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30 Oct 2006 : Column 191W—continued
Strategic and financial consultancy—extended by £33,700 in respect of additional work carried out on the Integrated Financial Model.
Financial advisory consultancy—extended by £351,000 to undertake additional functions associated with the integration of the development of the operating licence and the regulatory principles and framework of the new company.
Programme management consultancy—extended by £95,000 in respect of additional programme planning support.
Efficiencies and risk management consultancy—extended by £15,025 in respect of additional work relating to risk management not included in the original agreement.
Counterfeit Goods
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what the estimated total revenue loss was as a result of illegal trading in (a) cigarettes, (b) spirits, (c) diesel, (d) petrol and (e) counterfeit goods in each of the last five years; [96440]
(2) what estimate he has made of the size of the illicit market for (a) cigarettes, (b) spirits, (c) diesel and (d) petrol in each of the last three years. [96442]
John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
The most recent estimates of the size of the illicit market for cigarettes, spirits and oils (diesel and petrol), are reported in “Measuring Indirect Tax Losses—2005”, published alongside the PBR 2005 which can be found in the House of Commons Library.
The proportion of all cigarettes seized that were counterfeit is published in Table 21 a on p94 of the HMRC Annual Report 2004-05.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department recognises the International GCSE as an acceptable substitute for a GCSE for the purposes of recruitment. [96734]
Mr. Hanson: The Department of Finance and Personnel’s Recruitment Service, which has responsibility for external recruitment to the Northern Ireland Civil Service, fully recognises the International General Certificate of Secondary Education as an acceptable substitute for the General Certificate of Secondary Education.
Education (Northern Ireland) Order
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his statement of 16 October 2006, Official Report, column 595, on Northern Ireland, whether he plans to postpone the implementation of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 until after 26 March 2007; and if he will make a statement. [97109]
Maria Eagle: The Government do not intend to postpone the implementation of the generality of provisions in the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, many of which are already in force. On the issue of academic selection, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 23 October 2006, Official Report, column 1545W.
First Aid
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of children learning first aid skills; what first aid training schoolchildren in Northern Ireland receive; and what plans he has to increase the first aid training available in schools in Northern Ireland. [97120]
Maria Eagle: The Department of Education recognises the importance for children of acquiring basic first aid skills from an early age. First aid is therefore included in both the former and revised statutory curriculum. It will continue to be taught at primary and post-primary level and provision is made for its delivery through personal development. By the end of Key Stage 3 pupils should have developed an awareness of emergency first aid procedures and have the understanding and skills to develop preventative strategies in relation to accidents in the home, school and on the road.
Government Social Research Service
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of the Government Social Research Service in his Department in each of the last five years; how many projects have been
completed by the Service in that period; and how many people are employed in the Service in his Department. [95848]
Mr. Hanson: Social Research services within Government in Northern Ireland are delivered together with Statistical Services by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Full details of the finances, staffing and activities of NISRA are published in the Annual Report and Accounts of the Agency and are laid before Parliament. The costs and total staff numbers for the last five years are in the table. The Agency does not separately identify the cost of Social Research services and the figures shown exclude costs and staff associated with the registration service provided by the General Register Office (GRO). The number of publications produced by NISRA and noted in the Agency Annual Report for each of the five years is also shown.
| Staff numbers( 2 ) (excl GRO) | Publications | ||||
| Cost £000(1 )(excl GRO) | Core staff | Survey interviewers (fee-paid) | Statistical | Research | |
| (1 )The figures include the salary costs for NISRA staff outposted in Northern Ireland departments and other public bodies. They do not, however, include the costs borne directly by these bodies in support of outposted staff. (2) Staff numbers are on a headcount basis. | |||||
Health Service Organisations (Contracts)
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there are plans for a review of the effectiveness of the provision of contracts by legal services for health service organisations. [97103]
Paul Goggins: The Department is currently reviewing arrangements for the provision of legal services to HPSS organisations. I hope to make an announcement in the near future on the outcome of that review.
