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18 Jul 2005 : Column 1390W—continued

Speech/Occupational Therapists

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time (a) in Northern Ireland and (b) in respect of each health and social services board was between (i) a child and (ii) an adult being referred to (A) a speech therapist and (B) an occupational therapist and the date of that person's appointment in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [12382]

Mr. Woodward: Information on average waiting times for speech and language therapy and occupational therapy is not collected centrally. Information is, however, available on the time from referral to first appointment with a community speech and language therapist and from referral to commencement of assessment by a community occupational therapist, according to time band. The figures are available for adults and children together in respect of speech and language therapy and for adults only in respect of occupational therapy. The information is shown in the following tables for the position during the quarter ending 31 December 2004, the latest date for which such information is available.
Persons attending first appointment with speech and language therapist, quarter ending 31 December 2004

Time waited for appointment
Health and Social
Services Board
Under 3 months3 to under
6 months
6 months and overTotal
Eastern907191471,145
Northern6659541801
Southern373162126661
Western293768377
Northern Ireland2,2385242222,984




Note:
Information is for adults and children.




 
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Persons receiving first assessment by occupational therapist, quarter ending 31 December 2004—Priority cases

Time waited for assessment
Health and Social
Services Board
Under 2 weeks2 weeks to under 1 month1 month and overTotal
Eastern1,5115582902,359
Northern7722094881,469
Southern1,1232821201,525
Western15587204446
Northern Ireland3,5611,1361,1025,799




Note:
Information is for adults (aged 19 and over) only.




Persons receiving first assessment by occupational therapist, quarter ending 31 December 2004—Non-priority cases

Time waited for assessment
Health and Social
Services Board
Under 2 weeks2 weeks to under 1 month1 month and overTotal
Eastern1,4573023642,123
Northern60496167867
Southern9320254367
Western6021297378
Northern Ireland2,2144391,0823,735




Note:
Information is for adults (aged 19 and over) only.



Substance Misuse

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide further funding to establish projects in Northern Ireland for young people suffering as a result of substance misuse. [11348]


 
18 Jul 2005 : Column 1392W
 

Mr. Woodward: There are no plans to provide further funding to establish projects for young people.

There are already a number of projects funded through the Northern Ireland Drug and Alcohol Campaign, which provide services for young people who may be directly or indirectly affected by substance misuse. These projects provide a range of services including education and prevention; diversionary activities and counselling and mentoring services.

Tyrone County Hospital

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of otorhinolarynology services at Tyrone county hospital. [11769]

Mr. Woodward: The otorhinolarynology service provided by Sperrin Lakeland Trust includes ENT services and is currently based at Tyrone county hospital (TCH). In-patient and day case services are delivered from TCH with out-patient services delivered from both the Erne and Tyrone county hospitals. The service also provides cover to Cavan/Monaghan hospitals.

The vast majority of otorhinolarynology procedures are performed on a day case basis and the future model for these services envisages that TCH will continue to provide both out-patient and day case services. These services will operate as part of a larger, area-wide network for the provision of otorhinolarynology services with in-patient services provided at the most appropriate acute hospital within the network. Such a network will greatly enhance the potential to recruit staff to local services and will ensure that patients are seen by the right person in the right place as quickly as possible.
 
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EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adoption

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were placed for adoption in each year since 1983, broken down by age; how many of these children were placed for adoption while in local authority care; and how many were placed without parental consent. [10974]

Maria Eagle: The following table shows the number of looked after children placed for adoption since 1994, the earliest year for which information is available. Information is not collected centrally on the number of looked after children that were placed for adoption without parental consent.
Children looked after who were placed for adoption at 31 March by age. 1994 to 2004(17)(5508050018): England
Numbers

Placed for adoption
199419951996199719981999
All children(18)2,2002,2002,2002,4002,4002,900
Under 1180160140110180160
1–47808509701,2001,2001,600
5–9850830780820810930
10–15360330320300190170
16 and over201020101020

Placed for adoption
20002001200220032004
All children(18)3,1003,4003,6003,4003,300
Under 1280210280220220
1–41,6001,8001,8001,7001,600
5–91,1001,2001,2001,3001,200
10–15200220230240190
16 and over1010101010


(17)Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.
(18)Figures over 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 100. All other figures have been rounded to the nearest10.
Source:
DfES



Children's Services (Funding)

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of GDP was spent on children's services in England in the last period for which figures are available. [11795]

Beverley Hughes: Expenditure on children's services in England in 2003–04 was £5.4 billion, which equates to 0.48 per cent. of GDP.

This figure does not include expenditure on education services, local government formula spending on youth services or children's services funded by other Government Departments.

Further information, including forecast expenditure for future years and expenditure on education services, can be found in the Department for Education and Skills departmental report for 2005, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
 
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City Academies

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence her Department has collated on the cost-effectiveness of academies. [7979]

Jacqui Smith: We recently published PricewaterhouseCoopers' Second Annual Report from the Evaluation of the Academies Programme, which demonstrated that academies are overwhelmingly popular with parents and pupils, and that they have made a significant difference to the teaching and learning culture from their predecessors. Cost effectiveness is one of the indicators we expect that PwC will analyse as the five year study progresses, but it is important to note that academies are funded at the same level as other schools. Their recurrent funding is calculated on the same basis as other local schools and their capital costs are calculated using the same benchmarks as for other new schools.

Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding from the private sector has been brought into the state education system as a result of the establishment of city academies. [12538]

Jacqui Smith: Sponsors provide 10 per cent., up to a cap of £2 million, towards the capital costs for each academy, with the Government providing the balance and funding all recurrent costs. For the 17 academies currently open, and the 10 opening this September, the current expected total of private sponsors' contributions amounts to an additional investment in state education of £44 million. That figure rises to £69 million when including sponsors' contributions for the eight other academy projects opening in 2006 and 2007 which already have funding agreements in place.


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