| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1223W—continued
Education
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve parental involvement in education in Northern Ireland. [22802]
Angela E. Smith: There is significant parental involvement in schools in Northern Ireland through involvement with Boards of Governors of schools and on an individual basis parents are encouraged to take an active interest in their child's education, and recent legislation provides increased rights and avenues for parental involvement.
New regulations on School Development Plans require the extent to which the Board of Governors has consulted with parents in the preparation of the school development plan must be included in the plan.
In the area of pupil services the Department has made funding available to the Education and Library Boards to support work with parents. One Board is employing a Parent Support Officer and two Boards are piloting a home/school/community project.
The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 (SENDO) provides parents with increased rights to have their children with special educational needs educated in mainstream schools, where that is their wish. The new Advice and
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1224W
Information Service and the Dispute Avoidance and Resolution Service provided by Educational and Library Boards for parents of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), will provide parents with more SEN related information and a voluntary, informal and independent means of resolving disputes between parents and schools and/or Boards.
The Department plans to issue a new SEN Parents Guide in the coming months and the Department will commence a strategic review of SEN policy in December which will involve engaging with key stakeholders including parents.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Belfast Education and Library Board paid for the services of a consultant from Pricewaterhouse Coopers to fill its chief financial officer post; and whether the cost was shown in the accounts for 2004–05 submitted to the Department of Education. [21795]
Angela E. Smith: The Board negotiated a secondment from PricewaterhouseCoopers for the period 13 September 2004 to 28 October 2005. In 2004–05, the cost incurred was £38,000. This was included in the 2004–05 accounts. I am told that the cost in 2005–06 is £40,600 and this will again be shown in the year-end accounts for this financial year.
Energy Efficiency
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of electricity used by buildings in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies came from renewable sources in each year since 1997. [17738]
Mr. Hain: From April 2004 the percentage of electricity supplied from renewable sources to NIO buildings in the Stormont Estate, NIPS and FSNI was 25 per cent., 23 per cent., and 7 per cent. respectively.
For previous years the comparable figures were as follows:
| 2003 | 2002 | |
|---|---|---|
| NIO | 20 | 0 |
| NIPS | 18 | 0 |
| FSNI | 0.4 | 1.2 |
Note:
For 2001 and earlier years the figures are NIL
These buildings represent the key buildings in the NIO estate. The national sustainable development target for renewable energy is 10 per cent. by 2008.
This answer only applies to the Northern Ireland Office and not to the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration.
Football Grounds (Arrests)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were charged following arrest in or around football grounds in each of the last 10 years. [22816]
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1225W
Mr. Woodward: The following table details the number of people charged in relation to crimes where the location was a football venue during the period 2001–02 to 2004–05 (2001–02 being the earliest date for which this information is available).
| Charge/summons | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 17 |
| 2002–03 | 14 |
| 2003–04 | 11 |
| 2004–05 | 14 |
Illegal Fireworks
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many illegal fireworks were seized in Northern Ireland in the last five years. [24156]
Mr. Woodward: The Chief Constable has advised me that the PSNI does not hold this information centrally. It could therefore be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mobile Phones
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance has been issued by his Department to schools in the Province in relation to mobile phone use by children. [22657]
Angela E. Smith: The Department of Education has not issued guidance to schools in relation to the use of mobile phones by children in schools.
However, in 2001 the N. I. Executive, in conjunction with the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales, issued a public leaflet on mobile phones and health. It is available on the DHSSPS website www.dhsspsni.gov.uk.
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to implement National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations in Northern Ireland. [23348]
Mr. Woodward: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has been developing proposals for applying National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance in Northern Ireland. I hope to make an announcement shortly on arrangements for implementing the Institute's guidance in Northern Ireland.
NHS Agency Staff
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to reduce the number of agency staff working in the NHS in Northern Ireland. [23195]
Mr. Woodward:
The recruitment of staff is a matter for individual health and social services trusts taking into account factors such as needs and available resources. While the use of agency staff, particularly in
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1226W
nursing, is necessary to ensure continuity of services, the Department wishes to reduce the current levels and is already working to address this issue.
The Department is introducing pay modernisation through Agenda for Change to make working as an employee of the HPSS more attractive. In particular, the number of nurses in training has increased by more than 60 per cent. over recent years. As a result, it is expected that this investment in additional student nurses will reduce the number of agency staff required.
Northern Bank Robbery
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people (a) are working on the investigation into the Northern bank robbery and (b) have been questioned in connection with the Northern bank robbery. [22993]
Mr. Woodward: A dedicated team of detectives have been allocated to the investigation into the Northern bank robbery. The investigation is ongoing and PSNI are working closely with their counterparts in An Garda Siochana.
Progress has been made and PSNI are fully committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Additional officers may be brought into the investigation as new leads emerge but the allocation of resources is a matter for the chief constable.
To date no one has been interviewed in relation to the robbery.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been involved in investigating the Northern Bank robbery in each month since it took place, broken down by rank. [23570]
Mr. Woodward: A dedicated team of detectives, headed by a Detective Superintendent, have been allocated to the investigation into the Northern Bank robbery. The investigation is ongoing and PSNI are working closely with their counterparts in An Garda S-"ocha"na.
Additional resources have been brought into the investigation to pursue specific lines of inquiry and can be called upon as new leads emerge but the allocation of resources is matter for the Chief Constable. Progress has been made and PSNI are fully committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |