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15 May 2006 : Column 702W—continued

Railway Maintenance

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent in the past 10 years on maintenance of the railway line between (a) Bangor and Belfast, (b) Larne and Belfast and (c) Lisburn and Newry. [67640]

David Cairns: Information has been provided by Translink on the maintenance costs from 1999-2000 to 2004-05 with estimated costs for 2005-06 as shown in the following table. Other cost details are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Summary of permanent way, signalling and structures maintenance costs—available costs seven years to 2006 (including estimated costs 2005-06)
£000
Line section
Belfast-Bangor Belfast-Larne Lisburn-Newry Total

1999-2000

236

466

860

1,562

2000-01

244

480

887

1,611

2001-02

306

745

1,115

2,166

2002-03

325

595

1,184

2,104

2003-04

384

725

1,396

2,505

2004-05

360

716

1,311

2,387

2005-06 forecast

371

737

1,350

2,458


The maintenance costs relate to work on the permanent way, signalling and structures but exclude the major works undertaken in recent years for track relays on all these lines.

Regional Development Strategy

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to undertake the five year review of the regional development strategy; and what the timetable will be for that review. [68252]

David Cairns: The first five-year review of the regional development strategy commenced with a re-assessment of housing figures. This work was the subject of a public examination in February this year. The intention is to publish revised uplifted figures in May. In addition, the Department will publish a consultation document on all other aspects of the RDS in May for a three-month consultation period. The objective is to publish the final document on these aspects by the end of the year.

Religious Discrimination

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 501W, on religious discrimination, what the total cost was of investigating complaints of discrimination for religious belief or political opinion in each of the last 10 years. [69238]

Maria Eagle: The Department does not record separately the staff costs of the fair employment tribunal, dealing with religious or political discrimination cases, within the total tribunal service costs. The following table shows the estimated cost of
15 May 2006 : Column 703W
staff dealing with fair employment cases based on the relevant percentage of the religious and political discrimination cases as a total number of cases received by the tribunal service plus the cost of fees paid to fair employment tribunal part-time panel members.

Cases of Religious Belief/Political Opinion registered in the year Cost to Government (£)

1996

566

(1)146

1997

666

(1)202

1998

559

(1)204

1999

499

(1)147

2000

561

374

2001

268

162

2002

480

284

2003

467

199

2004

479

257

2005

190

255

(1 )Staff costs element is estimated based on actual figures for subsequent years.

Road Maintenance/Safety

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent over the past 10 years on maintenance of (a) the A8 road between Larne and Belfast, (b) the A2 road between Carrickfergus and Belfast, (c) the A1 road between Lisburn and Newry and (d) the A26 road between Antrim and Ballymena. [67639]

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.

Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 12 May 2006:

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that road safety education officers are allowed to attend District Road Safety Community Committee meetings in Northern Ireland. [68250]

David Cairns: The principal aim of the Department of the Environment's Road Safety Education Officers is the education and training of children and young people in road safety and, while not the limit of their activities, this takes up the majority of their time.

The decision to withdraw Road Safety Education Officers from attending Road Safety Committee meetings as a matter of course does not mean that Committees cannot avail of their support and advice.
15 May 2006 : Column 704W
This is an operational matter and the Department will consider any reasonable request for support on a case-by-case basis balanced against other priorities.

School Buses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many school bus accidents there have been in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [67068]

Maria Eagle: The number of school bus accidents in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years is set out in the following table. The vast majority of the incidents/accidents recorded are of a minor nature and do not involve injury to children.

Financial Year Number of accidents

1996-97

(1)258

1997-98

281

1998-99

276

1999-2000

291

2000-01

227

2001-02

210

2002-03

231

2003-04

193

2004-05

181

2005-06

245

(1 )Excludes Translink figures which are not currently available.

The information relates to Education and Library Board vehicles and Translink buses. Details are not available for accidents involving Private Operator vehicles.

School Reductions

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) timetable and (b) process will be for the reduction in the number of schools in each board area under the Review of Public Administration. [69664]

Maria Eagle: The Review of Public Administration does not require a reduction in the number of schools. Rationalisation of the estate is required because of the reduction in the number of pupils, which is expected to decline further over the coming years. There is no timetable for the reduction in the number of schools in each board area. Where it is proposed to close a school or amalgamate two or more schools, this will follow the normal process, which involves the publication of a development proposal, a two-month consultation period, followed by a decision by the Department for Education.

