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14 Jun 2006 : Column 1258W—continued
Departmental Finance
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was redistributed through resource-releasing savings (a) by each Northern Ireland Department, agency and non-Departmental public body and (b) in total during 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. [76557]
Mr. Hanson: Targets for resource-releasing savings for each Department were set in the course of the Priorities and Budget 2005-08 process, with the relevant amounts being redistributed at that time.
The following table summarises the targets for each Department, with the amount specified covering the core Department, its agencies and non-Departmental public bodies. Efficiency technical notes, outlining how Departments intend to deliver their efficiency targets, are available on departmental websites.
Outturn information in respect of the efficiencies delivered in 2005-06 is not yet available.
| Efficiency gains identified by NI Departments | ||||||
| £ million | ||||||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | ||||
| Total efficiencies | Of which: resource-releasing | Total efficiencies | Of which: resource-releasing | Total efficiencies | Of which: resource-releasing | |
Deprivation
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to address the deprivation identified by the Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel on 26 May 2005 in the Drumgask, Drumnamoe, Corcrain, Drumgor and Court areas of Craigavon. [77307]
Mr. Hanson: Drumgask, Drumnamoe, Corcrain, Drumgor and Court areas in Craigavon were identified by the Northern Ireland Measures of Deprivation (New Noble Index) as being in the 10 per cent. most deprived urban areas in Northern Ireland.
The Government’s main strategy for tackling areas of high urban deprivation is neighbourhood renewal and three local Neighbourhood Partnerships have been established in the Craigavon borough council area to help take forward the strategy in the areas that have been identified as deprived. The Drumgask and Drumgor areas are covered by the Brownlow Partnership; the Court and Drumnanoe areas are covered by the Lurgan Partnership and the Corcrain area is covered by the Portadown Partnership.
All three partnerships are currently working in consultation with interested parties to develop a vision framework and action plan that will set out in detail the programmes and activities needed to address
deprivation and improve services. Local consultation is expected to take place later this year.
Early Years Services
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the additional £1.2 million announced on 26 May 2005 to maintain front-line early years services in Northern Ireland was spent; and how much remained unspent. [77309]
Paul Goggins: On 26 May 2005, my predecessor, the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the hon. Member for St. Helens, South (Mr. Woodward), announced an additional £1.2 million to support projects previously funded under ‘Peace Measure 2.5—Investing in Childcare’.
Projects were invited to apply for this funding and had to demonstrate that they met the criteria in providing direct services to children in areas of low provision where the service is critical to provision in that area; or services that have targeted provision for ethnic minorities, traveller children and children with a disability.
In 2005-06 £1.2 million has been committed to 128 successful projects, and all funds have been fully utilised.
Head Teacher Vacancies
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vacancies of principals of more than two months there were in secondary level schools in the (a) controlled and (b) maintained sectors in Northern Ireland during 2005. [76329]
Maria Eagle: The education and library boards and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools have advised that all principal vacancies during 2005 were filled immediately. If there is a delay in a principal taking up duty, the vice principal is required to undertake the role of acting principal in accordance with the terms of employment of the vice principal.
Hospital Waiting Times
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of patients in Northern Ireland waiting for elective admission to trauma and orthopaedics were seen in (a) under three months and (b) under 12 months during (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06. [76501]
Paul Goggins:
The proportion of in-patients waiting for elective admission (ordinary admission or day case treatment) in the trauma and orthopaedics specialty that were seen during 2004-05 and 2005-06 in an NHS
hospital in Northern Ireland in (a) under three months and (b) under 12 months is provided in the following table:
| Proportion of in-patients waiting for elective admission in the trauma and orthopaedics specialty that were seen in an NHS hospital in Northern Ireland in: | ||
| Under 3 months | Under 12 months | |
Waiting time is calculated from the original date the decision to admit was made to the actual admission date. Data include in-patients who were medically deferred while waiting and in-patients who self-deferred or did not turn up for a previously arranged admission date.
Housing
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1818-20W, on housing, what assessment he has made of community differentials in the allocation of housing in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Belfast; and if he will make a statement. [76786]
Mr. Hanson: No assessment is made as housing is allocated on the basis of need through the Common Selection Scheme and not on the basis of community affiliation.
Knives
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of stabbings with knives have occurred in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [76627]
Mr. Hanson: The following table provides PSNI statistics on knife crime incidents over the past five years. The incidents are sorted by the recorded crime categories used by the police. While it is known that a knife was used in all incidents recorded below, it is not possible to indicate how the knife was used.
Clearly the categories of murder and attempted murder refer to the most serious incidents. While the overall incidents of use of a knife in crime rose last year, the number of murders and attempted murders reduced.
A knife amnesty and media campaign is currently in place. In early autumn an educational package will be introduced into schools and legislation giving powers to increase the minimum age for buying a knife will be introduced. I am hopeful that these actions will impact on these figures and we will see a reduction in knife related crimes this year.
| Crime type | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
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