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9 Nov 2005 : Column 585W—continued
Integrated Schools
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many integrated (a) primary and (b) post primary schools are planned in each education and library board area over the next three years. [25015]
Angela E. Smith: There are four development proposals for new grant-maintained integrated (GMI) schools to receive funding with effect from September 2006. No decisions have yet been taken on any of the proposals.
Integrated schools can also be established through the transformation of existing schools. The Department is aware of one primary school in the South-Eastern education and library board area which is in the early stages of a parental ballot to determine whether that school would seek transformation to controlled integrated status. No formal timetable has yet been established.
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The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) assists the development of GMI schools through support to established parental steering groups. The Department has been informed by NICIE that the following proposals are expected for 2007:
NICIE are not currently aware of any plans to establish integrated schools in 2008.
Lysosomal Storage Disorders
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made in the Province for sufferers of lysosomal storage disorders; and what estimate he has made of the number of people in the Province who suffer from lysosomal storage disorders. [24920]
Mr. Woodward: Information on the number of individuals in the Province suffering from lysosomal storage disorders is not available centrally, however hospital admission information is available. In 2004–05, there were 124 admissions to hospital for patients with this condition. Patients can be admitted more than once over the course of the year and these 124 admissions related to 39 individuals.
Mental Health
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of health spending in the Province was allocated to mental health (a) services and (b) promotion in each of the last five years. [24864]
Mr. Woodward: The percentage of health and social services spent by HSS boards on the provision of mental health services is given as follows. Information on mental health promotion is not separately identified.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 8.43 |
| 2000–01 | (20)— |
| 2001–02 | 8.06 |
| 2002–03 | 7.70 |
| 2003–04 | 7.66 |
(20) Not available
Pensioners
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners in Northern Ireland are being held awaiting deportation. [21631]
Mr. McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
There are no immigration detainees of pensionable age being held in Northern Ireland for the purposes of removal or deportation from the UK.
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Police Service (Religious Affiliation)
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what time scale is planned for the ending of selection by religious affiliation for recruitment for the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [25019]
Mr. Woodward: The temporary 50:50 recruitment measures are being applied as a response to the imperative of achieving a Police Service in Northern Ireland that is more representative of the community that it serves. Our goal, in line with the Patten Report, is to achieve a 30 per cent. Catholic composition among officers by 2010–11. As we are on target to achieve this goal, we do not foresee that these measures will be applied after this time.
These provisions are subject to review and possible renewal every three years, next due in March 2007, when the policy will be subject to detailed review, extensive consultation, and debate in both houses.
PR Consultancies
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list (a) communications, (b) public relations and (c) media consultancy firms which have been contracted to each Northern Ireland Government Department and agency in the last 10 years; and how much each has been paid; [24787]
(2) how much was spent by each Government Department in Northern Ireland on printing public documents in the last five years. [24788]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested by the hon. Gentleman is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Pupil: Teacher Ratios
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to employ more teachers to reduce pupil to teacher ratios in Northern Ireland. [25762]
Angela E. Smith: Under Local Management of Schools arrangements decisions on the number of teachers to be employed and their deployment within a school are matters for the Boards of Governors of each individual school, taking account of the level of resources available.
The recently announced Budget 2005 proposals provide for current expenditure on Education to increase by over £100 million—from £1,567 million in 2005–06 to £1,673 million in 2007–08.
Resource-releasing Savings
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was redistributed through resource-releasing savings by (a) all Northern Ireland Departments and (b) by each Department, agency and non-departmental public body in Northern Ireland in 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [25839]
Angela E. Smith:
No money was redistributed through resource-releasing savings in 2004–05.
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A target for efficiency savings of 2.5 per cent. per year was set for the public sector in Northern Ireland for the period 2005–06 to 2007–08.
Respite Care
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to improve respite services for severely disabled young adults within the Eastern Health and Social Services Board area. [24867]
Mr. Woodward: The Eastern Health and Social Services Board currently provides a wide range of respite opportunities for disabled young adults and are working to develop more flexible and innovative respite provision for young disabled adults.
Schools
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment the Department of Education has made of the effects on school building programmes of the use of private finance initiative schemes. [25783]
Angela E. Smith: The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) has an important role to play in delivering investment in school building programmes across the UK. It should only be used where it offers value for money. In Northern Ireland, PFI schemes have helped the Department of Education to announce larger capital programmes each year. Since 2001, PFI projects covering 30 schools with an estimated capital value in excess of £300 million have been announced.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils are enrolled at each primary school in the Province. [25774]
Angela E. Smith: The information has been placed in the Library.
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many whole-time equivalent (a) teachers and (b) other staff are employed at each primary school in the Province. [25775]
Angela E. Smith: The information is as follows:
(a) The information on full-time equivalent teachers in each primary school in 2004–05 has been placed in the Library.
(b) The information on non-teaching staff employed in each primary school is not immediately available, but has been requested from the education and library boards, and I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.
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