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23 Nov 2005 : Column 2017W—continued
South Down (Secondary Roads)
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to improve secondary roads in South Down to improve access to the Belfast to Dublin corridor; and if he will make a statement. [29499]
Mr. Woodward: The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 21 November 2005:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what action is being taken to improve secondary roads in South Down to improve access to the Belfast/Dublin corridor.
I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
As you will be aware, the most direct routes from Downpatrick to the Belfast/Dublin corridor (A1) are the A25 through Rathfriland and latterly the A25/B8 through Hilltown.
On the A25 we have recently completed a carriageway improvement scheme at Kilcoo at a cost of £220,000, with major resurfacing work at Knocksticken, Ballykilbeg, Loughislandreavey, Ballybannon to Priest's Road, and Priest's Road to Aughlisnafin at a cost of £547,000.
junction improvements on the A25 Dublin Road at Burrenreagh Road near Castlewellan at an estimated cost of £40,000 (05/06);
carriageway realignment and visibility improvement on the A25 Burrenbridge Road at an estimated cost of £100,000 (06/07) ;and
In relation to other A" and B" Class roads in the South Down area, we have recently completed, or plan to complete the following improvements during the current year at a cost of some £1,200,000:
carriageway realignment and footway provision on the A2 at Ballindoalty Corner between Rostrevor and Kilkeel;.
Finally, the following improvement schemes are currently programmed for future financial years at a cost of some £785,000:
Speed Detection Devices
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions the (a) Operational Command Unit and (b) District Command Unit have used (i) speed detection devices and (ii) tax detection devices on the Comber road. [28877]
Mr. Woodward: The Police Service of Northern Ireland do not record the information requested in relation to speed detection devices.
Driver Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland carries out tax detection by Automatic Number Plate Reader. I am advised that they do not use any sites on the Comber road for detection purposes.
Student Finance
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to require adults to pay higher tuition fees for college courses in Northern Ireland. [30214]
Angela E. Smith:
From the 2006–07 academic year, Northern Ireland institutions providing designated courses of full-time higher education will be able to charge annual tuition fees of up to £3,000 to students entering higher education from that year. From 2006–07 all Northern Ireland domiciled students studying at institutions in the UK, will be able to defer payment by taking out a non-means tested loan which will not have to be paid until after the student leaves higher education and is earning more than £15,000 per year.
23 Nov 2005 : Column 2019W
Sports Funding
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding his Department has provided for (a) hockey, (b) cricket and (c) rugby in each of the last three years in Northern Ireland. [22760]
Mr. Hanson: The following exchequer funding has been given to hockey, cricket and rugby in each of the last three years provided by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI).
| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | |
| Hockey | 51,150 | 112,393 | 120,605 |
| Cricket | 26,330 | 61,814 | 65,246 |
| Rugby(24) | 122,035 | 101,825 | 96,728 |
(24) Includes funding via the Safe Sports Ground Programme.
In addition, the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP), Department of Education (DE), Department of Social Development (DSD) and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), have provided the following:
| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | |
| Hockey | — | — | 7,245 |
| Cricket | — | — | — |
| Rugby | — | 88,478 | 7,200 |
| Numerous sports(25) | — | 48,434 | — |
(25) Includes Peace II funding to projects involving more than one of the listed sports.
23 Nov 2005 : Column 2020W
| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | |
| Hockey | — | — | 1,441 |
| Cricket | — | — | 1,132 |
| Rugby | — | — | — |
| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | |
| Hockey | — | — | 211 |
| Cricket | — | — | — |
| Rugby | 9,000 | — | — |
| £ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | |
| Hockey | — | — | — |
| Cricket | — | — | — |
| Rugby | — | — | 58 |
Statementing
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children in each Education and Library Board area are awaiting assessment for a statement; and if he will make a statement. [25016]
Angela E. Smith: The following table shows by, Education and Library Board, the total number of children for whom a statutory assessment has currently been requested (column a), out of that total, the number of cases where the assessment process has not yet started (column b) and the number of statutory assessments currently underway by boards (column c).
The Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs sets out a five-stage approach to the process. At Stage 4 the Education and Library Board considers the need for a statutory assessment, following a request from parents of the child, the school or other agencies. If the board considers that such an assessment is necessary, the parents will be notified and a multi-disciplinary assessment will be made. The board may then make a statement of special educational needs at Stage 5. From the date of the initial request for statutory assessment, the board has 18 weeks, subject to certain exceptions, to issue a proposed statement, where this has been found to be necessary.
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