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4 Jul 2005 : Column 198W—continued

Kidney Transplants

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are awaiting a kidney transplant in Northern Ireland, broken down by health trust; and how long each patient has been waiting. [9128]

Mr. Woodward: There are currently 261 people waiting for kidney transplants at Northern Ireland hospitals.

A breakdown of this figure by health trust is not available.

Transplantation is very much dependent upon the availability of suitable donor organs which can be matched to the potential recipient. The average waiting time at present for a kidney transplant is 2.5 years.

Mackie's Site, West Belfast

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by (a) Invest Northern Ireland and (b) other Government agencies and departments in respect of the road layout in the Mackie's site in West Belfast; when such works were ordered to begin; and who gave the authority for such work to begin. [7850]

Angela E. Smith: It is extremely difficult to make a meaningful separation of the roads element of this major civil engineering project which also includes earthworks, embankments and services. The total cost of the project is £2.7 million. The contractor was appointed on 30 March 2004 following ministerial approval for the project on 20 May 2003.

NHS Dentistry

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of people are registered with an NHS dentist in each board area in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [8777]

Mr. Woodward: Information requested is provided in the following table.
Percentage of persons registered with an NHS dentist by HSS board, May 2005


HSS board
Percentage of persons registered with an NHS dentist(84)(5507970085)
Eastern52.0
Northern53.0
Southern55.0
Western44.0


(84)Figures are derived from dental registration data and the 2003 mid-year estimate of population (latest available from General Registrar Northern Ireland).
(85)Figures are based on HSS board of residency of the patient.
Source:
Central Services Agency



Registration with a dentist is entirely voluntary and in itself is not an accurate measurement of the numbers of people who receive dental treatment. However, the fact
 
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that someone is registered with a general dental practice and attends for check-ups means that they will benefit from oral health advice and problems can be picked up more quickly and before intervention is required.

Parade Application

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the office of the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland received the legal opinion about Parade Application Form 11/1. [9134]

Mr. Woodward: The Chief Constable received the legal opinion about Parade Application 11/1 on 6 June 2005.

Paramedic Services

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to introduce NHS car/motorcycle paramedic services in Northern Ireland as an alternative to the use of the traditional ambulance; and if he will make a statement. [8774]

Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service currently deploys six rapid response vehicles manned by single paramedics to provide treatment in life-threatening cases until a conventional ambulance arrives to transport the patient to hospital if necessary. There are no plans to introduce a motorcycle paramedic service in Northern Ireland.

The Department is currently considering the Department of Health's strategic review of NHS ambulance services in England, Taking Healthcare to the Patient—Transforming NHS Ambulance Services" published last week, which announces changes in the way ambulances deliver care in England, to determine to what extent its recommendations are relevant to Northern Ireland.

Rates Revenue

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total revenue from (a) the regional rates and (b) district rates in Northern Ireland was in each year since 2001. [7101]

Angela E. Smith: The following table shows the rate revenue generated from the regional rate and the district rate in Northern Ireland for each year since 2001.
£

Regional rateDistrict rate
2001–02324,774,999242,607,628
2002–03345,824,458260,491,333
2003–04368,618,570284,367,910
2004–05n/an/a




n/a=Not available until October 2005



Restorative Justice Schemes

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on restorative justice schemes in Northern Ireland. [9133]


 
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Mr. Hanson: Government have been working with local community restorative justice organisations to develop guidelines to enable the operation of an accredited community based restorative justice scheme. The scheme would enable local community-based initiatives to deal with low level crime, in line with the recommendations in the Criminal Justice Review.

Guidelines will require the upholding of individual human rights, participation with criminal justice organisations including the police, accreditation and adherence to agreed standards.

Schools

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils resident in the Belfast Education and Library Board area have attended schools outside that area in each year since 2001. [7841]

Angela E. Smith: The information in respect of post-primary pupils is as follows:
Number
2000–013,189
2001–023,099
2002–033,052
2003–043,036
2004–053,007

The information is currently not collected for primary schools or special schools.

Visually Impaired People

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are registered as visually impaired in Northern Ireland; what services are available for people who are visually impaired; what steps he is taking to improve provision; and if he will make a statement. [8112]

Mr. Woodward: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety holds records of those who are blind and partially sighted who have been in contact with Health and Social Services Trusts. Latest figures available for 2003–04 indicate that there are: 2,273 people who are blind, 3,122 people who are partially sighted giving a total of 5,395 people who are either blind or partially sighted.

New certification and registration procedures introduced in April 2005 will ensure that those with serious visual impairment are fast tracked towards relevant social services support within their Health and Social Services Trust. In addition there are comprehensive peripatetic low vision outreach services across the whole province. Other specialist services are available for children and special needs patients. There is also a network of sensory support teams, including social services, which regularly meet to discuss needs and future service delivery.

Northern Ireland is also participating in clinical trials for new drug therapies for Age Related Macular Degeneration. It is thought that Belfast is the only United Kingdom centre for one of these trials. Queens University in Belfast is one of three centres in the whole of the United Kingdom that provides analysis of eye
 
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angiograms through a central angiographic facility. Data from this facility is used to inform state-of-the-art diagnosis for macular degeneration.

The Department's Social Services Inspectorate launched its report Challenge and Change" about services for adults with a sensory loss. That report will help inform service development of sensory services in the medium to longer term in both the statutory and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland.


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