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Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 15 June 2005

NORTHERN IRELAND

Ministerial Meetings

11. Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the outcome of his recent meetings with the political parties in Northern Ireland. [3021]

Mr. Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Glasgow, South (Mr. Harris), Official Report, cols. 244–45.

IRA

12. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the current level of IRA activities. [3022]

Mr. Woodward: The recent IMC report stated that the Provisional IRA continues to recruit and train new members. It continues to be involved in organised crime, and in paramilitary beatings and exiling. It is now time for all paramilitary activity and criminality to come to an end.

Security (North Belfast)

15. Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the security situation in north Belfast; and if he will make a statement. [3025]

Mr. Woodward: Despite a number of incidents in North Belfast recently, the police have assured me they will have the resources to manage any foreseeable incidents which may occur.

Education

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with plans to reform the structure of education in Northern Ireland. [3019]

Angela E. Smith: Northern Ireland's new post-primary arrangements are not about changing the structure of education. They are about providing real choice and flexibility for children by keeping options open and raising standards for all. Existing school types will continue and we offer access to a wider range of courses through the entitlement framework. We remain on schedule to put key arrangements in place before 2008, when the final transfer tests take place.

Influenza

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the stockpiling of antiviral drugs in the Province to protect against an outbreak of influenza. [3023]

 
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Mr. Woodward: Earlier this year my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State for Health approved a flexible plan to purchase stocks of anti-virals for the whole of the UK. The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela E. Smith) agreed that Northern Ireland would co-join with the other parts of the UK in the two-year purchasing plan and subject to Department of Finance giving approval, funding for the purchase is available within existing resources. Discussions are ongoing about delivery plans to the province.

Northern Bank Robbery

Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in the investigations into the Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in 2004. [3024]

Mr. Woodward: The investigation into the Northern Bank robbery on 20 December 2004 is ongoing and continues to be one of the largest investigations currently undertaken by the PSNI. By the very nature of the crime committed, the investigation is complex, methodical and resource intensive and to date over 3,300 separate investigative actions have been raised. PSNI remain committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice but as with any serious crime investigation, the police will only conduct searches or make arrests at a time that is in the best interests of the investigation and the administration of justice.

Abortion

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to ensure adequate consultation with (a) the public and (b) interested organisations in relation to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's development of guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland. [4054]

Mr. Woodward: The terms of the Court of Appeal Order require the Department to consider what steps it should take to inquire into the adequacy of termination of pregnancy services provided in Northern Ireland (including aftercare); and following such inquiry, and after appropriate consultation with concerned organisations, issue appropriate guidance. Once the draft guidance has been produced, the Department will consult with concerned organisations.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the minutes of meetings of the Working Party on guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland. [4055]

Mr. Woodward: The Departmental Working Group met on 21 January 2005 to consider the way forward on the court of appeal judgment and the minutes of this meeting are available on request from Family Policy Unit within the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what workshops the Working Party drawing up guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland has held; and if he will publish the reports of such meetings. [4056]

 
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Mr. Woodward: In order to inform the development of guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland, a workshop was organised on 4 May. The purpose of the workshop was to provide the opportunity for some initial consideration into what individuals/groups require guidance, what this guidance should contain and how best to take this work forward.

Given the exploratory nature of the meeting and to enable a free and frank exchange of views, no formal record was taken, but it was agreed that guidance would be needed for the General Public, Clinicians and GPs. It was also concluded that guidance should cover issues such as conscientious objection, informed consent, and consistency in recording of decisions and good clinical practice.

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Working Party on the development of guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland to report to the Department. [4148]

Mr. Woodward: Work has already commenced but given the complex nature of this issue it is difficult to determine what the time scale for completion of guidance will be. We will take this work forward as expeditiously as possible.

Belfast City Airport

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the review of the planning agreement affecting Belfast City airport. [3509]

Angela E. Smith: The Department of Environment is currently considering a number of options on how best to progress this review and expects to be able to make an announcement on the way forward in early July 2005.

Carers

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding was allocated by his Department to help unpaid carers in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [3508]

Mr. Woodward: In 2004–05, the Social Security Agency paid £84.5 million in Carers Allowance. In addition, the Health and Personal Social Services provides support for carers with assessed needs through its social care programmes. Information on this expenditure is gathered by service, rather than reason for care and it is therefore not possible to specify how much was spent directly on carers. In 2005–06, an additional investment of £400,000 is being made in the development of flexible and responsive respite services, which will be of direct benefit to carers.

Contracted-out Employees (Terms and Conditions)

Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Government's commitment to ensure that workers employed by the private sector doing work previously done in the public sector do not have less favourable terms and conditions than those who remain employed by the public sector applies in Northern Ireland in the same way as it does in the rest of the UK. [3149]

 
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Angela E. Smith: The Government are committed to ensuring that work forces in Northern Ireland continue to receive the same protection as in the rest of the UK, in line with government policy as set out in the Code of Practice on Workforce Matters in Public Sector Contracts" announced by the Prime Minister on 18 March. Work is being taken forward to apply this Code formally in Northern Ireland as quickly as possible. A copy of the code is available at the following website: http:7/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/opsr/workforce_reform/code_of_practice/index. asp

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