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16 Jun 2006 : Column 1505W—continued


It is not possible to separate the cost of overnight subsistence and hotel accommodation for NIO civil servants or to split the spend over UK, ROI and others except at disproportionate cost.

(b) The cost of overnight accommodation for special advisers for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2006 is as follows:


16 Jun 2006 : Column 1506W
£
UK ROI Others

2003-04

77

209

1,044

2004-05

324

0

263

2005-06

1,416

172

0


David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discounts are available in relation to hotel accommodation used by (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in each Northern Ireland Department including the Northern Ireland Office. [69231]

Mr. Hanson: Northern Ireland Departments including the Northern Ireland Office use Hotel Booking Agents to book hotel accommodation and on average obtain a 40 per cent. discount.

National Stadium

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on consultants’ fees for the project for a new national stadium in Northern Ireland. [74716]

Mr. Hanson: The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, together with the Strategic Investment Board (SIB), has spent a total of £205,394.34 (excluding VAT) on consultants’ fees for the project for a new multi-sports stadium for Northern Ireland.

Nuclear Emergency Drills

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what nuclear emergency drills involving local authorities and emergency services are planned over the next 12 months. [77348]

David Cairns: Government Departments in Northern Ireland are not planning any nuclear emergency drills involving local authorities and emergency services over the next 12 months.

Nuclear Power

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what role the Government expect nuclear power to play in meeting the future energy needs of Northern Ireland. [76531]

Maria Eagle: The Government’s policy in relation to energy in Northern Ireland is contained in the Strategic Energy Framework. The framework does not anticipate nuclear new build in Northern Ireland.

Population Statistics

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons of working age there were in Northern Ireland in each March to May period since 1997; what proportion of those people were (a) in employment, (b) in full-time education or
16 Jun 2006 : Column 1507W
training, (c) unemployed and (d) economically inactive but not in full-time education or training; and if he will make a statement. [76499]

Maria Eagle: The requested breakdown of the working age population in Northern Ireland can be found in the following table. It shows that during the period March-May
16 Jun 2006 : Column 1508W
1997 to March-May 2005, the working population in NI increased by 59,000, with the proportion of those in employment increasing and the proportion unemployed falling. The proportion in full-time education also showed a slight increase, whereas there was a marginal fall in the proportion who were economically inactive but not in full-time education.

Breakdown of the NI working age population( 1) , 1997 to 2005
Percentage
Reference period( 2) Working age population In Employment Full-time education( 3) Unemployed Economically inactive (not in full-time education)

1997

989,000

66.4

8.4

5.5

21.5

1998

997,000

66.9

8.3

5.3

21.6

1999

1,002,000

66.5

9.1

5.3

21.2

2000

1,009,000

64.8

9.3

5.0

22.8

2001

1,018,000

66.9

8.9

4.5

21.8

2002

1,026,000

67.2

9.9

3.9

21.4

2003

1,034,000

69.3

9.2

3.9

20.3

2004

1,041,000

66.6

10.1

3.4

22.2

2005

1,048,000

68.0

9.7

3.4

21.2

(1) The working age population refers to ages 16-59 for females and 16-64 for males. (2) Figures relate to the period March to May of each year. (3) It is possible for persons to be counted under the full-time education category and also under the ‘In employment’ or ‘Unemployed’ categories e.g. if a full-time student also has a part-time job. The categories are therefore not mutually exclusive and will total to a figure in excess of 100 per cent. Source: NI Labour Force Survey.

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the Northern Ireland population is aged (a) 65 years and over and (b) 18 to 64 years; and what the forecasts are for (i) 2007, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) 2015. [77381]

Mr. Hanson: The following table gives the population estimates and proportion of the total population for the year 2004, and projections for the years 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2015, for the Northern Ireland population aged 18 to 64 years, and 65 years and over.

Aged 18 to 64 years Aged 65 years and over Proportion aged 18 to 64 years (Percentage) Proportion aged 65 years and over (Percentage)

2004(1)

1,039,400

233,400

61

14

2007(2)

1,072,800

243,900

62

14

2009(2)

1,083,500

255,600

62

15

2010(2)

1,088,700

261,300

62

15

2015(2)

1,103,400

293,700

62

16

(1 )Estimate
(2 )Projection

Preventive Health Care

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been allocated to preventive health care for men, with particular reference to early detection of prostate cancer, in each trust area in Northern Ireland over the last three years. [77344]

Paul Goggins: It is not possible to identify the money allocated to preventive healthcare for men in each trust area. Health promotion initiatives such as tobacco and diet control are targeted at men and women.

No specific funding has been allocated by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for the early detection of prostate cancer to each trust.

The National Screening Committee has reviewed the current research evidence and does not recommend screening for prostate cancer. The main reason is that the current tests have limited accuracy and so follow-up procedures could cause harm to healthy men. Men with prostate cancer symptoms are encouraged to seek early advice from their GP. They may ask for a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. However, to enable them to make an informed decision about the PSA test, they need to know about its limitations and the potential side effects which may occur following surgery, which include incontinence and impotence.

Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what administrative costs have been
16 Jun 2006 : Column 1509W
incurred by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in connection with the programme for building sustainable prosperity. [78048]

David Cairns: The Department’s administrative costs associated with the judicial reviews by Hillsborough golf club are estimated to be £14,100.

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legal costs have been incurred by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the judicial reviews by Hillsborough golf club in respect of its application for funding under the programme for building sustainable prosperity. [78049]

David Cairns: The Department’s fees associated with these legal procedures are estimated to be £52,000.00 excluding VAT.

Prostate Cancer

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 455W, on prostate cancer, what percentage of males over the age of 85 years in Northern Ireland are estimated to have prostate cancer. [78119]

Paul Goggins: The following table details information on the prevalence(1) of prostate cancer (ICD-10 C61) by age band in Northern Ireland since 1993.


16 Jun 2006 : Column 1510W
Prevalence of prostate cancer by age in Northern Ireland 2003
Age Prevalence of prostate cancer( 1) Male population( 2) Percentage of population living with prostate cancer

59 and under

345

699,777

0.05

60 to 64

400

39,360

1.02

65 to 69

639

32,407

1.97

70 to 74

676

26,067

2.59

75 to 79

484

19,552

2.48

80 to 84

291

12,465

2.33

85 and over

124

6,863

1.81

All ages

2,959

836,491

0.35

(1) Prevalence has been estimated by counting the number of patients diagnosed between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2003 with prostate cancer, who were still alive on 31 December 2003. This may represent an undercount of the actual number of people living with prostate cancer as those diagnosed prior to 1993 and still alive at the end of 2003 are not included. (2) 2004 mid-year population estimate, NISRA.

This information has been provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry and is the most up to date currently available.


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