active surveillance	Number of BSE cases
2000	22	54	76
2001	29	40	69
2002	33	70	103
2003	11	51	62
2004	8	26	34
2005 (At 18 March 2005)	1	6	7

Compensation Payments

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public compensation has been paid in the last 30 years to families of (a) the regular Army, (b) full-time and part-time UDR and RIR, (c) RUC and full-time and part-time reserve, (d) the Northern Ireland Prison Service, (e) the Northern Ireland fire service and (f) the ambulance service who have been killed or injured by acts of terrorism. [223684]

Mr. Spellar: This is an operational responsibility of the Compensation Agency. The chief executive has

4 Apr 2005 : Column 1287W

advised me that the information requested is not available and because of the normal file destruction policy a partial answer could be compiled only at a disproportionate cost.

Conservation

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how many areas of special scientific interest (ASSI) in Northern Ireland conservation objectives have been prepared in accordance with the requirements set out in guidance issued by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in 2003 on Common Standards Monitoring for Sites of Special Scientific Interest and ASSIs; and when he expects conservation objectives to be completed for all ASSIs in Northern Ireland. [224078]

Angela Smith: Of the 220 ASSIs presently designated as of 24 March 2005, 214 sites already have conservation objectives. It is planned to complete conservation objectives for the remaining six sites in 2005–06.

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Cross-border Bodies

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the administration costs of (a) the North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat and (b) each of the cross-border bodies have been in each year since their formation; and what the outturn against planned expenditure was in each of these years. [212327]

Mr. Paul Murphy: The details requested are set out in the following tables:
(a) North/South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat Annual Administration costs⁽⁷⁶⁾

£

2000 740,502

2001 1,574,270

2002 1,039,693

2003 1,025,410

2004 1,059,278

⁽⁷⁶⁾These figures include Northern and Southern contributions to administration costs.

Annual Administration Costs of Each Cross Border Body £

(b) Body 2000⁽⁷⁷⁾ 2001 2002 2003 2004⁽⁷⁸⁾

Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission 836,305 933,784 973,974 1,107,360 1,131,655

Waterways Ireland 3,692,063 5,843,392 6,450,134 9,638,986 10,385,374

The Trade and Business Development Body 537,988 961,286 1,349,746 l,530,941 1,631,431

Special EU Programmes Body 525,105 736,305 1,122,472 1,284,631 ⁽⁷⁹⁾—

The North/South Language Body⁽⁸⁰⁾ l,389,299 1,516,584 1,780,976 2,061,449 2,322,893

The Food Safety Promotion Board l65,000 504,000 749,000 1,236,000 1,357,000

Tourism Ireland Limited n/a 101,456 7,400,230 8,608,667 8,922,000

⁽⁷⁷⁾This covers the period 2 December 1999 to 31 December 2000.
⁽⁷⁸⁾The figures for 2004 are provisional as the accounts are still in preparation.
⁽⁷⁹⁾The Special European Programmes Body draft Accounts for 2004 are still in preparation.
⁽⁸⁰⁾The figures quoted for the North/South Language Body for the years 2001–04 are based on unaudited accounts.

(c) NSMC Joint Secretariat (North) Budget and Outturn⁽⁸¹⁾ £

Budget Outturn

2000–01 805,000 752,886

2001–02 820,000 782,705

2002–03 735,000 606,888

2003–04 642,000 582,125

2004–05 602,000 ⁽⁸²⁾—

⁽⁸¹⁾These figures are the Northern Ireland Budget and Outturn only.
⁽⁸²⁾The outturn figure for 2004–05 is still in preparation.

Cross Border Bodies Budget and Outturn £

(d) Body 2000⁽⁸³⁾ 2001 2002 2003 2004⁽⁸⁴⁾

Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission

Budget 1,954,000 2,452,000 3,382,000 3,847,000 3,550,000

Outturn 1,359,000 1,604,000 1,807,000 1,921,000 2,350,000

Waterways Ireland

Budget 10,780,000 18,820,000 21,990,000 22,610,000 31,710,000

Outturn 9,504,687 14,031,989 17,438,466 18,569,245 22,895,379

The Trade and Business Development Body

Budget 9,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000 9,000,000

Outturn 1,842,000 2,768,000 5,199,000 6,145,000 6,629,000

Special EU Programmes Body

Budget 2,000,000 2,308,000 1,750,000 2,020,000 2,195,000

Outturn 839,419 1,809,101 1,811,475 1,830,432 ⁽⁸⁵⁾—

The North/South Language Body4

Budget 8,180,243 11,717,150 12,282,700 13,294,790 15,062,500

Outturn 7,469,630 10,241,877 12,528,077 13,656,581 15,004,959

The Food Safety Promotion Board

Budget 2,327,000 5,115,000 5,291,000 5,972,000 6,167,000

Outturn 1,742,000 2,662,000 3,969,000 5,600,000 5,950,000

Tourism Ireland Limited

Budget n/a No budget set 7,864,000 8,453,000 9,058,000

Outturn n/a 101,456 7,400,230 8,608,000 8,922,000

⁽⁸³⁾This covers the period 2 December 1999 to 31 December 2000.
⁽⁸⁴⁾The figures for 2004 are provisional as the accounts have yet to be finalised.
⁽⁸⁵⁾The Special European Programmes Body draft Accounts for 2004 are still in preparation.
⁽⁸⁶⁾The figures quoted for the North/South Language Body for the years 2001–04 are based on unaudited accounts.

