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9 Nov 2005 : Column 578W—continued

Call Centres

Mr. Laws: To ask the Solicitor-General how many call centres were run by the Law Officers' Department and its agencies in (a) 2003–04, (b) 2004–05 and (c) 2005–06 to date; and how many and what proportion of calls (i) were handled by an adviser, (ii) were received but abandoned and (iii) received an engaged tone. [23296]

The Solicitor-General: None of the Departments for which I am responsible runs a call centre.
 
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Literacy and Numeracy

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Solicitor-General how much his Department spent on in-house training on (a) literacy and (b) numeracy (i) in total and (ii) per head, in each year since 2002. [23436]

The Solicitor-General: Of the Departments for which I am responsible, only one has run specific in-house training on literacy and numeracy in the period specified. The figures for the SFO are shown in tabular form as follows. Included in the literacy figures is the cost of running courses on effective writing and business writing. The numeracy figures cover the cost of running courses on financial management.
SFO spend on in-house literacy training

£
Financial year	Total cost	Cost per head
2002–03	2,475	9.5
2003–04	1,329	5
2004–05	1,930	7
2005–06	7,720	26

SFO spend on in-house numeracy training

£
Financial year	Total cost	Cost per head
2002–03	15,000	58
2003–04	7,500	30
2004–05	8,500	29
2005–06	17,000	57

Note:
The figures for 2005–06 are the anticipated spend for this financial year.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Staff

Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many full-time equivalent employee reductions (a) were achieved in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06 as a result of the Gershon review in her Department; what (i) cost savings relating to IT projects and (ii) total efficiency savings (A) were achieved in 2004–05 and (B) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06 as a result of that review; and if she will make a statement. [25916]

Bridget Prentice: There were no headcount reductions planned for 2004–05. By March 2007–08, the Department will have reduced its headcount by 1,100. Progress towards this will be reported in the Department's autumn performance report.

There were no planned cost savings relating to IT projects for 2004–05. By 2007–08 the Department will deliver IT project-related savings of £3 million. Progress towards this £3 million saving will be reported in the Department's autumn performance report.

There were no planned efficiency gains for 2004–05. DCA will deliver savings of £292 million by March 2007–08. While there is no intermediate target for 2005–06, progress towards the £292 million target will be reported in the Department's autumn performance report.
 
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Relocation

Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people in her Department (a) were relocated in 2004–05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005–06 as a result of Sir Michael Lyons' independent review of public sector relocation; to which locations they have been relocated; and if she will make a statement. [25912]

Bridget Prentice: There were no planned DCA relocations for 2004–05 or 2005–06 under the Lyons review.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Ambulance Service

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects ambulance control centres at (a) Altnagelvin, (b) Antrim and (c) Craigavon to close. [24909]

Mr. Woodward: The new regional Emergency Ambulance Despatch Centre, located at Knockbracken Healthcare Park, will open on 23 November 2005. It is planned that Emergency Despatch staff from Antrim will transfer to Knockbracken in January 2006, from Craigavon in February 2006 and from Altnagelvin in March 2006.

The control facility at Altnagelvin will not close as it will become the Regional Patient Care Despatch Centre from April 2006. Antrim and Craigavon Controls will close at this time when Patient Care Despatch staff move to Altnagelvin.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what equality impact assessment was conducted in relation to closure of ambulance control centres at (a) Altnagelvin, (b) Antrim and (c) Craigavon. [24910]

Mr. Woodward: Proposals for the reconfiguration of ambulance control were originally made in the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's response to the 2000 Strategic Review of Ambulance Services. The Strategic Review Implementation Plan outlined proposals to move from four control centres to two and this document was subject to public consultation. At the same time an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) was published to inform this policy development. The departmental response to consultation, which included replies to points raised by the EQIA questionnaire, was published in May 2002.

The business case for the reconfiguration of control fully considered the new TSN implications of the move to two control centres.

Altnagelvin Control will remain open, dealing with non-emergency calls and providing a back-up to the emergency control, which will be centralised at Knockbracken.

Assets Recovery Agency

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been allocated in each year of its operation to the budget of the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland. [25168]

 
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Mr. Woodward: The annual share allocation of the Assets Recovery Agency's baseline budget to the Northern Ireland Branch is a matter for the Director of the Assets Recovery Agency. A significant increase in funding was allocated this year.

The budget allocation for ARA in Northern Ireland since 2003/2004 is set out in the following table:

	£ million
2003–04	2.071
2004–05	2.326
2005–06	3.24

Attacks on Teachers

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many parents have been prosecuted for attacks on teachers in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [25765]

Angela E. Smith: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1234W.

Breast Cancer

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in the Province in the last 12 months were tested for their suitability for Trastuzumab at the point of diagnosis. [24911]

Mr. Woodward: All patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in Northern Ireland are tested for their suitability for Trastuzumab.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women have been given Trastuzumab in the Province in the early stages of breast cancer in the last 12 months. [24913]

Mr. Woodward: Five women in Northern Ireland have been given Trastuzumab for early stage breast cancer as part of the clinical trial. No women in Northern Ireland in the early stages of breast cancer have been given Trastuzumab through public funding.

Trastuzumab has not yet been licensed for the treatment of early stage breast cancer. It has also not yet been evaluated by NICE. In these circumstances I would not expect Trastuzumab to be available on the HPSS in Northern Ireland for patients with early stage breast cancer until further evidence on the safety, quality and effectiveness of the drug is available.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many early stage breast cancer patients in the Province have requested Trastuzumab but been refused in the last 12 months. [24914]

Mr. Woodward: Information is not available on the number of patients with early stage breast cancer in Northern Ireland who have requested Trastuzumab but been refused.

Trastuzumab has not yet been licensed for the treatment of early stage breast cancer. It has also not yet been evaluated by NICE. In these circumstances I would not expect Trastuzumab to be available in Northern
 
9 Nov 2005 : Column 582W
 
Ireland on the HPSS for patients with early stage breast cancer until further evidence on the safety, quality and effectiveness of the drug is available.

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women have been given Trastuzumab in the Province for advanced breast cancer in the last 12 months. [24915]

Mr. Woodward: I refer the hon. Lady to my answer of 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 1111W.

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