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9 Feb 2006 : Column 1412W—continued

Domiciliary Carers

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are on waiting lists for domiciliary carers; and what the average waiting time was in each health, social services and public safety board area in the last period for which figures are available. [49970]

Mr. Woodward: Information on the number of people on waiting lists for domiciliary carers, and average waiting times is not collected centrally. However, information is collected centrally on numbers of adults waiting in the community for domiciliary care packages.
 
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The number of adults waiting in the community for domiciliary care packages at 30 September 2005 (the latest date for which information is available) was 767.

Information on waiting times is collected by time band and therefore average waiting times cannot be calculated. Information on waiting times by time band is shown in the following table for each health and social
 
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services board area, and for Northern Ireland, at 30 September 2005. At this date, 534 adults (70 per cent. of those waiting) had been waiting for 12 weeks or more, 59 (8 per cent.) had been waiting for between eight and 12 weeks, 63 (8 per cent.) for between five and eight weeks, 47 (6 per cent.) for between three and five weeks and 64 (8 per cent.) for less than three weeks. 403 (75 per cent.)of those waiting for 12 weeks or more were in the northern board area.

	Time from end of assessment to delivery of care
Board area	Less than three weeks	Three—under five weeks	Five—under eight weeks	Eight—under 12 weeks	12 weeks or more	Total
Eastern	25	23	33	26	125	232
Northern	36	19	20	33	403	511
Southern	0	1	4	0	2	7
Western	3	4	6	0	4	17
Total	64	47	63	59	534	767

GCSE Results

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of pupils at (a) grammar schools, (b) secondary modern schools and (c) comprehensive schools in Northern Ireland obtained five A-C passes at GCSE in each of the last 20 years. [50309]

Angela E. Smith: In Northern Ireland the only distinction made by the Department of Education is between grammar schools and other secondary schools. The requested information for these types of school is as follows:
Percentage of pupils in Year 12 achieving five or more passes at grades A*-C by school type, 1992–93 to 2003–04

Academic year	Grammar	Other secondary schools
1992–93	90	27
1993–94	91	27
1994–95	94	27
1995–96	94	28
1996–97	95	30
1997–98	94	31
1998–99	95	33
1999–2000	95	34
2000–01	95	34
2001–02	95	37
2002–03	96	37
2003–04	96	38

Notes:
1. The latest information available relates to the 2003–04 academic year.
2. The earliest available information relates to the 1992–93 academic year.

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of pupils in Northern Ireland obtained (a) five GCSE passes at grade A to C, (b) GCSE passes at grades A to C in mathematics and English and (c) GCSE passes in mathematics, English, a science subject and a modern foreign language in each of the last 20 years. [50311]

Angela E. Smith: The requested information is as follows:

(a) Five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C

Academic year	Percentage achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grade A* to C
1992–93	48
1993–94	49
1994–95	51
1995–96	52
1996–97	54
1997–98	55
1998–99	56
1999–2000	57
2000–01	57
2001–02	59
2002–03	59
2003–04	60

Notes:
1. The latest available information relates to the 2003–04 academic year.
2. The earliest available information relates to the 1992–93 academic year.

(b) and (c) GCSEs in maths and English, and GCSEs in maths, English, a science and a modern language, grades A* to C.

Academic year	Percentage achieving GCSEs in mathematics and English at grade A* to C	Percentage achieving GCSEs passes at grades A* to C in mathematics, English, a science and a modem foreign language
1995–96	46	64
1996–97	48	64
1997–98	49	60
1998–99	50	65
1999–2000	51	68
2000–01	51	68
2001–02	52	68
2002–03	52	66
2003–04	51	64

Notes:
1. The latest available information relates to the 2003–04 academic year.
2. The earliest available information relates to the 1995–96 academic year.

Hostel Closure

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the reasons for the closure of the Lee Hestia Association Ltd./Novas Ouvertures Group Ltd. Hostel at 3–7 Brunswick Street, Belfast. [49321]

 
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Mr. Hanson: The Brunswick Street hostel was operated by the Lee Hestia Association Ltd. as a member organisation of the Novas-Ouvertures Group Ltd. Support services in the hostel were funded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive under the Supporting People programme. The Novas-Ouvertures Group subsequently decided to withdraw its services from Northern Ireland and a number of other areas and the Brunswick Street hostel closed in July 2005. While this is entirely a matter for the Novas-Ouvertures Group, I understand that the decision was taken for business reasons.

Industrial Derating

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Government's plans are for a phasing out of industrial de-rating in Northern Ireland; and what the average expected change in non-domestic rates is for an average industrial business as a consequence of the phasing-out. [49563]

Angela E. Smith: The phasing out of industrial derating, which was fully consulted on as part of the overall Review of Rating Policy, came into operation on 1 April 2005 when businesses entitled to industrial derating became liable for rates at 15 per cent. of their full rate assessment.

The percentage amount of the full rate liability payable in 2006–07 will be 25 per cent., in 20070–08 35 per cent., in 2008–09 50 per cent., 75 per cent. in 2009–10 and in 2010–11 with full rates becoming payable from l April 2011.

As with all new policies the Government will review the phasing out of industrial derating. In this case a reasonable period of time is considered to be two years from the date of implementation.

The average rate bill for properties entitled to industrial derating in 2005–06 is estimated at £2,290. Over the period of phasing out it is projected to be £3,990 in 2006–07, £5,840 in 2007–08, £8,710 in 2008–09, £13,660 in 2009–10, £14,270 in 2010–11 and £19, 890 in 2011–12.

Public Relations

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the value was of (a) public opinion research and (b) public relations contracts issued by his Department in 2004–05. [36005]

Mr. Hain: In the Northern Ireland Office during 2004–05 the value of:

(a) public opinion research was £250,698.16 ¹ and

(b) public relations contracts was £9,517.

¹ Some of this expenditure was incurred over financial years 2005–06.

Pupil Profile Report

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by Durham university on the pilot of the proposed pupil profile. [49623]

 
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Angela E. Smith: Neither the Department, nor the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) are aware of any report by Durham university about the pilot for the proposed pupil profile. Any evaluation information on the pupil profile pilot is available on CCEA' s website www.ccea.org.uk.

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