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22 Jun 2006 : Column 2136W—continued
Disability Leaflet
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many copies of the leaflet ‘Has disability altered your home?’ have been produced by the Rate Collection Agency in Northern Ireland. [79458]
Mr. Hanson: The Rate Collection Agency has produced 10,000 of these leaflets since 2003.
Driving Safety
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to inform motorists in Northern Ireland of the dangers of driving while using a mobile phone. [78878]
David Cairns: Prior to the introduction of the offence of using a hand held mobile phone while driving, the Department of the Environment (DOE) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) raised awareness through press releases and media interviews. A reminder exercise was carried out one year after its introduction.
The DOE produced a radio advertisement, ‘Grave Mistake’, which airs regularly and a leaflet providing
advice on appropriate use and penalties for misuse of mobile phones. The DOE and PSNI include information on the use of mobile phones on their websites. Electronic message systems on motorways in Northern Ireland carry road safety messages including “Kill the call before it kills you” at intervals throughout the year.
Rule 127 in the Highway Code for Northern Ireland advises drivers never to use a hand held mobile phone when driving. A draft revised Highway Code, which will shortly go out for consultation, will reinforce the legal requirement on drivers.
New primary road traffic legislation, on which the DOE has consulted, will be introduced late 2006/early 2007 and will include penalty points and greater fines for using a hand held mobile phone while driving. The DOE will consider the most appropriate way of raising awareness in advance of the proposed changes.
Drugs
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaths from drug related poisoning involving illegal substances were recorded in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [78786]
Mr. Hanson: It is not possible to answer this question directly as a number of people who have died from a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act may have obtained the drug legally for example methadone overdose.
However the following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland for each year between 2001 and 2005 for which the underlying cause was drug poisoning(1) and where any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act were mentioned on the death certificate.
(1) International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes:
Fl 1-F16, F18-F19?Mental and behavioural disorders related to drug use.
X60-X64?Intentional self-poisoning by drugs.
X40-X44?Accidental poisoning by drugs.
X85?Assault by drugs.
Y10-Y14?Undetermined and other poisoning by drugs.
| Number of deaths due to drug-related poisoning involving illegal substances | |
| Number | |
Early Retirement (Medical Staff)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) general practitioners, (b) consultants and (c) nurses have retired early in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by health board area. [78774]
Paul Goggins: Details of numbers of early retirements by (a) general practitioners, (b) consultants and (c) nurses in each of the last five years broken down by health board are set out in the following table. These figures include early retirements on grounds of ill health, redundancy or in the interests of the efficiency of the service and voluntary early retirement.
The information has been extracted from Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) Superannuation records of HPSS staff who have been awarded early retirement benefits under the provisions of the Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995.
| Table of numbers of early retirements by area board for (a) practitioners, (b) consultants and (c) nurses in each of the last five years | |||||
| 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
Employment (East Londonderry)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in (a) male and (b) female unemployment in East Londonderry constituency has been in each of the last five years. [51326]
Maria Eagle: Unemployment levels from the claimant count for males and females in the East Londonderry parliamentary constituency in January 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, together with their yearly change, are provided in the following table.
| East Londonderry | ||||
| January each year | Male claimant count | Change from previous January | Female claimant count | Change from previous January |
Energy Policy
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government’s policy on the use of nuclear power to generate electricity for Northern Ireland. [76500]
Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer dated 5 June 2006, Official Report, column 447W.
Job Centres
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs are presently advertised through job centres in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [52984]
Maria Eagle: As of 15 February 2006, there were 5,355 vacancies advertised in the Jobs and Benefits Offices and Jobcentres throughout Northern Ireland.
It is anticipated that approximately 40,000 vacancies will be notified during the 2005-06 financial year.
Legislation
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which private Members’ Bills were drafted by his Department in each session since 1997; and which subsequently received Royal Assent. [78848]
Mr. Hain: My Department has not drafted any such Bills.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list those Government Bills sponsored by his Department that are still to be introduced during the 2005-06 session; [78849]
(2) if he will list the Government Bills sponsored by his Department that he has bid for in the next session of Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [78850]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Straw) on 16 June 2006, Official Report, column 1432W.
Ministerial Travel
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on police security provision for Ministers’ car travel in each year since 1998, broken down by Northern Ireland Department. [74697]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not available and to attempt to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
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