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	£
2000	740,502
2001	1,574,270
2002	1,039,693
2003	1,025,410
2004	1,059,278

(b) Body	2000⁽⁷⁷⁾	2001	2002	2003	2004⁽⁷⁸⁾
Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission	836,305	933,784	973,974	1,107,360	1,131,655
Waterways Ireland	3,692,063	5,843,392	6,450,134	9,638,986	10,385,374
The Trade and Business Development Body	537,988	961,286	1,349,746	l,530,941	1,631,431
Special EU Programmes Body	525,105	736,305	1,122,472	1,284,631	⁽⁷⁹⁾—
The North/South Language Body⁽⁸⁰⁾	l,389,299	1,516,584	1,780,976	2,061,449	2,322,893
The Food Safety Promotion Board	l65,000	504,000	749,000	1,236,000	1,357,000
Tourism Ireland Limited	n/a	101,456	7,400,230	8,608,667	8,922,000

	Budget	Outturn
2000–01	805,000	752,886
2001–02	820,000	782,705
2002–03	735,000	606,888
2003–04	642,000	582,125
2004–05	602,000	⁽⁸²⁾—

(d) Body	2000⁽⁸³⁾	2001	2002	2003	2004⁽⁸⁴⁾
Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission
Budget	1,954,000	2,452,000	3,382,000	3,847,000	3,550,000
Outturn	1,359,000	1,604,000	1,807,000	1,921,000	2,350,000

Waterways Ireland
Budget	10,780,000	18,820,000	21,990,000	22,610,000	31,710,000
Outturn	9,504,687	14,031,989	17,438,466	18,569,245	22,895,379

The Trade and Business Development Body
Budget	9,000,000	9,000,000	9,000,000	9,000,000	9,000,000
Outturn	1,842,000	2,768,000	5,199,000	6,145,000	6,629,000

Special EU Programmes Body
Budget	2,000,000	2,308,000	1,750,000	2,020,000	2,195,000
Outturn	839,419	1,809,101	1,811,475	1,830,432	⁽⁸⁵⁾—

The North/South Language Body4
Budget	8,180,243	11,717,150	12,282,700	13,294,790	15,062,500
Outturn	7,469,630	10,241,877	12,528,077	13,656,581	15,004,959

The Food Safety Promotion Board
Budget	2,327,000	5,115,000	5,291,000	5,972,000	6,167,000
Outturn	1,742,000	2,662,000	3,969,000	5,600,000	5,950,000

Tourism Ireland Limited
Budget	n/a	No budget set	7,864,000	8,453,000	9,058,000
Outturn	n/a	101,456	7,400,230	8,608,000	8,922,000

Education (False Sexual Allegations)

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements the South Eastern Education and Library Board made to educate a child at a private school as a consequence of a false sexual abuse allegation by the pupil against a teacher; whether a grant was paid to (a) the family and (b) a school; what the consequences were for the teacher who was falsely accused; whether the Department of Education or the Board have taken steps to rehabilitate the teacher; whether he will be paid compensation; and if he will make a statement. [221824]

Mr. Gardiner: In the case to which the hon. Member refers, the teacher concerned pleaded guilty to assault of a pupil but not, I understand, a sexual assault. I am told by the South Eastern Education Board that, having considered a range of options and looked at what was in the best interests of the child, the decision was taken to secure a place in a privately operated school. The Board is paying the fees for the pupil's attendance at the school.

While the teacher will not receive compensation, I can assure the hon. Member that his rehabilitation was a major consideration and that the Terms of Settlement of this dispute contain a section relating specifically to the teacher and his needs.

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As a matter of principle I acknowledge the need to protect teachers from false allegations made against them. While we must of course listen to children and give primacy to their needs and welfare, the position of teachers also needs to be given due consideration in any investigative process. I am very much aware of the hugely damaging and lasting effect that false allegations can have on a teacher's professional and personal life. Our procedures must recognise teachers' rights to be heard, and to be protected against false allegations.

In the coming months my Department will be undertaking a review of the way precautionary suspensions currently operate, with the aim of issuing fresh guidance to schools.

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