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11 Jul 2005 : Column 815W—continued
Driving Tests
Dr. McCrea:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) passes and (b) failures
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of driving tests there were in each of the test centres within Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [11117]
Angela E. Smith: The number of driving test (a) passes and (b) failures at each of the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency's centres is provided in the following table:
Dyslexia
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been allocated to each education and library board to implement the Taskforce Group report proposals on dyslexia for (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2007–08; and what assessment he has made of the use to which such resources have so far been put. [11606]
Angela E. Smith: Additional earmarked allocations to the education and library boards for pupils with dyslexia were £60,000 per board in 2004–05 and £136,000 per board in 2005–06. This represents a total investment of £980,000 over the two years. It is planned to make further funding available in 2006–07 and 2007–08, but exact allocations for those years have yet to be determined.
The boards are asked to monitor this expenditure and to provide reports to the Department of Education on a six monthly basis. To date enhanced support, through the peripatetic and educational psychology services, has enabled waiting times to be reduced and increased numbers of children to be supported. Training for teachers in identification techniques and teaching strategies has also been extended.
Education and Library Expenditure
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will apply equality impact assessments to the recently announced changes in expenditure by the education and library boards, with particular reference to funding for English as an additional language support. [7048]
Angela E. Smith: The Department of Education will not be carrying out equality impact assessments in relation to any of the recently announced cutbacks in expenditure by the education and library boards, nor the reductions in funding made by the education and library boards for English as an additional language support.
Boards must consider carefully any reduction in their support for EAL Services as the additional funding provided to schools for this purpose through the common funding Formula is intended to supplement and not to replace board funding. Boards must be satisfied that the services they provide are sufficient to meet the needs of EAL pupils in their area. The change in EAL policy by the board may adversely affect children whose first language is not English and who are of a different race and could therefore place the board in contravention of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Boards are public authorities in their own right under the terms of the Act. Boards must advise the Department on the action they are taking to ensure the provision of adequate EAL services in their area.
Education Finance
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the recently announced additional funding of £12.5 million to education is to be divided between education and library boards; for what specific purposes within each Board the funding has been allocated; what the timescale for the availability of this funding is; and if he will make a statement. [11495]
Angela E. Smith:
Consideration is currently being given to the arrangements for distribution of the £12.5 million to the five Education Boards and the other education authorities. The funding will be allocated to special education, school meals, school maintenance, and to help deal with the impact of falling pupil numbers and support the Boards in developing shared services. It is planned to notify allocations for special education, school meals and maintenance before the beginning of the next school year. Allocations in relation to falling pupil numbers and shared services will be conditional on Boards bringing forward robust plans.
11 Jul 2005 : Column 817W
Electricity Expenditure
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average amount spent by a household in Northern Ireland on electricity was in the last two years. [11177]
Angela E. Smith: The average household electricity bill in Northern Ireland for the year ended 31 March 2004 was £410, and that 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.
Fuel Poverty
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to tackle fuel poverty in Northern Ireland. [11293]
Mr. Hanson: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave the hon. member for Belfast, North (Mr. Dodds) on 13 June 2005 in Official Report, column 4150W.
Public Sector Housing
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Government's house building target is for the South Antrim constituency in the public sector over the next five years. [11116]
Mr. Hanson: In the South Antrim constituency the public sector house building targets are as follows:
| Schemes | Number of houses | |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | 7 | 73 |
| 2006–07 | — | — |
| 2007–08 | 2 | 18 |
| 2008–09 | 2 | 16 |
| 2009–10 | 7 | 57 |
Reading
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the use of synthetic phonics in the teaching of reading in Northern Ireland's schools. [11342]
Angela E. Smith: The Belfast Education and Library Board has developed and trialled a linguistic phonics programme (which is similar to synthetic phonics) within schools its area in the period 2003 to 2005. Feedback from the initial study of the programme was positive and in 2005–06, as part of the Northern Ireland literacy strategy, it is being expanded across other board areas.
Secondary Education
Lady Hermon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been to date of
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the review of post-primary education, including the (a) Burns and (b) Costello report; and if he will make a statement. [11333]
Angela E. Smith: The Post-Primary Review was completed on 26 January 2004 when the Government announced they had accepted and were implementing the recommendations of the Post-Primary Review Working Group.
A total of £1,464,000 has been spent on the post-primary review as follows:
(a) £830,000 on research, the Post-Primary Review Body costs and the publication of the Burns report;
(c) £215,000 on costs of the Post-Primary Review Working Group and the publication and distribution of the Costello report.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many responses were received by the Department of Education in its consultation on admissions criteria; when he expects the analysis of responses to be concluded; and what the cost has been to date of the admissions criteria consultation exercise. [11334]
Angela E. Smith: The consultation on new admissions arrangements closed on 30 June and all the responses received are currently being processed. It is not yet possible to confirm the total number of responses but this figure should be available shortly. Analysis of responses will take place over the summer months and we will be endeavouring to complete this as soon as possible to inform decisions on the way forward. I will write to the hon. Member with further information as soon as this is available.
The cost of the consultation to date is £71,777.
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