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16 Mar 2006 : Column 2487W—continued
Beef
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government is taking to promote Northern Ireland beef internationally. [58134]
Angela E. Smith:
I fully appreciate the importance, to the local beef industry, of last week's long awaited EU decision to lift the export ban on UK beef and cattle. Industry stakeholders and Government have worked tirelessly together to achieve this.
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The Government have been proactive in recent months in undertaking a wide range of vital preliminary work in readiness for the lifting of the ban, including; commissioning extensive research into export market opportunities and assessing the export potential of Northern Ireland companies; the provision of access to Food From Britain's world-wide network of international buyer contacts; and, funding a three year, £1.2 million, Beef Market Restoration Programme, carried out by the Livestock and Meat Commission, a major element of which aims to assist local companies develop successful export businesses in the long-term.
Under current EC State Aid Rules, the spending of public money on any promotional activity is severely restricted, and Government support for promotion based solely on product origin is banned. However, I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that Government will, continue to make every effort to facilitate the complex and lengthy State Aid approval process in order to maximise benefits to industry.
Belfast International Airport
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what initiatives the Government have undertaken to promote Belfast International Airport. [58117]
Mr. Woodward: Government supports the continuing growth of Belfast International Airport, as outlined in the Air Transport White Paper 2003. However, further development of the airport and promotion of its business are matters for its private sector owner.
In common with the other two commercial airports in Northern Ireland, Belfast International Airport has benefited in the past from the Government's Air Route Development Fund. With its assistance routes have been developed to New York, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Geneva and Nice.
Bioscience and Technology Institute
Rev. Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public funding has been allocated to MTF, and associated companies, in relation the Bioscience and Technology Institute project. [59667]
Angela E. Smith: Public funding paid in relation to the Bioscience and Technology Institute totalled £2,175,000. All of this public funding was paid to the Bioscience and Technology Institute, and none directly to MTF Chartered Accountants or associated companies.
Bovine TB
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2006, Official Report, column 776W, to the hon. Member for South Down (Mr. McGrady), on bovine tuberculosis, what steps he is taking to reduce the differences between the first and second tests. [58376]
Angela E. Smith:
The difference in the test results may be due to variation in the intradermal comparative test
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itself or as a result of the animal response to the test. To minimise any difference due to the former, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) issues precise instructions to testing veterinary surgeons on the technique to be used, and testing veterinary surgeons are specifically trained, monitored and supervised in this.
Variation in the animal response is recognised and is the reason for such sequential testing. DARD is currently carrying out a pilot exercise to investigate the potential use of the gamma interferon blood test to assist in the detection of bovine TB in certain circumstances in Northern Ireland.
Brain Tumours
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to (a) reduce waiting times and (b) increase access to radiotherapy for brain tumour patients in Northern Ireland. [58140]
Mr. Woodward:
There is no evidence to suggest that there is any difficulty accessing radiotherapy services in Northern Ireland.
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A national audit of radiotherapy waiting times has recently been carried out by the Royal College of Radiologists. Data were collected for all patients who commenced treatment in Northern Ireland during the week beginning 26 September 2005. The results confirm that waiting times for all radiotherapy patients, including patients with brain tumours, in Northern Ireland were in line with national guidelines.
Civil Service (Travel Expenses)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on travel expenses by each Department of the Northern Ireland Civil Service in each year since 2000. [57064]
Mr. Hanson: The following table provides a breakdown of the costs for each financial year from 1999–2000 to date for the 11 Departments and the NIO.
The breakdown of figures are provided by financial year rather than calendar year as all financial information, including travel costs, is held by Departments by financial year.
Costs include all travel by Standard Mileage rate, Public Transport rate, air, rail, sea, bus and cycle travel. Figures also include car parking costs.
(56) DCAL travel would be included in the figures for DARD, DENI and DOE.
(57) DFP costs are not available on the accounting system. To provide figures would require a manual check at disproportionate cost.
(58) OFMDFM would have been processed by DFP.
Civil Service Pensions
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to include in the Civil Service Pension Scheme survey interviewers who work for Government departments and agencies in Northern Ireland. [57847]
Mr. Hanson: Survey interviewers are remunerated on a fee-paid basis and as such are not included in the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Their terms of appointment specify that they are outwith Civil Service superannuation arrangements.
Dental Access Centres
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to increase the number of NHS dental access centres in Northern Ireland. [58130]
Mr. Woodward: There are no health service dental access centres in Northern Ireland and, at present, I have no plans to introduce any.
General dental practitioners are the main providers of dental services in Northern Ireland. There is approximately one general dental practitioner for every 2,400 people in Northern Ireland. This compares to one practitioner for every 2,773 people in England, Scotland and Wales.
The full range of dental services they provide is supplemented by the Community Dental Service, operating under the control of health and social services trusts, which has a specific role in treating patients with learning difficulties and screening school children. The Community Dental Service also acts as a 'safety net' in circumstances where the services of a general dental practitioner cannot be obtained.
My Department has developed a new primary care dental strategy, which was issued for consultation on 13 December 2005. This sets the oral health agenda for
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the next 10 years. It identifies the oral health needs of the Northern Ireland population, determines desired outcomes and identifies areas where oral health can link into the wider health agenda. The strategy has been developed around the local commissioning of services, where commissioners would be responsible for the delivery of primary care dental services to their population in keeping with local needs.
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