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11 Jul 2005 : Column 811W—continued
Social Housing
John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the forecast availability of (a) council and (b) registered social landlord social housing is in each year to 2010, broken down by Government Office region. [8891]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made any forecasts of availability of social housing up to 2010.
Following the Spending Review 2004 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimated that 75,000 additional social rented homes would be provided in England by 2007–08. The regional housing boards recommendations, being considered by Ministers, will inform the detailed investment priorities for 2006–07 and 2007–08.
Future delivery of social housing after 2007–08 will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review 2006.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Abandoned Vehicles
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by each council in Northern Ireland on clearing abandoned vehicles in each year since 1997. [11124]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested was not held centrally until 2002–03. For 2002–03 and 2003–04, the net expenditure incurred by district councils on clearing abandoned vehicles is set out in the following table. Information for 2004–05 is not yet available.
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Auction Marts
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of auction marts within Northern Ireland. [11123]
Angela E. Smith: I am aware that auction marts perform an important role within the agricultural industry in Northern Ireland. The future of such marts is a commercial issue for each mart operator taking account of the pattern of trade in live animals and statutory obligations in respect of animal health and welfare in the operation of their enterprises.
Avian Flu
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what precautionary measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of the avian influenza virus to Northern Ireland. [11127]
Angela E. Smith: If there is an outbreak of disease in an exporting country DARD takes appropriate emergency safeguard action in accordance with Community legislation. This may include a ban on imports of animals and animal products from all, or parts, of that country.
Safeguard measures in relation to Avian influenza (AI) were put in place for affected Asian countries in January 2004 and have since been extended to 30 September 2005. Restrictions were placed on South African imports in August 2004 and have now been extended to 31 December 2005.
The situation in affected countries is kept under review and controls on imports are modified in line with community decisions. Safeguard measures are currently in place to ban or restrict imports of animals, meat and other products of susceptible species in respect of highly pathogenic Avian influenza (HPAI) in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, the People's Republic of China, including the territory of Hong Kong, North Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and South Africa.
All poultry meat and birds imported into the EU from third countries must enter at designated border inspection posts where they are subject to veterinary inspections. All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks. These checks ensure that these import conditions are met. Northern Ireland
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has no border inspection posts approved to accept live poultry, although we can accept certain categories of frozen and chilled products for human consumption.
WHO is carefully monitoring the situation in South East Asia with regards to human cases of the disease. Northern Ireland maintains close links with the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency in England in order to ensure we have up to date information on global developments.
Since the SARS outbreak in early 2003, surveillance for 'flu' and 'flu-like' illnesses is carried out throughout the year by a network of 24 GP spotter practices. These GPs are requested to obtain appropriate clinical samples for laboratory analysis from patients presenting with clinical features of 'flu', particularly if there are links with South East Asia.
Bovine TB
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cattle herds in Northern Ireland were placed under movement restrictions as a result of bovine TB during (a) 2003 and (b) 2004 in each of the six counties. [11126]
Angela E. Smith: During 2003 and 2004, there were 12,184 and 13,572 cattle herds placed under movement restrictions as a result of bovine TB. The distribution of movement restrictions is not available by county. The increase in herd restrictions in 2004 reflects the measures introduced to deal with herds whose test had not taken place by the due date. There is clear evidence that the incidence of TB in Northern Ireland is decreasing.
Child Support Agency
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Child Support Agency (CSA) cases in Northern Ireland were being calculated under the new system for CSA payments on 1 July. [11356]
Mr. Hanson: The percentage of child support cases in Northern Ireland being assessed on the new computer system (CS2) under the new rules as of 1 July 2005 is 29.4 per cent. A further 17.7 per cent. are also being processed on the new system. However, these cases have been assessed using 'old scheme' legislation and will be maintained for a transitional period until such times as Ministers decide to convert all remaining 'old scheme' cases to the 'new rules'.
Common Agricultural Policy
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was spent within the delivery element of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of the Department's total expenditure was accounted for by common agricultural policy payments to individual farmers. [11118]
Angela E. Smith: The latest financial year for which audited accounts are available is 2003–04.
It has been assumed that the delivery element represents expenditure which is not classified as administration in estimates. On this basis expenditure on the delivery element totalled £354.2 million.
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Total expenditure by the Department in 2003–04 amounted to £471.2 million. The total common agricultural policy expenditure amounted to £205.8 million, giving a percentage of 43.7 per cent. The breakdown of this expenditure between individual farmers and other recipients is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Staff
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many days Department of Agriculture and Rural Development staff took off as sick leave on average in the last year for which figures are available. [11119]
Angela E. Smith: The last year for which official figures are available is the 2003–04 financial year and only relates to 3,875 non-industrial staff employed by DARD. During this period the statistics indicate that staff in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development took on average 12.4 days sick absence per staff year. DARD is currently in the process of obtaining official figures for circa 600 industrial staff, but these will not be available until later in the year.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what salary is paid to the (a) Permanent Secretary and (b) each of the Deputy Secretaries within the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development; and what level of expenses each received in 2004–05. [11121]
Angela E. Smith: The salary, including performance pay, of the Permanent Secretary and the Deputy Secretaries is published annually in the resource accounts of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The accounts for the 2004–05 financial year have not yet been published. They will be submitted for audit by 29 July 2005 and laid before Parliament by 31 October 2005.
As the salary information requested will be the subjectof future publication it falls within the scope of Section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Iam therefore unable at this time to provide you with salary details for 2004–05.
The only expenses paid to the Permanent Secretary and the Deputy Secretaries were for travel and subsistence. The following amounts were paid to the relevant officers during 2004–05.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed within the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development; and what the total wages bill was in 2004–05. [11122]
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Angela E. Smith: At 31 March 2005 a total of 4,286 staff were employed by the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development. The total wages bill for 2004–05 was £108,653,000.
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