Schools (Financial Balance)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the end of year financial balance was for each (a) grammar school and (b) non-grammar secondary school in Northern Ireland in the last available year. [68545]


15 May 2006 : Column 705W

Maria Eagle: The following tables provide details of the financial balance at the end of the 2004-05 financial year for each voluntary grammar and grant-maintained integrated secondary school. Schools in both of these sectors receive their funding directly from the Department of Education.

These tables also cover controlled integrated, controlled grammar and other secondary schools in three off the five education and library boards (the western, north eastern and south eastern). The requested information in respect of schools in the other two boards. (Belfast and Southern) is not available as these two boards have not yet published their 2004-05 local management of schools outturn statements. When these have been published copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Copies of the published 2003-04 local management of schools outturn statements for all five education and library boards are available in the Libraries of both Houses.


15 May 2006 : Column 706W
Grammar schools—voluntary( 1) Year-end financial balance

Abbey Grammar, Newry

-159,588

Aquinas Grammar, Belfast

-381

Assumption Grammar, Ballynahinch

515,778

Ballymena Academy

85,252

Belfast High School

-55,520

Belfast Royal Academy

-348,382

Bloomfield Collegiate, Belfast

5,727

Campbell College, Belfast(2)

105,357

Christian Brothers' Grammar School, Omagh

78,560

Coleraine Academical Institution

-86,905

Dalriada School, Ballymoney

50,332

Dominican College, Portstewart

186,600

Dominican, Belfast

511,935

Foyle and Londonderry College

61,369

Friends' School, Lisburn

57,826

Hunterhouse College

470,234

Larne Grammar School

65,349

Loreto Grammar, Omagh

129,588

Loreto, Coleraine

113,399

Lumen Christi, Derry

98,988

Methodist College, Belfast

353,557

Mount Lourdes, Enniskillen

780,971

Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock

323,080

Our Lady's Grammar, Newry

368,475

Portora Royal, Enniskillen

288,605

Rainey, Magherafelt

364,308

Rathmore Grammar, Belfast

430,869

Royal Belfast Academical Institution(2)

-174,667

Sacred Heart, Newry

513,739

St. Colman's College, Newry

216,880

St. Columb's College, Derry

6,705

St. Dominic's, Belfast

7

St. Joseph's Donaghmore

65,179

St. Louis' Ballymena

192,048

St. Louis' Kilkeel

188,182

St. MacNissi's, Garron Tower

1,318

St. Malachy's, Belfast

30,345

St. Mary's CBS, Belfast

435,580

St. Michael's College, Enniskillen

-284,141

St. Michael's Grammer, Lurgan

130,149

St. Patrick's Academy, Dungannon

546,362

St. Patricks Downpatrick

661,703

St. Patrick's Grammar, Armagh

-609,038

Strathearn School, Belfast

16,550

Sullivan Upper School

-44,416

The Royal School, Armagh

74,787

The Royal School, Dungannon

98,431

The Wallace High School

42,648

Thornhill College, Londonderry

48,777

Victoria College, Belfast

27,412

(1 )The figures have been extracted from the audited year-end accounting information submitted by schools, and may be impacted upon by sources of funding other than the Department of Education(.)(2 )A cumulative balance is not available and these figures represent their surplus/deficit position for the 2004-05 financial year only.

Grammar schools—controlled Year-end financial balance

Antrim Grammar

-58,543

Ballyclare High

86,373

Cambridge House

37,876

Carrickfergus

-31,203

Coleraine High

40,574

Down H.S.

-118,493

Enniskillen Collegiate

-13,486

Glenlola Collegiate

668,282

Limavady Grammar

-63,383

Omagh Academy

19,060

Regent House

420,687

Strabane Grammar

16,884


Integrated—schools—grant maintained( 1) Year-end financial balance

Armagh Integrated College

-1,773

Drumragh Integrated College

200,750

Dungannon Integrated College

276,875

Erne Integrated College

64,967

Hazelwood Integrated College

135,267

Lagan Integrated College

65,531

Malone Integrated College

55,231

New-Bridge Integrated College

-12,305

North-Coast Integrated College

99,469

Oakgrove Integrated College

25,042

Shimna Integrated College

55,651

Slemish Integrated College

374,724

Sperrin Integrated College

5,657

Strangford Integrated College

118,494

Ulidia Integrated College

371,535

(1 )The figures have been extracted from the audited year-end accounting information submitted by schools.


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