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4 Jul 2005 : Column 190W—continued
NORTHERN IRELAND
Adult Education
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have participated in adult education courses in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [7837]
Angela E. Smith:
The term adult education" primarily refers to provision in further education colleges for those aged 18 years and over, as well as those undertaking adult basic education through Essential Skills courses and Learndirect. Total numbers of enrolments are as follows.
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| Academic year | Total |
|---|---|
| 1997/98 | 117,060 |
| 1998/99 | 115,022 |
| 1999/2000 | 123,229 |
| 2000/01 | 128,029 |
| 2001/02 | 131,293 |
| 2002/03 | 114,921 |
| 2003/04 | 149,766 |
Breast Screening
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the take-up is of breast screening opportunities for women in the age categories for which the service is offered through the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [8800]
Mr. Woodward: Currently breast screening in Northern Ireland is offered to women in the age group 50 to 64, with an interval of approximately 36 months between the date of a women's previous appointment and the date of their next offered appointment.
For year end March 2004 the uptake rate among women within the target age group was as set out in the following table.
| Board | Percentage uptake |
|---|---|
| Eastern | 68.5 |
| Northern | 82.8 |
| Southern | 76.4 |
| Western | 78.8 |
| Northern Ireland | 75.5 |
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The uptake rate in the Eastern board area continues to fall behind that in the other three boards. Efforts are continuing there to improve the rate particularly among ethnic minorities and women with disabilities. Health professionals are collaborating in this with voluntary groups such as Action Cancer.
Cancer Deaths
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women have died from (a) ovarian cancer and (b) breast cancer in each board area since 2000 in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [8799]
Mr. Woodward: The table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland of female residents in each health and social services board area in each year between 2000 and 2004, where the cause of death was recorded as either (a) malignant neoplasm of ovary or (b) malignant neoplasm of breast.
In January 2004 the Regional Cancer Services Framework Steering Group was established to consider the future development of cancer services, including the treatment and care of people with ovarian and breast cancer. The group is expected to report in autumn 2005.
Care Homes
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for NorthernIreland how many (a) nursing homes and (b) residential homes in Northern Ireland charge top-up fees; and what the average top-up fees are in each case. [7824]
Mr. Woodward: For the cases under its care management, the Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) contracts with independent sector care home providers to meet the full cost of assessed care needs. Additional payments, sometimes known as top ups, should only be on the basis of clearly defined added value. The HPSS has no right of access to information about payments that are not part of its contracts with independent providers.
Clinical Negligence
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many clinical negligence complaints have been lodged in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and how many of those complaints have been resolved. [9131]
Mr. Woodward: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Consultants
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to issue guidance on effective commissioning for those in the public and voluntary sectors who are commissioning work from external consultants. [7027]
Angela E. Smith:
The Department of Finance and Personnel has recently issued new guidance, on the effective commissioning of work from external consultants. This is in the form of a Dear Accounting Officer letter (DAO 03/05) and is applicable throughout the public sector. A good practice guide on Finance and Governance in the Community and Voluntary Sector, prepared jointly by Government Departments and the sector, will be launched on 19 July. This refers the Community and Voluntary sector to relevant guidance on procurement and puts in place arrangements for funding bodies to support the sector in applying relevant guidelines.
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Electricity Costs
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average amount spent by each household in Northern Ireland on electricity was in the last year for which figures are available. [7835]
Angela E. Smith: The average household electricity bill in Northern Ireland for the year ended 31 March 2005 was £412.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment is continuing to work towards securing EU State aid approval of a proposed Government intervention aimed at reducing electricity prices. As an interim measure, £8.8 million of the available funding has been allocated to assist with energy efficiency measures which will have the effect of an average 1.5 per cent. reduction in electricity tariffs for all customers in the 2005–06 tariff year.
EU Presidency
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what activities and meetings are planned to take place in Northern Ireland in connection with the UK presidency of the European Union. [7099]
Angela E. Smith: Northern Ireland will host, on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, the Informal Meeting of EU Employment Ministers in Belfast on 7–9 July 2005.
Other events to be held will include: a meeting in Belfast of EU environmental attache"s on 24–27 July; a conference of EU paying agencies due to take place in Belfast on 13–14 October; a conference on the creative industries being staged in Belfast by a private organisation, Creative Clusters" on 26 October; and Opportunity Europe (26 September to 4 October), a programme of events designed to highlight the multiple links between Northern Ireland and the rest of Europe.
Free Bus Travel
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce free bus travel for people with disabilities in Northern Ireland. [9364]
Mr. Woodward: Blind people and war pensioners already receive free travel and other groups of people with disabilities are entitled to half fare travel. There are no plans to extend the provision of free fares.
Freedom of Information
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 have been made to each of the Northern Ireland Government Departments since the introduction of the legislation. [7094]
Angela E. Smith:
The following table sets out the number of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 made to each of the Northern Ireland Departments between the 1 January 2005 and 17 June 2005.
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(82)Figure includes requests made to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
(83)A further 98 requests for information were received by Northern Ireland Office (NIO) during the same period.
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