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19 Dec 2005 : Column 2583W—continued
Departmental Travel
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by his Department on taxi travel in the 2005–06 financial year; and what proportion of such travel was undertaken in each nation and region of the UK, including London. [37476]
Mr. Woodward: The amount spent on taxi travel in the 2005–06 financial year (up to and including November 2005) by the Northern Ireland Office, excluding its Agencies and NDPBs, was £15,224.
Disability Symbols
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the criteria are for use by an organisation in Northern Ireland of the two tick disability symbol; in what circumstances organisations lose the right to use the symbol; and how many organisations have lost the right to use the symbol in each of the last five years. [38444]
Angela E. Smith: The two tick disability symbol is an initiative administered by Jobcentre Plus in Great Britain, under the control of the Department of Work and Pensions and does not operate in Northern Ireland.
District Police Partnerships
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people applied to be members of each District Police Partnership in the most recent selection process; and how many were deemed to be appointable candidates. [37602]
Mr. Woodward: The Policing Board has advised me that a total of 705 people applied to be members of the District Policing Partnerships in the most recent selection process and that 463 were deemed to be appointable candidates. The breakdown for each DPP is as follows:
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Drinking By-laws
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions the Police Service of Northern Ireland has brought cases regarding the breach of drinking by-laws to Belfast city council in each year since November 2001. [37581]
Mr. Woodward: Only three out of four Belfast district command units record referrals to Belfast city council. They are listed as follows:
| West Belfast | North Belfast | South Belfast | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | (121)1 | 21 | (121)39 |
| 2002 | 5 | 14 | 474 |
| 2003 | 6 | 18 | 175 |
| 2004 | 17 | 8 | 156 |
| 2005 (to date) | 72 | 16 | 138 |
(121)November to December.
Emergency Contraception
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who has the authority to prescribe hormonal emergency contraception in Northern Ireland other than general practitioners. [37582]
Mr. Woodward: In Northern Ireland the only person who has authority to prescribe emergency hormonal contraception is a registered medical practitioner. However, emergency hormonal contraception, namely Levonelle(r) is available for purchase over the counter under the supervision of a pharmacist in accordance with a professional protocol. Levonelle 2 is the prescription only equivalent that, as well as being prescribed by a doctor, can be supplied by nurses and other health professionals under a patient group direction (PGD) signed by a doctor and a pharmacist.
Extra Curricular Activities
Mr. Gregory Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of schoolchildren
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in Northern Ireland take extra curricular activities necessitating their remaining on school property after normal school finishing time. [37802]
Angela E. Smith: The Department of Education does not currently hold the information about the participation levels of school children in extra curricular activities.
Fisheries
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Minister with responsibility for Agriculture and Rural Development will meet fishermen from the fishing villages of Portavogie, Kilkeel and Ardglass in the spring of 2006. [37721]
Angela E. Smith: Yes, subject to other pressing diary commitments.
Free Travel Scheme
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many senior citizens in Northern Ireland have used the free public transport scheme in each year since its introduction. [37881]
Mr. Woodward: Translink has advised that the information requested is not readily available. However, in the following table I have set out the number of Senior SmartPasses issued together with the number of journeys undertaken since the introduction of Smart cards in May 2002. Details of the free travel undertaken prior to the introduction of SmartPasses in May 2002 are unavailable.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what operational issues are being discussed by officials in the Department of Regional Development with their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland regarding the All Ireland Free Travel Scheme. [38141]
Mr. Woodward: The main operational issues beingdiscussed are those of identification of eligible people, ticketing and recording of journeys and the reimbursement of transport operators.
Guest Speakers
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 23 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1993–42W, on guest speakers, who the Irish Football Association nominated in advance as speakers at the reception held at Hillsborough Castle on Monday 14 November 2005; and what guidelines were issued about the content of contributions. [38545]
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Mr. Hanson: The Irish Football Association nominated, in advance, their President to speak. No guidelines issue on the content of contributions.
Hospital Car Parking
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the amount charged by local health trusts for visitors to park their cars in dedicated car parks affiliated to the hospitals they visit is; whetherin respect of each hospital these car parks are (a) private finance initiative operated and (b) solely the responsibility of the respective trust; and if he will make a statement. [37785]
Mr. Woodward: The information requested is set out in the following table. Visitor parking at the Royal Group of Hospitals is operated by private finance initiative. Visitor parking at the other hospitals listed is operated by the trusts.
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