| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
5 Jun 2006 : Column 457W—continued
Public Sector Wages
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 3 May 2006, Official Report, column 1636W, on average annual industrial wages, what the change was in average wage levels in the public sector between 1995 and 2005. [74410]
Maria Eagle: Average gross weekly earnings in Northern Ireland for full-time employees in the public sector are available from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) and are provided in the table(1).
(1) Please note, ASHE statistics prior to 1997 are currently not available.
| Median gross weekly earnings (£)( 1) | Annual percentage change | |
| (1) Please note that the above information relates to full-time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (2) Estimates for 2004 and 2005 are based on an improved methodology as recommended in the Office for National Statistics review of Distribution of Earnings Statistics. Accordingly, estimates for 2004 are not available on an equivalent basis to earlier years. | ||
Public Toilets (Vandalism)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of repairing vandalism to public toilets under the ownership of Government Departments in Northern Ireland was during 2005. [70913]
David Cairns: The cost of repairing vandalism to public toilets under the ownership of Government Departments in Northern Ireland in 2005 was approximately £12,000.
Pupil Absences
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average number of (a) unauthorised and (b) total days was that a pupil was off school in each education board in the Province over each of the last five years. [74652]
Maria Eagle: Statistics on unauthorised absence are not available. Overall absence rates for primary and post primary schools are provided in the following tables.
| Percentage rate of absence for primary schools in Northern Ireland by education and library board area, 2000/01?204/05 | |||||
| Education and library board area | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 |
| Percentage rate of absence for post-primary schools in Northern Ireland by education and library board area, 2000/01?2004/05 | |||||
| Education and library board area | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 |
Pupil Injuries (Compensation)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 24 April 2006, Official Report, column 887W, on pupil injuries (compensation), to how many incidents in each of the last five years the figures for compensation relate; which Northern Ireland schools recorded injuries that resulted in compensation payments; and how much was paid out in compensation in each school. [70497]
Maria Eagle: The figures provided have now been updated to reflect the final 2005-06 position and relate to 183 incidents. The table, which has now been placed in the Library, shows, for each year, the number of incidents by funding authority; the overall amounts; and the schools involved. It would not be appropriate to provide details of compensation at individual school level simply because, given the very small numbers, this would allow amounts to be linked to individual pupils.
iRailway Security
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how long the railway line between Lisburn and Portadown was closed as a result of the security alert on 24 May; and how many passengers were re-directed onto buses. [74476]
David Cairns: I can advise that the line between Lisburn and Portadown was closed three times on 24 May during the following hours:
06.00-08.24
11.25-21.10
22.45-23.37
As a result of the line closures approximately 1,600 passengers were carried on buses to continue their local journeys between Portadown, Lurgan, Moira and Lisburn. In addition approximately 2,250 passengers
were carried in buses between Newry and Belfast as a result of disruptions to 16 cross-border Enterprise services.
Real IRA/ Continuity IRA
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the threat posed by the (a) Real IRA and (b) Continuity IRA to the security of the people of Northern Ireland. [71320]
Paul Goggins: The 10th IMC Report states that:
“RIRA continues efforts to recruit and train members. It has a continuing aspiration to arm and equip itself. We believe that although RIRA’s level of activity is not very high it is still engaged in efforts to maintain its position as a paramilitary organisation”.
“CIRA remains committed to terrorism. Looking back over about a year, it has been the most active of the dissident groups. We conclude that it remains an active threat and that it will undertake serious acts of violence if it is able to do so”.
I fully concur with the IMC report. In addition it is clear that effective action is being taken by the PSNI with support from military colleagues to eradicate dissident activity. This excellent work has resulted in three stymied attacks in the past month.
Road Service
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much road service funding has been allocated to each district council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five financial years; [74756]
(2) how much road service funding has been allocated to (a) bridge strengthening programmes and (b) road maintenance and resurfacing in each district council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five financial years. [74757]
David Cairns: The chief executive of roads service, Dr. Malcolm McKibbin has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to these questions.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 2 June 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland two Parliamentary Questions regarding how much Road Service funding has been allocated to each district council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five financial years; and, how much Road Service funding has been allocated to (a) bridge strengthening programmes and (b) road maintenance and resurfacing in each district council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five financial years.
I have been asked to reply as these issues fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
The following table at Annex 1 shows the total expenditure incurred by Roads Service on capital (major and minor) road improvement schemes and on maintenance activities during the period 2000/01-2004/05. Expenditure details by district council area for 2005/06 are not yet available.
In providing this information, I should like to emphasise that Roads Service does not simply apportion its total budget for capital and maintenance expenditure equally across district council areas. In particular, major road improvements are prioritised on a country-wide basis, not on a district council basis, taking account of a broad range of criteria such as strategic planning policy, traffic flows, number of accidents, potential travel save times, environmental impact and value for money. While the actual spend on a major works scheme may be within one council area, the benefits of such schemes are not confined to the district council area or constituency in which they are located.
The resources available for minor capital schemes are allocated to the four Roads Service Divisions and, in turn, apportioned across district council areas on a needs-based priority approach using indicators such as population, weighted road lengths and the number of accidents. -This ensures, so far as possible, an equitable distribution of funds across the country. Similarly the resources available for each maintenance activity (e.g. resurfacing, patching, gully emptying, grass cutting etc) are apportioned to district council areas using appropriate indicators of need.
You also asked for a separate breakdown of funding in relation to bridge strengthening programmes and roads maintenance and resurfacing. The attached table at Annex 2 details the information per district council area in the years 2000/01-2004/05. Again, expenditure details by district council area for 2005/06 are not yet available.
| Annex 1: Total roads service expenditure from 2000-01 to 2004-05 | |||||
| £000 | |||||
| District council | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |