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5 Apr 2005 : Column 1418W—continued
NHS Walk-in Centres
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce NHS walk-in centres in Northern Ireland. [214380]
Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Lady to my answer of 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 1775W.
Parades
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland has taken (a) to inform parade organisers that it is their responsibility to ensure the good behaviour of supporters and followers of parades and (b) to instruct his officers to have regard
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for the behaviour of supporters and followers, and to regard them as participants for the purposes of securing compliance with a determination of the Parades Commission. [213302]
Mr. Pearson: The information is as follows.
(a) PSNI provide a copy of the Parades Commission's code of conduct to parade organisers when they present the Parade Application Form 11/1 at a police station. The code of conduct sets out clearly that the onus is on organisers to ensure the good behaviour of supporters and followers. Police have a general order which contains guidelines on the planning process in the run up to a parade. In December 2002, an amendment was made to the general order which states that
police evidence to the commission will include evidence of efforts by the Police Service to work with parade organisers and/or representatives of the involved neighbourhoods in the planning process."
This has emphasised the work which police carry out in an area during the run up to a parade.
(b) PSNI take appropriate action to police Parades Commission's determinations. Where conditions have included the behaviour of supporters and followers the police take account of these.
Pre-school Children (Child Care)
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average cost of pre-school childcare in Northern Ireland was in the last period for which figures are available; and what assistance is available to working families who require nursery support. [214769]
Angela Smith: Health and Social Services Trusts provide annual data on unit costs of services through their Trust financial returns and this includes information on day nurseries, playgroups, out of school hours clubs and holiday schemes for children. The mean average cost of day attendances at day-care services provided for under-18s was £92 per day in the 2003–04 financial year. It is not, however, possible to break down the unit cost information held by the Department into particular client groups and, for that reason, the average cost of pre-school childcare provision could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Assistance is also available through the working families tax credit, which can provide support for families on low or middle incomes who are responsible for one or more children.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether child care providers in Northern Ireland are required to be registered; and what estimate he has made of the number of child care providers. [214770]
Angela Smith:
Child care providers are required to be registered as defined in the Children NI Order 1995. The following table provides the number of child care providers.
5 Apr 2005 : Column 1420W
| Providers | Places | |
|---|---|---|
| Day nurseries | 197 | 7,798 |
| Childminders | 4,224 | 21,164 |
| Playgroups | 607 | 14,648 |
| Out of School Clubs | 212 | 4,773 |
| Holiday schemes | 73 | 1,403 |
| Total | 5,313 | 49,786 |
Prisons (Medical Treatment)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time for surgery was in 2004 for prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons in Northern Ireland who (a) had been sentenced and (b) were being held on remand. [224208]
Angela Smith: The information is not available in the form requested.
Public Disorder (Ardoyne)
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid by his Department in compensation claims following public disorder at Ardoyne on 12 July in each year since 2001. [216412]
Mr. Spellar: I have asked the chief executive of the Compensation Agency to write to the hon. Gentleman.
Letter from Anne McCleary to Mr. Nigel Dodds, dated 21 February 2005:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about how much had been paid in compensation claims following public disorder at Ardoyne on 12 July in each year since 2001 (216412). I have been asked to reply as the issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Compensation Agency.
| Claims under the Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 | Claims under the Criminal Injuries (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 406,271 | 256,256 |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 |
The 1988 Order was replaced, on 1 May 2002, by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2002. The location of incidents recorded under this scheme is not wholly reliable as, for record keeping purposes, the Agency holds claims by the applicant's home address. The applicant is asked for a general description of the incident location which is later confirmed by the police in their report on the incident. On this basis it is not possible to determine, without disproportionate costs, claims which may arise out of incidents in Ardoyne on 12 July during 2002–2004.
School Buildings
Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what new school buildings in the Lagan Valley constituency (a) have opened in each year
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since 1997 (b) are under construction and (c) have beenapproved for funding but are not yet under construction. [204017]
Mr. Gardiner: In the Lagan Valley constituency (a) eight new school buildings have opened since 1997, namely:
(b) One new school is currently under construction, namely:
(c) Six schools have been approved for funding but are not yet under construction, namely:
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the contracts signed by his special advisers differ from the Model Contract for Special Advisers. [207229]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 753W.
Teaching
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment his Department has made of the level of unemployment among teaching graduates in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [224157]
Mr. Gardiner: The most recent Claimant Count figures indicate that in February 2005 there were 482 persons claiming unemployment related benefits who stated that were seeking work as Teachers. Figures are not currently available for previous years.
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