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21 Jun 2006 : Column 1977W—continued
Prescription Charges
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was received through
payment of prescription charges in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [78746]
Paul Goggins: Income from prescription charges comes from over the counter payments at point of dispensing and the purchase of prepayment certificates. The following table presents this information.
| Total receipts from prescription charges, 1996-97 to 2005-06 | |||
| £ | |||
| Receipts from prescription charges | Receipts from the sale of prepayment certificates | All receipts | |
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of prescription charge exemption in each health board in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [78768]
Paul Goggins: The information requested cannot be answered strictly in the format requested because the information is not routinely collected in that form. However, it has been estimated that, at Northern Ireland level, 89 per cent. of prescription items are dispensed annually free of charge. The following table shows the associated estimated cost of not collecting the prescription charge on these items. This estimate is only available from 1997-98, is produced at a regional level and cannot be broken down by health board.
| Estimated cost of prescription charge exemption, 1997-98 to 2005-06 | |
| Northern Ireland (£) | |
Prison Service
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in total have been employed in the Prison Service in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [78709]
Paul Goggins: The number of staff employed in the Northern Ireland Prison Service at 31 December for each of the last five years is set out in the following table.
| As at 31 December | Number |
Prisoners
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications made by prisoners for home leave were (a) accepted and (b) rejected in each of the last five years. [77360]
Paul Goggins: The table shows the total number of home leave applications, further broken down to show the number of applications accepted, rejected and cancelled for the years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 to date. The great majority were in respect of prisoners completing their sentences at Magilligan prison.
Information for the years 2001-02 and 2002-03 plus the cancelled and rejected breakdown for 2003-04 is not readily available. I regret that to provide this would incur disproportionate costs.
| Number of applications | Accepted (approved) | Rejected or withdrawn | |
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have failed to return to prison following (a) weekend and (b) compassionate release in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [77093]
Paul Goggins: The table shows the number of prisoners who failed to return to prison following periods of pre-release home leave including at weekends and compassionate release in Northern Ireland for the years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 to date.
The information sought for the previous years is not available without incurring disproportionate costs.
| (a) Weekend Leave | (b) Compassionate Release | |
The great majority of these prisoners have been returned to prison—only two prisoners remain unlawfully at large following periods of pre-release home leave and two following release by courts on compassionate bail.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have escaped from accompanying prison staff while released on
compassionate leave in each of the last five years. [77221]
Paul Goggins: Three prisoners have absconded from accompanying staff while released on compassionate leave over the last five years as shown.
| Details | Number of absconds | |
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much compensation has been paid out to prisoners in Northern Ireland following (a) accidental injury and (b) a successful claim of assault by a member of staff. [77092]
Paul Goggins: The following table indicates compensation paid to prisoners due to (a) accidental injury and (b) successful claim of assault by a member of staff.
| Category | Period | Number of claims | Amount (£) |
| Note: Social security agency payments for reimbursement of benefits in relation to alleged injuries are not included. | |||
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mandatory drug tests were carried out in prisons in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many were (a) positive and (b) negative in each year. [77358]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Prison Service does not currently have a programme of mandatory drug testing, although its planned to make the necessary changes to the prison rules later this year. In the meantime there is extensive drug testing of prisoners, on a voluntary basis, mainly as part of the Progressive Regime and Earned Privileges Scheme.
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average cost of housing a prisoner was over the last financial year in prison in Northern Ireland. [77362]
Paul Goggins: The latest published cost per prisoner place figures relate to the 2004-05 financial year, when they totalled £85,935.
The NI Prison Service publishes the average cost per prisoner place in its annual report and accounts. The 2005-06 annual report and accounts will be laid before Parliament in July.
Procurement
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) when the Department of Education will confirm the procurement route for capital projects announced on 1 March 2006; [74342]
(2) which schools in Northern Ireland he expects to be built using private finance initiative arrangements; and what progress has been made on each site since the announcement was made. [76403]
Maria Eagle: The procurement routes for the schools announced for capital funding on 1 March 2006 are being announced today. None of these schools will be built using the private finance initiative. Confirmation of the procurement routes will enable planning of the schools to proceed.
Public Sector Staff
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) party affiliation, (b) sex and (c) religion is of each member of each associated public body in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [78550]
Mr. Hanson: Individuals appointed to the boards of non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland are not required to declare their party affiliation or religion, however, they are asked to indicate their gender and declare their community background and if they have undertaken any significant political activity in the five years prior to the date of their application. In addition, they are asked to provide details of their age, disability and ethnicity.
Appointments are made solely on merit. Political activity, gender, community background and other personal details are recorded for monitoring purposes only and play no part in the selection process.
Disclosure of information on community background by reference to each public body in Northern Ireland would contravene the data protection principles set out in the Data Protection Act 1998.
An overview of the political activity, gender and community background of both applicants and appointees to bodies sponsored by Northern Ireland’s 11 Government Departments, as well as details of their age, disability and ethnicity can be found in the Public Appointments Annual Report. Similar information in respect of NIO sponsored bodies is included in the NIO Departmental Report. Copies of the latest versions of both these reports are available from the Library of the House and can be found on the Internet at www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/public-appointments and www.nio.gov.uk/nio_departmental_report_2006.pdf respectively.
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