Housing Executive
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any land adjoining Knockdara Park and Shepherds Glen in Derry is owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. [97626]
Mr. Hanson: The Housing Executive has a reversionary interest in the land in the area which it has leased to the Catholic Church until 2075.
Independent Living (Disabled People)
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to enable independent living among people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement. [97118]
Paul Goggins: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Regional Strategy “A Healthier Future (2003-2023),” prioritises the promotion of independent living for people with disabilities and the provision of community-based alternatives to institutional care.
People with a disability assessed as needing a service to enable them to live independently can either accept provision from their local Health and Social Services Trust or commission services independently through direct payments.
The Department is also in the process of developing a Regional Strategy for People with Physical Disability and Sensory Impairment, which will further promote independent living.
The Department for Employment and Learning provides a range of services and programmes, including the New Deal for Disabled People, Access to Work and Workable (NI), to assist people with disabilities to find and keep employment.
In addition to social security benefits in the form of Independent Living Funds, the Department of Social Development (DSD), also jointly sponsors the motability scheme which helps provide transport.
Investigatory Powers Tribunal
Mark Durkan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints against the Security Service have been heard by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal since its establishment; in how many
of those cases the complaint was upheld; and in how many such cases reasons for (a) upholding and (b) rejecting the complaint were given. [97404]
Mr. McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
The Interception of Communications Commissioner and the Intelligence Services Commissioner each, in their respective annual reports, give the number of cases that the tribunal has decided. The number is not broken down by category.
No complaint was upheld. The tribunal does not give reasons in accordance with section 68 (4) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
| Number | |
NHS Staff (Attacks)
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) physical and (b) verbal attacks on NHS staff have been recorded by (i) the Northern Ireland health boards and (ii) the ambulance service (1) in 2005-06 and (2) so far in 2006-07. [95318]
Paul Goggins: The number of recorded physical and verbal incidents for the period requested in board areas is as follows:
| 1 April 2006-30 September 2006 | 1 April 2005-31 March 2006 | |||
| Physical | Verbal | Physical | Verbal | |
| (1) Due to a delay in reporting for some units Foyle trust figures do not include a full month for September. (2) Due to a delay in reporting for some units Foyle trust figures do not include a full month for September. | ||||
Nurses
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many student nurses in Northern Ireland have temporarily withdrawn from their courses in each of the last three years; what percentage of the student cohort in each year that figure represents; and if he will make a statement. [97794]
Paul Goggins: The number of student nurses who have temporarily withdrawn from their course in each of the last three years and the corresponding percentage is set out as follows.
| Table of temporary withdrawals during last three academic years 1 September to 31 August | |||
| Academic year | Number in training | Temporary withdrawals | Percentage of total cohort |
| Source: Queens University Belfast, University of Ulster | |||
Plastic Bags
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of plastic bags produced for the local retail sector in each of the last three years; what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of plastic bags; what initiatives his Department is supporting to reduce the number of plastic bags (a) produced and (b) handed out; and whether he has plans to introduce a plastic bag levy. [97092]
David Cairns: There are no statistics on the number of plastic bags produced or used in Northern Ireland. However, UK figures show UK consumers use an estimated 10 billion plastic bags a year. Plastic bags account for approximately 0.3 per cent. of the domestic waste stream and 0.1 to 1 per cent. of visible litter in the UK.
The Department of the Environment is committed to a DEFRA-led initiative to produce a UK-wide voluntary code of practice for retailers aimed at reducing the number of plastic and paper bags given to customers. It is hoped that all the major retailers will sign up to the code and agree to set targets for a reduction in the number of disposable bags handed out at the point of sale. The Department also supports a number of other initiatives including Baglady Productions’ NEEDabag 2 project which aims to encourage alternatives to plastic bags, promote recycling, encourage people to refuse plastic bags and increase awareness of all issues relating to litter and waste and the “Wake up to Waste—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” campaign aimed at raising consumer awareness of waste management issues and the part each person can play in reducing the amount of waste we produce.
The UK Government have no plans to introduce a plastic bag levy.
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