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2 Nov 2005 : Column 1219W—continued
Bombs (South Belfast)
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the two bombs that were recently made safe in South Belfast. [22942]
Mr. Woodward: On 16 October 2005 the Samaritans and BBC Northern Ireland were contacted and given a bomb warning. A coded message warned of a mortar type device intended for a prestigious target having been abandoned at the junction of Malone Road and Newforge Lane, Belfast in South Belfast. This was immediately passed to police.
A planned search resulted in the find of one suspicious object that was declared a viable Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and which was made safe by army technical officers.
During a daylight follow up operation search conducted on 17 October 2005, police found a second device in undergrowth approximately one metre from the site of the first device. This was subsequently declared a viable device of similar construction to the first and as such was made safe. Both devices await forensic examination.
On 19 October 2005 the Irish News was contacted with a further statement regarding the devices at Newforge Lane, Belfast. The caller claimed responsibility on behalf of Continuity IRA and stated that the alleged target of the attack had been a senior police officer.
PSNI Serious Crime Branch is conducting an investigation into the devices. Inquiries to date have not identified a specific target against whom these devices were intended to be used.
Breast Cancer
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the target waiting time is in Northern Ireland for patients' first appointment with a specialist after an urgent referral by their general practitioner for suspected breast cancer. [22796]
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Mr. Woodward: In Northern Ireland, patients with suspected breast cancer are expected to be assessed by a specialist within two weeks of urgent referral by their GP. This two-week target for breast cancer patients was introduced in August 2000.
Conviction Rates
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2005, Official Report, columns 1219–20W, how many of the arrests in each district command unit area resulted in a conviction. [22884]
Mr. Hain: The Chief Constable has advised me that the Police Service of Northern Ireland do not collect information on the number of arrests from CCTV cameras which result in a conviction. North Belfast District Command Unit, for internal management reasons, has collected data for North Belfast. This information was given in the answer of 20 October 2005, Official Report, columns 1219–20W.
Departmental Refurbishment
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what action is being taken to ensure that refurbishment projects in his Department will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each project concerning such procurement; [18382]
(2) whether his Department's procurement policy includes reference to sustainable grown timber used in the construction of departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement; [18383]
(3) what plans his Department has to fund the maintenance of the central point of expertise on timber. [18385]
Mr. Hain: For departmental refurbishment and building contracts in the NIO a standard timber procurement clause is applied which requires that:
timber (including timber for wood based products) be obtained from well managed forests and/or plantations in accordance with;
international agreements such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES).
Documentary evidence (which has been or can be independently verified) regarding the provenance of all timber supplied and evidence that suppliers have adopted and are implementing a formal environmental purchasing policy for timber and wood based products must also be provided.
The Department has no plans to fund the central point of expertise on timber.
This answer only applies to the Northern Ireland Office and not to the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.
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Departmental Staff (Annual Leave)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average annual leave entitlement of staff in his Department was in each of the last three years. [22995]
Mr. Woodward: The leave entitlement for staff in the Northern Ireland Office is set out in the Northern Ireland civil service and Home civil service staff handbooks. Leave entitlement is directly related to grade and length of service. The following table sets out the annual leave entitlement of staff. This has remained unchanged over the last three years.
Discharged Patients (Deaths)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people died within seven days of their discharge from general acute in-patient or day care in each Northern Ireland health board area since 1995. [22791]
Mr. Woodward: Information is not available.
Dyslexia and Dyspraxia
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school children there are with dyslexia or dyspraxia in each (i) constituency and (ii) council district in Northern Ireland. [23364]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is as follows:
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Notes:
1. Primary figures relate to pupils in year 1 to year 7 only.
2. Figures relate to the area in which schools attended by pupils are located.
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1223W
Notes:
1. Primary figures relate to pupils in year 1 to year 7 only.
2. Figures relate to the area in which schools attended by pupils are located.
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