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Knives
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) fined and (b) imprisoned for illegally selling knives to under 16-year-olds in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [78772]
Mr.
Hanson: During the period 1994 to 2003, there were no
convictions for the offence of ‘unlawful sale of a knife to
person under 16’. Data beyond 2003 is not yet available. Data is
collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious
offence with which an offender is charged is included. The Government
are concerned by the issue of knife crime and is attaching
high priority to finding ways in which the law can be strengthened and
enforced in respect of illegal possession and sale of
knives.
Mental Health
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals in Northern Ireland suffering from depression were recorded as attempting suicide in each of the last five years, broken down by health board. [78721]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is not available.
Mini-motorbikes
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what seizure powers are available to (a) the police and (b) local authorities in Northern Ireland in relation to mini-motorbikes; [71406]
(2) what measures are in place to prevent the (a) sale to and (b) use by children aged under 16 years of mini-motorbikes in Northern Ireland. [71407]
David Cairns: Neither police nor local authorities in Northern Ireland currently have seizure powers in relation to mini-motorbikes.
However, we recently consulted on legislative proposals to give the PSNI powers to seize motor vehicles, including mini-motorbikes, being driven on public roads while uninsured and these will be brought into effect in due course.
Furthermore, we will shortly be consulting on a range of measures to improve the environmental quality of local neighbourhoods in Northern Ireland, including proposals to update legislative powers in relation to statutory nuisance, including noise nuisance emanating from vehicles (such as mini-motorbikes in the street).
However, the police have powers under Road Traffic and Vehicles legislation to prosecute users of vehicles (including mini-motorbikes) where they are used on a road without being modified to comply with construction and use, lighting and type approval requirements. Police can also prosecute for breach of the requirements for drivers of such vehicles to be 16 or over, to hold an appropriate driving licence, have minimum third party insurance and have the vehicle insured.
The police can also prosecute where mechanically propelled vehicles (including mini-motorbikes) are used off-road without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
Pensioner Poverty
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners are living in poverty in each constituency in Northern Ireland; what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who do not claim the benefits to which they are entitled; and what steps the Government are taking to increase take-up of benefit by pensioners. [78498]
Mr. Hanson: Figures for the number of pensioners on a single year basis by parliamentary constituency are not statistically valid due to insufficient sample sizes. However it is possible to provide figures on a combined yearly basis.
The number and percentage of pensioners in relative poverty by parliamentary constituency for 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 combined is detailed in the following table.
| Relative poverty (before housing costs) | Relative poverty (after housing costs) | |||
| Parliamentary constituency | Number( 1) | Percentage | Number( 1) | Percentage |
| (1)
Figures have been rounded to the nearest
100. Source: Households below average income NI 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 Estimate of unclaimed benefits | ||||
Estimate of unclaimed benefits
The most recent information on take-up of benefits was reported in the 'Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take-Up in 2002-04 Northern Ireland'. The report estimated that between 1,200 and 8,400 pensioners were not claiming Housing Benefit for which they may have been entitled, and between 49,800 and 96,400 were not claiming Minimum Income Guarantee/Pension Credit for which they may have been entitled,
The 2005-06 benefit uptake strategy piloted a number of exercises targeting 3,750 pensioners offering them a comprehensive benefit assessment. Of those targeted by the 2005-06 benefit uptake strategy 10 per cent. made successful claims; resulting in £400,000 paid in arrears and an average weekly increase of £30 for each successful customer amounting to additional yearly benefit spend of £575,000.
The 2006-07 expanded programme is targeting 35,000 clients including older people, people with disabilities and carers. Of the 35,000 clients being targeted 33,000 are older people.
Pensions
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of (a) the number of people employed in Northern Ireland that have private pension provision and (b) what percentage of them are women. [79974]
Mr. Hanson: Results from the Family Resources Survey 2004-05 show that 355,000 people employed in Northern Ireland have private pension provision of which 42 per cent. are women.
1. Figures refer to persons from working age 20 to state pension age who are either full or part-time employed (whether employees or self-employed) and do not include those not working.
2. Estimates are taken from the Family Resources Survey 2004-05 which is the latest year for which data are available.
3. Members who are contributing to a private pension scheme include those who are building up rights within a salary related scheme, those who are currently contributing to a scheme or whose employer makes a contribution on their behalf. Private pension refers to an occupational personal or stakeholder pension scheme.
4. Individuals who contribute to both occupational and personal schemes are counted only once in these estimates.
Planning Policy
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning applications for building in rural communities in Northern Ireland are affected by Planning Policy Statement 14 introduced by the Department of Environment Planning Services; and if he will make a statement. [78492]
David Cairns: All planning applications for development in the Northern Ireland countryside outside designated limits for cities, towns, villages and other small settlements and received after 16 March 2006 will be affected by the policy provisions of draft PPS 14.
Of all valid applications received between 16 March and 18 June 2006, it is estimated that draft PPS 14 is a material consideration in approximately 2,500.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what land remains available for housing development in Strangford constituency; and if he will make a statement. [78493]
David Cairns: It is estimated that there are 270.8 hectares of land remaining with potential for housing development within the urban areas of Strangford parliamentary constituency. This could provide approximately 5,282 dwelling units.
However, it should be noted that there is a degree of policy uncertainty in relation to land which is currently the subject of objection through the development plan process; this issue will be publicly debated at the public inquiries convened to hear objections to the relevant draft plans i.e. draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) and the Draft Ards and Down Area Plan.
The Ards and Down public inquiry has recently been reconvened and has been scheduled to continue to21 June 2006 to hear strategic objections to the extent of housing land identified within the draft plan proposals. It will reopen in September to hear site specific objections. No date has yet been set for the public inquiry to consider objections to the draft BMAP.
Police Service of Northern Ireland
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sealed packages of monies seized by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in the course of operations are currently held by each PSNI District Command Unit finance office; and how many such packages have gone missing in each of the last seven years. [75007]
Paul Goggins: The PSNI do not hold this information on a central record. To obtain this information would require a manual trawl of records across all finance offices and as such could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Policing Board
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the attendance record was for (a) elected and (b) non-elected members of the Policing Board of Northern Ireland at (i) full Policing Board meetings and (ii) Policing Board committee meetings in each of the last three years. [78756]
Paul Goggins: The following tables detail Policing Board members' attendance at Board and Committee meetings and were supplied by the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
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