| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
30 Nov 2005 : Column 634W—continued
Recycling
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many recycling points there are in
30 Nov 2005 : Column 635W
each local authority in Northern Ireland; and how many there were in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [31972]
Angela E. Smith: EHS is not in a position to provide these details prior to 2005. Currently however there are 87 recycling points in Northern Ireland and the details for each district council area are set out in the following table.
School Crossing Patrols
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the schools in Northern Ireland that have school crossing patrols; and how many school crossing patrol staff each has. [33083]
Angela E. Smith: The number of school crossing patrols at individual schools in Northern Ireland is linked to safety considerations associated with road layout and the volume of traffic. Details have been placed in the Library.
Secondary Schools
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) controlled and (b) maintained secondary schools in Northern Ireland have closed in each of the last five years. [32130]
Angela E. Smith:
There has been one controlled post-primary school closure (in 2002–03) and no maintained post-primary school closures in the past five years.
30 Nov 2005 : Column 636W
In addition, eight controlled post-primary schools have amalgamated into four schools and five maintained post-primary schools have amalgamated into two schools.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) controlled and (b) maintained secondary schools in Northern Ireland are scheduled to close in each of the next three years. [32132]
Angela E. Smith: One controlled post-primary school is scheduled to close with effect from 31 August 2006.
The Department has also received a development proposal for the amalgamation of two maintained schools, St. Malachy's High School, Antrim and St.Olcan's High School, Randalstown.
Speed Limits
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce 20 miles per hour speed limits near schools in the Province; and if he will make a statement. [32103]
Mr. Woodward: The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mrs. Iris Robinson, dated 30 November 2005:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what plans he has to introduce automatic 20 miles per hour speed limits at all schools in the Province.
I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
I can confirm that we have no current plans to introduce mandatory 20mph speed limits outside all schools in Northern Ireland.
Local speed limits are not considered effective when they are applied to meet conditions arising only for short periods of the day, since the restriction will be unnecessary for most of the time and may consequently not be respected when it is needed. In such circumstances specific signing and engineering measures are likely to be more effective. This is the case at schools. It is for this reason that Roads Service considers that the universal application of mandatory 20mph speed limits at all schools would not be appropriate.
We do, however, take safety at schools very seriously. RoadsService is currently rolling out a programme of safety enhancements to control driver behaviour and to manage traffic speed in the vicinity of schools, through the installation of signs, road markings and physical engineering features as part of the Department's Safer Routes to Schools Initiative (SRS).
This initiative aims to encourage parents, children and teachers to use sustainable methods of transport for their journey to and from school. The SRS programme also aims to improve the safety and health of pupils by reducing the impact of traffic around school facilities and encouraging greater physical activity among students.
This financial year there are currently 46 schools across Northern Ireland receiving SRS safety measures. It is Roads Service's objective to assist a minimum of 40 schools annually thereafter, subject to the availability of resources.
The former Minister for Regional Development, John Spellar MP, agreed in November 2004, that Roads Service should lead a review of speed management policy within Northern Ireland. This is being undertaken in co-operation with our partners in PSNI and DOE Road Safety Branch, and is mirroring a similar review being undertaken by the Department for Transport in Great Britain.
- Although this is very much work in progress, further speed management issues around schools are being actively considered and I would be happy to update you when this work concludes.
Teachers
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers in Northern Ireland have taken early retirement in each of the last five years. [32128]
Angela E. Smith: The number of teachers in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools who have taken early retirement in each of the last five years is listed in the following table.
| Primary schools | Secondary schools | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 224 | 265 |
| 2002–03 | 236 | 297 |
| 2003–04 | 217 | 275 |
| 2004–05 | 207 | 271 |
| 2005–06 | 340 | 319 |
| Total | 1224 | 1427 |
Terrorist Victims
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been made available since 2002 to support victims of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on his plans for such funding. [22996]
Angela E. Smith: Funding to support the victims of violence arising from the Troubles comes from a very wide variety of sources and the information requested by the hon. Gentleman is not readily available. However, from April 1998 to 31 March 2005 some £31 million was made available to groups and organisations whose work benefits victims. In addition my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, recently announced extra Government funding of up to £1.5 million for the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund.
With regard to the future the Interim Victims Commissioner for Northern Ireland, Mrs. Bertha McDougall, will be looking at how well the current funding arrangements in relation to services and grants paid to victims and survivors groups and individual victims and survivors are addressing need. We will consider the way ahead on these funding issues following Mrs. McDougall's report which we expect to be completed by the end of 2006.
Truancy
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the truancy levels were for each education and library board in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available. [32227]
Angela E. Smith:
The Department of Education does not collect the requested information. However, information on referrals of pupils to the Education Welfare Service is collected from each of the Education and Library Boards on an annual basis. Referrals can be for a variety of reasons, including truancy.
30 Nov 2005 : Column 638W
The following table shows the percentage of pupils referred to the Education Welfare Service in each Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland in 2003–04.
| Board Area | Percentage of pupils referred |
|---|---|
| Belfast | 3.97 |
| Western | 2.42 |
| North Eastern | 2.34 |
| South Eastern | 2.68 |
| Southern | 2.37 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |