| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
26 Oct 2005 : Column 420W—continued
Nursery Education
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children attended nursery units attached to (a) state controlled, (b) Catholic maintained and (c) integrated primary schools in each of the past 10 years. [19942]
Angela E Smith: The information requested is as follows:
(22) Pupils in nursery units attached to 'other maintained' primary schools, have not been included.
26 Oct 2005 : Column 421W
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much investment has been allocated by the Department of Education to nursery units attached to (a) state controlled, (b) Catholic maintained and (c) integrated primary schools in Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years. [20160]
Angela E Smith: Under the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme Capital Scheme the amount of funding allocated to nursery units attached to statutory primary schools was as follows:
| Financial year | Controlled | Catholic maintained | Integrated primary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 64 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999–2000 | 167 | 510 | 32 |
| 2000–01 | 1,195 | 1,935 | 328 |
| 2001–02 | 1,366 | 1,697 | 206 |
| 2002–03 | 1,210 | 1,564 | 162 |
| 2003–04 | 786 | 1,071 | 0 |
| 2004–05 | 220 | 200 | 0 |
The above information does not take account of investment in nursery units where these formed an integral part of a major capital work for a primary school. It is not possible to identify separately the level of such investment for the nursery element. Capital investment in nurseries prior to 1998 was not identified separately from investment in primary schools and, therefore, the information is not available for earlier years.
Organ Donation
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to increase public awareness of organ donor programmes. [21627]
Mr. Woodward: Responsibility for the organ donor register and raising public awareness of organ donor programmes rests with NHS blood and transplant (formerly UK Transplant). They organise national publicity campaigns, which are also run in Northern Ireland. These are supplemented at local and regional level by publicity organised through the Department of Health, social services and public safety and the transplant co-ordinators based in Belfast City hospital.
Following on from the Life's Amazing, Pass It On" campaign in 2004 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the organ donor register, 510 local pharmacies have agreed to display copies of a Signed Up Yet?" leaflet in a joint initiative between Northern Ireland's pharmaceutical contractors' committee and NHS blood
26 Oct 2005 : Column 422W
and transplant. A major publicity campaign is also being organised for December 2005 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the world's first successful cornea transplant.
The success in raising public awareness locally is demonstrated by the increase in the percentage of the Northern Ireland population who are now members of the organ donor register: 17.7 percent. as compared to 9 percent. in 2003.
Oversea Students
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many overseas students studied at Northern Ireland's universities in each of the past five years. [20647]
Angela E Smith: The number of enrolments at NI Higher Education Institutions by students whose domicile was recorded as a country outside the UK or Republic of Ireland for the past five years are set out in the following table.
| Domicile | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic year | EU (excluding UK and RoI) | Other overseas | Total |
| 1999/2000 | 659 | 887 | 1,546 |
| 2000/01 | 363 | 1,261 | 1,624 |
| 2001/02 | 311 | 1,358 | 1,669 |
| 2002/03 | 397 | 1,476 | 1,873 |
| 2003/04 | 381 | 1,553 | 1,934 |
Source:
HESA
Patient Choice
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on Government policies to increase choice for NHS patients in Northern Ireland. [21351]
Mr. Woodward: On 4 July I announced a major programme of reform to address Northern Ireland's unacceptable waiting times. As part of this announcement, I indicated my intention to make greater use of the independent sector. Experience locally and in the rest of the United Kingdom has shown that independent sector providers can offer additional choice to patients as well as providing an opportunity to showcase new and innovative ways of working.
Later this year, the Department will also announce more detailed plans to reform the delivery of outpatient services.
The Department is also working to promote choice and independence in social care. The extension of the direct payments scheme will provide service users and carers with opportunities to choose both the services they need and how they access them.
Romania (Adoptions)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many adoptions from Romania home study assessments have been carried out in each of the last 10 years. [20534]
26 Oct 2005 : Column 423W
Mr. Woodward: All adoptions from Romania in the last 10 years have had a home study assessment carried out. The number of adoptions in each year is set out in the following table.
| Number of adoptions | |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 0 |
| 1996 | 0 |
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
School Nurses/Dentists
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to ensure that every child in Northern Ireland has access to (a) school nurse and (b) community dentist. [20648]
Mr. Woodward: School nursing services are provided by all community health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland. The service is provided to all schools, except a very small number of voluntary and independent grammar schools, which fall outside the statutory requirement for service provision. In addition, a number of schools employ nurses as part of their team to provide first aid and support pupils.
Every child in Northern Ireland has access to health service dentistry. The health service provides a full range of dental services through general dental practitioners working in the general dental service. The role of the community dental service is not to provide universal access to treatment but to facilitate patients who are otherwise unable to obtain treatment through the general dental service. It also carries out dental screening of schoolchildren, dental education and prevention programmes and monitoring and planning of local dental services.
Schools
Mrs. Iris Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the South Eastern
26 Oct 2005 : Column 424W
Education and Library Board has for the merging of Dundonald High School and Knockbreda High School. [20509]
Angela E. Smith: I have been advised that the South-Eastern Education and Library Board has currently no plans to amalgamate Dundonald High and Knockbreda High Schools.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils attended (a) state controlled, (b) Catholic maintained and (c) integrated secondary schools in Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years. [19944]
Angela E Smith: The information requested is as follows:
(23) Data for pupils at 'other maintained' secondary schools and at grammar schools have been excluded.
(24) Includes both controlled integrated schools and grant maintained integrated schools.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much investment has been allocated by the Department of Education to (a) state controlled, (b) Catholic maintained and (c) integrated primary schools in Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years. [20161]
Angela E Smith: The following table sets out the capital investment for major works allocated by the Department of Education for primary schools in the state controlled, Catholic maintained and integrated sectors, for each of the 10 financial years from 1995–96 to 2004–05. The investment figures take account of nursery units where these were an integral part of the major capital work for the primary school. It is not possible to provide separate figures for the primary school element.
26 Oct 2005 : Column 425W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |