House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 13 Jun 2005 (pt 24)

13 Jun 2005 : Column 90W—continued

Education Maintenance Allowance

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the education maintenance allowance scheme to Northern Ireland. [3507]

Angela E. Smith: The education maintenance allowance scheme was introduced in Northern Ireland in September 2004, to eligible 16-year-olds, in line with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Information Leaks

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in identifying the source of the leak within the Police Service of Northern Ireland or the Police Ombudsman's office to the Press Association in December 2004 in relation to the case communicated to him on 31 January. [3513]

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Mr. Woodward: I refer the hon. Lady to the letter from my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, South (Mr. Pearson) of 23 February 2005 in reply to her correspondence of 31 January 2005 on this matter.

Liver Transplants

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were waiting for a liver transplant in Northern Ireland on the latest date for which figures are available. [3472]

Mr. Woodward: At 3 November 2004, there were nine patients in Northern Ireland awaiting a liver transplant.

NHS Dentistry

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dentists based in Northern Ireland commenced practice within the NHS during 2004. [2801]

Mr. Woodward: At December 2004 there were 67 dentists that were registered for providing General Dental Services in Northern Ireland who were not

13 Jun 2005 : Column 92W

registered a year earlier. This figure will include dentists who have qualified during that year; dentists who have returned to work after a career break and other dentists who have began practicing here.

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total Northern Ireland Tourist Board investment in each Northern Ireland parliamentary constituency was in each of the last five years. [2340]

Angela E. Smith: The information requested is set out at table A. In addition to this, table B details a number of payments issued by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) to various groups throughout the last five years. This data is not available on a parliamentary constituency basis as the initiatives funded were across all constituencies in Northern Ireland.

Financial assistance was provided to accommodation projects by the NITB until March 2002; however since April 2002 this assistance has been administered through Invest NI.
Table A: Financial assistance paid to all tourism projects by constituency £

Constituency 2000 2001 2002 2003

Across all constituencies and cross border⁽²⁵⁾ 141,501.40 241,926.50 118,687.13 101,933.75

Belfast East 38,300.00 4,200.00 9,000.00 17,500.00

Belfast North 238,912.97 155,200.00 4,500.00 4,000.00

Belfast South 755,466.36 325,187.32 1,368,103.00 13,800.63

Belfast West 3,461.00 20,000.00 741,500.00 20,000.00

East Antrim 29,364.71 498,782.28 693,000.59 400.00

East Londonderry 169,250.57 723,194.17 364,399.06 10,189.05

Fermanagh and South Tyrone 614,042.15 389,086.65 1,432,934.50 9,976.91

Foyle 623,537.43 460,362.51 1,591,163.73 76,113.45

Lagan Valley 35,685.51 58,945.92 39,709.83 3,800.00

Mid Ulster 29,255.82 87,058.49 184,609.83 118,765.03

Newry and Armagh 204,867.55 824,062.99 2,095,527.42 57,274.62

North Antrim 512,327.24 1,094,452.80 747,906.39 68,065.85

North Down 67,550.41 38,429.11 1,200.00 28,700.00

South Antrim 558,214.39 120,798.70 94,441.90 8,000.00

South Down 1,652,777.52 133,684.37 655,129.66 18,489.98

Strangford 300,075.69 276,832.67 1,746.19 46,736.58

Upper Bann 1,809.82 16,224.34 43,381.62 500.00

West Tyrone 262,782.33 189,860.33 157,348.68 4,368.52

Total 6,239,182.87 8,658,289.15 10,344,289.53 608,614.37

£

Constituency 2004 2005 Total

Across all constituencies and
cross border⁽²⁵⁾ 101,558.38 15,896.69 721,503.85

Belfast East 20,000.00 10,000.00 99,000.00

Belfast North 1,000.00 9,000.00 412,612.97

Belfast South — — 3,462,557.31

Belfast West — 15,000.00 799,961.00

East Antrim 500.00 — 1,222,047.58

East Londonderry 30,013.53 3,000.00 1,300,046.38

Fermanagh and South Tyrone 41,857.92 15,392.47 2,503,290.60

Foyle 11,654.98 4,123.97 2,766,956.07

Lagan Valley 2,021.79 — 140,163.05

Mid Ulster 20,790.00 2,310.00 442,789.17

Newry and Armagh 23,991.20 7,000.00 3,212,723.78

North Antrim 36,119.81 — 2,458,872.09

North Down 8,000.00 — 143,879.52

South Antrim — — 781,454.99

South Down 10,551.61 28,775.13 4,499,408.27

Strangford 57,375.74 — 682,766.87

Upper Bann — — 61,915.78

West Tyrone — 7,093.37 621,453.23

Total 365,434.96 117,591.63 26,333,402.51

⁽²⁵⁾Across all constituencies and cross border relates to projects which straddle more than one parliamentary constituency.

