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16 Mar 2006 : Column 2498W—continued
Planning Applications
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change was over the previous year in the numbers of planning applications submitted in (a) 2000 and (b) 2005 in Northern Ireland; and what the change was between 2000 and 2005. [58069]
Angela E. Smith: The information is as follows:
(a) The difference in the numbers of planning applications received in 1999–2000 compared to those in 2000–01 was an increase of 1,539 representing a 7 per cent. increase on the previous year.
(b) The difference in the numbers of planning applications received in 2003–04 compared to those in 2004–05 was an increase of 3,244 representing a 10 per cent. increase on the previous year.
The overall difference in the numbers of planning applications received in 2000–01 and 2004–05 was an increase of 12,563 representing a 53 per cent. increase over the period.
Primary Schools (Absenteeism)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average absenteeism rate was per 1,000 pupils in primary schools in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [57977]
Angela E. Smith: Figures for 2004–05 are not yet available. The requested information for the previous years is as follows:
Academic year | Average absenteeism rate per 1,000 pupils |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 61 |
| 1996–97 | 57 |
| 1997–98 | 58 |
| 1998–99 | 55 |
| 1999–2000 | 53 |
| 2000–01 | 52 |
| 2001–02 | 50 |
| 2002–03 | 56 |
| 2003–04 | 52 |
Pupil Funding
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to increase the average funding per schoolchild in Northern Ireland. [58124]
16 Mar 2006 : Column 2499W
Angela E. Smith: I have already taken steps to increase the funding for school pupils in Northern Ireland. In 2006–07 the Department of Education's recurrent budget for schools and related support services has increased by 4.4 per cent. at a time when pupil numbers are falling. Funding for schools' delegated budgets is rising by £41 million in 2006–07—an increase of 5.4 per cent. in per pupil terms—and funding for Education and Library Board budgets for school related services is increasing by £14 million, or 4 per cent. In addition, school children will benefit from the Children and Young People Funding Package, announced on 8 March, which is providing new funding totalling £61 million for a range of services over the next two years.
Recycling
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to increase (a) recycling and (b) composting in Northern Ireland. [58132]
Angela E. Smith: A number of new initiatives, measures and targets aimed at increasing recycling and composting across Northern Ireland have been incorporated in the new Waste Management Strategy, scheduled for publication on 30 March 2006.
Regional Aid (Warrenpoint)
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he proposes to seek clearance by the European Commission to grant regional aid to the port of Warrenpoint; how much regional aid he proposes to grant the port; for what purposes the regional aid is intended to be used; and whether the grant would be repayable. [58604]
Mr. Woodward: Warrenpoint Harbour Authority is seeking grant support towards a deep-water quay and the upgrading of the RoRo facility in order to maintain existing trade. Final decisions have not yet been taken on whether to grant aid the port and on what conditions, including any clawback arrangements, might be made. Decisions will be taken in light of economic and financial considerations and statutory requirements. Depending on the decisions taken clearances will be sought from the European Commission as necessary. A provisional allocation of £13.4 million has been included in the current departmental budget.
Road Service
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans Road Service has to improve the footpath along Strabane Old Road, Derry. [58625]
Mr. Woodward: The Chief Executive of Road Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 16 March 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what plans Road Service has to improve the footpath along Strabane Old Road, Derry.
As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
I can advise that there are no plans to carry out any significant maintenance or resurfacing works to the footways along the Strabane Old Road. Staff will, however, continue to carry out regular inspections to identify any future deterioration and will subsequently arrange for remedial works to be undertaken if required.
School Buildings (Finance)
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many school buildings in Northern Ireland have been (a) provided and (b) commenced in each of the last five years using public private partnership financing. [58128]
Angela E. Smith: There have been four schools built in Northern Ireland using public private partnership (PPP) funding. Three of these have become operational since 2001: Wellington College, Belfast and Balmoral High School, Belfast, opened in January 2002; and St. Genevieve's High School, Belfast opened in February 2002. Since 2001, 10 projects involving 30 schools have been announced as PPP projects and are at various stages of the procurement process, prior to agreement of contracts.
Procurement routes for the schools included in the Capital Allocations announcement on 1 March will be determined shortly by the Department of Education and the Strategic Investment Board.
School Buses (Overcrowding)
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ask the Children's Commissioner to undertake an urgent review of overcrowding on buses transporting school children in Northern Ireland. [58120]
Angela E. Smith: The Commissioner for Children and Young People (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 sets out the functions of the Commissioner who is independent of Government. The Commissioner has a specific duty to keep under review the adequacy and effectiveness of law and practice relating to the rights and welfare of children and young people. Clearly, how the Commissioner exercises that duty is a matter for him. A high level economic appraisal of the four main recommendations of the Northern Ireland Assembly's Inquiry into home to school transport was completed recently and included the abolition of '3 for 2' and the introduction of 'no standing'. We are currently considering how to take this issue forward.
School Vandalism
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on repairing damage to schools caused by vandalism in each of the education and board areas in Northern Ireland in 2005. [57969]
Angela E. Smith:
The costs of repairing vandalism met by each Education and Library Board in controlled and maintained schools in 2005 are as follows.
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| £ | |
|---|---|
| Belfast | 125,861 |
| Western | 48,117 |
| North Eastern | 155,249 |
| South Eastern | 116,731 |
| Southern | 170,000 |
The cost of vandalism to voluntary grammar and grant maintained integrated schools is not available. Such costs are borne by individual schools from their LMS budget(s) or are the subject of insurance claims.
16 Mar 2006 : Column 2502W
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of (a) HIV, (b) chlamydia, (c) gonorrhoea, (d) syphilis, (e) genital warts and (f) genital herpes there have been in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [57621]
Mr. Woodward: The number of cases of (a) HIV, (b) chlamydia, (c) gonorrhoea, (d) syphilis, (e) genital warts and (f) genital herpes, seen at genito-urinary medicine clinics in Northern Ireland, in each of the last 10 years is presented in the following table.
(62) 1998 calendar year data is unavailable for (b) to (f). Figures shown are for the financial year 1998–99.
(63) Information for 2005 is for 1 January to 30 September only, and is provisional, only for (b) to (f).
Note:
1. Information for (b) to (f) is not available for calendar years 1996 and 1997.
Source:
Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland (CDSC (NI)).
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