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Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in numbers of residents aged 85 years and over living in Northern Ireland has been since 1995. [27395]
Angela E. Smith: The following table gives the official estimate of the population of Northern Ireland of residents aged 85 years and over, at 30 June 1995 and 30 June 2004.
Number | |
---|---|
1995 | 21,700 |
2004 | 24,000 |
Difference | 2,300 |
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures are in place to ensure that all education and library boards are following the accountancy practices laid down for treatment of expenditure on redundancies. [25547]
Angela E. Smith: Education and library boards must prepare accounts in accordance with the accounts direction given by the Department of Education, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, in accordance with article 12 of the Education and Libraries (NI) Order 2003. Expenditure on redundancies is calculated by education and library boards in accordance with statutory requirements, contractual obligations, Northern Ireland Local Government Officer Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC) estimates of entitlements and costs, and the agreed five board scheme for premature retirement on the grounds of redundancy. Each education and library board's annual accounts are subject to audit by the Northern Ireland Audit Office to determine if they provide a true and fair view of the reported financial position including the expenditure recorded.
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans for energy reduction have been put in place in each Northern Ireland Department since 2003. [25785]
Angela E. Smith: Northern Ireland Departments have adopted the targets for improvements in energy performance contained in the 2003 Government White Paper Our energy futurecreating a low carbon economy". Departments are accommodated in buildings provided and managed by the Department of Finance and Personnel, which conducts a continuous programme of improvements of building energy performance in pursuit of the targets.
Since 2003, within the office estate planned actions have included conducting surveys to identify and implement cost-effective energy conservation measures;
15 Nov 2005 : Column 1194W
converting suitable buildings from oil or electric heating to natural gas; and purchasing green electricity, where this represents value for money. Similar actions have been taken in the specialised buildings within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Department of Social Development and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development,
Official vehicle fleets are now generally diesel fuelled, and the official car pool has purchased two petrol/electric hybrid cars. Local plans are also in place covering car travel.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many food poisoning outbreaks have occurred in each health trust area in each of the past five years; and how many of these have been identified as having originated in (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) elsewhere outside Northern Ireland. [28204]
Mr. Woodward: The number of food poisoning outbreaks that have occurred in each health trust area is not available. However, the number of food poisoning outbreaks that have occurred in each health board area and whether they originated from within Northern Ireland or abroad is available. These figures, as reported to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland, (CDSCN1), are detailed in the following table for each of the last five years for which data are available.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average length of time taken to carry out home adaptations by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive following a recommendation by an occupational therapist was in each year since 2003. [27713]
Mr. Hanson: The Housing Executive measures the time taken from receipt of a recommendation from an occupational therapist (OT) to the commencement of works against agreed standards and a classification of cases according to their urgency/priority. Each adaptation is tailored to the specific needs of the individual person concerned. The length of time taken by a contractor to then complete a job is variable and can range from a few days to a few months for extensions.
From the receipt of an OT recommendation to work starting, in the public sector, the figures are as follows:
200304 | 200405 | 200506(24) | |
---|---|---|---|
Lifts | |||
Within 12 weeks | 66 | 91 | 89 |
Within 22 weeks | 93 | 97 | 97 |
Extensions | |||
Started within 30 weeks | 20 | 23 | 36 |
Started within 46 weeks | 53 | 56 | 64 |
Started within 60 weeks | 70 | 71 | 79 |
April to September 2005 | |
---|---|
Showers | |
Within 10 weeks | 72(25) |
Within 40 weeks | 77(26) |
The average length of time taken to carry out home adaptations in the private sector with Northern Ireland Housing Executive Grant aid following an occupational therapist's recommendation is as follows:
Weeks | |
---|---|
200304 | 116 |
200405 | 121 |
200506 | 117 |
Much of the period indicated above is outside the Housing Executive's direct control. For example:
The period for the applicant to complete a formal grant application. This includes getting plans drawn up and approved by the occupational therapist and the Housing Executive. This type of work often requires building control and planning approval and ordinarily Housing Executive allows six months for completion of this stage.
The period for the Housing Executive to undertake the means test and calculate the costs of the grant-aided works.
The period for the applicant to engage a contractor and have the works carried out and the period for sign-off of the final approval of the completed works and making the final payment.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average amount of outstanding debt owed by (a) tenants and (b) past tenants of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive was at the end of 2004, broken down by constituency. [27018]
Mr. Hanson: The information is not available in the form requested. The following table details past and current tenant arrears by NIHE district office at the end of the financial year 200405.
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