Constituency	2000	2001	2002	2003
Across all constituencies and cross border⁽²⁵⁾	141,501.40	241,926.50	118,687.13	101,933.75
Belfast East	38,300.00	4,200.00	9,000.00	17,500.00
Belfast North	238,912.97	155,200.00	4,500.00	4,000.00
Belfast South	755,466.36	325,187.32	1,368,103.00	13,800.63
Belfast West	3,461.00	20,000.00	741,500.00	20,000.00
East Antrim	29,364.71	498,782.28	693,000.59	400.00
East Londonderry	169,250.57	723,194.17	364,399.06	10,189.05
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	614,042.15	389,086.65	1,432,934.50	9,976.91
Foyle	623,537.43	460,362.51	1,591,163.73	76,113.45
Lagan Valley	35,685.51	58,945.92	39,709.83	3,800.00
Mid Ulster	29,255.82	87,058.49	184,609.83	118,765.03
Newry and Armagh	204,867.55	824,062.99	2,095,527.42	57,274.62
North Antrim	512,327.24	1,094,452.80	747,906.39	68,065.85
North Down	67,550.41	38,429.11	1,200.00	28,700.00
South Antrim	558,214.39	120,798.70	94,441.90	8,000.00
South Down	1,652,777.52	133,684.37	655,129.66	18,489.98
Strangford	300,075.69	276,832.67	1,746.19	46,736.58
Upper Bann	1,809.82	16,224.34	43,381.62	500.00
West Tyrone	262,782.33	189,860.33	157,348.68	4,368.52
Total	6,239,182.87	8,658,289.15	10,344,289.53	608,614.37

Constituency	2004	2005	Total
Across all constituencies and cross border⁽²⁵⁾	101,558.38	15,896.69	721,503.85
Belfast East	20,000.00	10,000.00	99,000.00
Belfast North	1,000.00	9,000.00	412,612.97
Belfast South	—	—	3,462,557.31
Belfast West	—	15,000.00	799,961.00
East Antrim	500.00	—	1,222,047.58
East Londonderry	30,013.53	3,000.00	1,300,046.38
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	41,857.92	15,392.47	2,503,290.60
Foyle	11,654.98	4,123.97	2,766,956.07
Lagan Valley	2,021.79	—	140,163.05
Mid Ulster	20,790.00	2,310.00	442,789.17
Newry and Armagh	23,991.20	7,000.00	3,212,723.78
North Antrim	36,119.81	—	2,458,872.09
North Down	8,000.00	—	143,879.52
South Antrim	—	—	781,454.99
South Down	10,551.61	28,775.13	4,499,408.27
Strangford	57,375.74	—	682,766.87
Upper Bann	—	—	61,915.78
West Tyrone	—	7,093.37	621,453.23
Total	365,434.96	117,591.63	26,333,402.51

In addition the following payments were issued to various groups throughout the financial years indicated. The data are not available on a constituency basis as the initiatives funded were across all constituencies in Northern Ireland.
Table B £

Date Amount

Financial year to:

31 March 2000 1,063,747.98

31 March 2001 1,000,769.88

31 March 2002 1,045,950.90

31 March 2003 1,119,301.70

31 March 2004 1,891,651.40

31 March 2005 1,655,102.57

Total 7,776,524.43

13 Jun 2005 : Column 93W

Date	Amount
Financial year to:
31 March 2000	1,063,747.98
31 March 2001	1,000,769.88
31 March 2002	1,045,950.90
31 March 2003	1,119,301.70
31 March 2004	1,891,651.40
31 March 2005	1,655,102.57
Total	7,776,524.43

Killyleagh High School

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will assess the merits of demolishing the former High School in Killyleagh; and if he will make a statement. [2349]

Angela E. Smith: The South Eastern Education and Library Board has decided to demolish the structure and as is usual in such cases has applied for planning permission for a variety of uses for the site. Tenders have already been sought for the demolition and they are due with the Board by 17 June. Once a decision on planning permission has been obtained, the building will be demolished.

Osteoporosis

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to raise awareness of osteoporosis in Northern Ireland; and how much funding has been directed towards its treatment in the last five years for which figures are available. [3491]

Mr. Woodward: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is raising awareness of osteoporosis through a range of strategies and action plans designed to encourage regular exercise, a balanced diet, smoking prevention/cessation and a responsible approach to alcohol consumption.

In addition to lifestyle changes, there are a number of interventions, including medicines, used to prevent and treat osteoporosis. The choice of intervention is a matter for clinical judgment, having taken account of the evidence of effectiveness, clinical circumstances and the views expressed by the individual patient. The total cost of these interventions, including fracture treatment, is not available. However, data is available on the costs associated with medicines dispensed by community pharmacists for both the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The position for the years 2000 to 2004 is set out in the following table.
£000

Ingredient cost

2000 1,571

2001 2,183

2002 3,189

2003 4,526

2004 5,838

Total 17,307

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	Ingredient cost
2000	1,571
2001	2,183
2002	3,189
2003	4,526
2004	5,838
Total	17,307

Out-of-school Clubs

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of EU funding for out-of-school clubs in vulnerable and chronically deprived areas of Northern Ireland on working parents; and if he will make a statement. [2592]

Angela E. Smith: The PEACE II Programme was originally intended to end in 2004. All projects were assisted on a time limited basis and as such no European funding has been withdrawn. We are pleased that an extension to PEACE II has been secured and that its wider work can continue. Further funding is now available to play care clubs and will be administered jointly by the Training for Women Network and Playboard. However, as the resources available annually are approximately half previous levels, there are inevitably limits on the number of activities that can be assisted.

The Department of Education has not provided support for out of school hours learning (OOSHL) from EU funding but in recent years did promote the New Opportunity Fund's (NOF) Out Of School Hours Learning (OOSL) programme to schools locally until the programme ended last year.

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