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2 Mar 2006 : Column 892W—continued

Scottish Grand Committee

Mr. Hood: To ask the Leader of the House how many Scottish Grand Committee meetings were held in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [53727]

Nigel Griffiths: The figures for meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee, by parliamentary session, are as follows:

	Scottish Grand Committee
1989–90	5
1990–91	8
1991–92	2
1992–93	8
1993–94	7
1994–95	11
1995–96	14
1996–97	6
1997–98	9
1998–99	4
1999–2000	4
2000–01	1
2001–02	5
2002–03	3
2003–04	0
2004–05	0
2005–06(19)	0

⁽¹⁹⁾ To date.

Meetings of the Committee are arranged as appropriate in discussion with all parties.

Sitting Hours

Mr. Bone: To ask the Leader of the House how many hours the House of Commons has sat this Parliament; and what proportion of those hours was spent considering private Members' Bills. [54450]

 
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Mr. Hoon: Up to and including 16 February, the House has sat for 830 hours 40 minutes in the current session. Of this time, 28 hours and 50 minutes (approximately 3.5 per cent.) has been spent on private Members' Bills (not including 10 minute rule motions).

NORTHERN IRELAND

Agriculture and Rural Development (Appeals)

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the decisions of the independent panel which deals with appeals against decisions made by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are binding. [55175]

Angela E. Smith: The independent Grants and Subsidies' Panel makes a formal recommendation to the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development. Their recommendation is not binding and the final decision rests with the Minister.

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the (a) remit and (b) powers of the independent panel which deals with appeals against decisions made by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; and if he will make a statement. [55176]

Angela E. Smith: The remit of the independent Grants and Subsidies Panel is to review decisions made by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development against the relevant European and UK legislation and to consider whether the Department's decision is consistent with this. The panel is asked to reach a conclusion and to make a formal recommendation to the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development on their findings. The power to make the final decision in respect of appeal cases rests with the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 897W, on antisocial behaviour orders, which councils sent officers for training in (a) June and (b) January and February 2005; and which policing divisions sent personnel for training in January and February 2005. [54507]

Mr. Hanson: All 26 councils sent officers for training in January and February 2005. All councils, with the exception of Armagh and Castlereagh, sent officers for training in June 2005.

All 29 PSNI District Command Units sent personnel for training in January and February 2005.

Child Support Agency

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many letters from hon. Members to the Child Support Agency in Northern Ireland did not receive a full answer within 21 working days in the last 24 months. [54996]

 
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Mr. Hanson: The Agency received 29 queries from Northern Ireland hon. Members in the last 24 months. Thirteen of these received a full response within the Agency's target of 20 working days. Fifteen received an interim response within 20 days and a full response within 30 days. One response is outstanding.

Compensation Claims

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims for compensation were lodged against his Department arising out of terrorist incidents at (a) the Royal group of hospitals, (b) the Mater hospital, (c) the Ulster hospital and (d) the City hospital between 1995 and 1998; and what the outcome was in each case. [54122]

Mr. Hanson: The chief executive of the Compensation Agency has advised me that it is not possible to ascertain from the Agency database any meaningful information regarding the motive behind any incident which gave rise to a claim. If however the hon. Gentleman wishes to follow up on this he may wish to make more specific inquiries with the chief executive of the Compensation Agency who will be pleased to help him.

Consultant Radiologists

Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans his Department has (a) to review the training and (b) to conduct retraining of consultant radiologists in relation to breast cancer following recent incidents of misdiagnosis; and what funding is available for this initiative. [54598]

Mr. Woodward: The Department is awaiting the findings of an independent investigation by the HPSS Regional Quality and Improvement Authority (RQIA), which is expected in early March 2006. These findings, along with those of the recently published Report on a Review of Breast Imaging, will inform the Department's decision as to whether a full review of Consultant Radiologists training is required, and the possible funding requirements.

Disabled Parking

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2006, Official Report, column 1257W, on disabled parking, where the revenue raised by these fines was allocated. [52981]

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.

Revenue collected through fines incurred by disabled parking offences is allocated to the Consolidated Fund and paid to HM Treasury.

Domestic Rates

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the average percentage change per household in regional and district combined domestic rates in each of the council areas in Northern Ireland for 2006–07. [52515]

Angela E. Smith: Estimates of the overall domestic rates in each of the council areas are not available at the moment as not all councils have set their rates for
 
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2006–07. It is expected that this information will be available shortly after the 15 February when all councils should have struck their rates. This information will be placed in the Library when available.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was raised in net revenue from domestic rates in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997–98; and what the estimate is for 2005–06. [54544]

Angela E. Smith: The net amount collected from domestic rates for each of the years from 1997 to 2004–05 and the estimated net amount that will be collected for 2005–06 are set out in the following table.

	£ million
1997–98	166.5
1998–99	182.5
1999–2000	201.9
2000–01	222.9
2001–02	244.5
2002–03	271
2003–04	299.1
2004–05	328.4
2005–06	361.2

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the annual net revenue to be raised from domestic rates in Northern Ireland following rates revaluation. [54545]

Angela E. Smith: The revaluation of domestic properties in Northern Ireland, from rental (NAV) to capital value based approach, will operate from 1 April 2007. The revaluation exercise, in itself, is a revenue neutral one, with the sole purpose of redistributing the rating burden between households in a fairer way.

The priorities and budget 2006–08 proposed a 6 per cent. increase in the domestic regional rate for 2007–08, this will constitute an estimated £270 million in domestic regional rate revenue.

Revenue from domestic district rates cannot be estimated as this will be a result of the district rate increases determined by the district councils in February 2007.

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