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24 Jan 2007 : Column 1792W—continued


Correspondence

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to improve the Department’s performance in replying to correspondence from the general public. [115676]

Mr. Hain: The six national standards for central Government were introduced to the Northern Ireland Office and its Executive Agencies from April 1997.

However, even though no longer formally monitored by the Cabinet Office, the Department continues to use the national standards as a way of ensuring it maintains a good customer service to the general public.

One of the standards is to answer letters quickly and clearly, within a departmental target of 15 working days. Performance for the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005 was as follows:

Number of letters received Percentage in target

NIO Core

2,026

89

Northern Ireland Prison Service

1,079

98

Forensic Science Northern Ireland

113

98

The Compensation Agency

98,800

98

Public Prosecution Service

117

93

Youth Justice Agency

157

96


It should be noted that some parts of the Department impose a local target of replying to correspondence within 10 working days. In particular the Compensation Agency which has responded to a vast amount of correspondence during 2005.

The performance in relation to this target is monitored on a regular basis.

Hoax Emergency Calls

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hoax calls were made to 999 in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [110669]

Paul Goggins: The numbers of hoax calls received by Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service for the last 10 calendar years are set out in the table as follows:

NI total

1997

6,192

1998

4,911

1999

4,172

2000

5,879

2001

7,444

2002

5,704

2003

5,873

2004

5,952

2005

5,079

2006

4,777


The numbers of hoax calls received by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS), for each of the last eight financial years, are set out in the following table. NIAS cannot provide information prior to the 1999-2000 financial year. (Note: These figures include calls generated by Automated Fire Alarms).

NI total

1999-2000

1,554

2000-01

3,078

2001-02

3,402

2002-03

3,176

2003-04

3,436

2004-05

2,991

2005-06

6,403

2006-07 (9 months)

4,926


The numbers of hoax calls received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSN1) for the last five financial years are set out in the table as follows. Information prior to the 2002-03 financial year is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

NI total

2002-03

531

2003-04

681

2004-05

850

2005-06

927

2006-07 (to 21 January 2007)

1,198


Mid-Ulster Hospital

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the patient to nurse ratio cover is in general wards at Mid-Ulster Hospital. [110820]


24 Jan 2007 : Column 1793W

Paul Goggins: Information on the ratio of nurses to patients is not available. United Hospitals HSS Trust has provided the following information on the ratio of nurses per bed in general medical and surgical wards.

There are 1.15 nurses per bed for general medical and surgical wards at the Mid-Ulster Hospital. There is a total of three general wards, two of which deal with medical/cardiology patients and one which deals with medical and surgical patients. The number of beds in each of the three wards ranges from 18-25.

Ministerial Interview

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the opinions on international affairs which he expressed in his interview published in the current issue of the New Statesman represent the policies of Her Majesty’s Government. [110908]


24 Jan 2007 : Column 1794W

Mr. Hain: The views I expressed in the New Statesman about the need to work through multinational institutions and the pride I expressed on the Government’s record since 1997 of trebling aid to Africa, leading the fight for trade justice, and lifting billions in debt off the poorest countries are shared across Government.

MRSA

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of MRSA were recorded in each hospital in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [110673]

Paul Goggins: The number of patient episodes of MRSA bacteraemia reported by year and where possible by hospital over the last five years are detailed in the following table.

Calendar year
Trust Hospital 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Altnagelvin Hospitals

Altnagelvin Area Hospital

16

14

17

22

21

Waterside Hospital (ward 5)

0

0

0

0

0

Belfast City Hospitals

Belfast City

(1)44

46

53

(2)47

39

NICCO (Belvoir Park)

(1)

1

2

(2)

0

Causeway

Causeway Hospital

(3)4

12

9

(4)9

10

Dalriada Hospital

(3)

0

0

(4)

0

Robinson Memorial Hospital

(3)

0

0

(4)

0

Craigavon Area Hospital Group

Craigavon Area Hospital

11

13

22

22

19

Lurgan Hospital

0

3

3

2

1

South Tyrone Hospital

0

0

0

0

0

Down Lisburn

Downe Hospital

(5)9

4

3

14

4

Lagan Valley Hospital

(5)

2

9

3

3

Greenpark

Forster Green Hospital

(6)0

(7)4

(8)5

(9)2

(10)3

Musgrave Park Hospital

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

Mater

Mater Infirmorum Hospital

8

20

25

9

23

Newry and Mourne

Daisy Hill Hospital

5

4

10

5

3

Royal Group of Hospitals

RBHSC

0

0

1

1

1

Royal Jubilee

0

0

4

2

2

Royal Victoria Hospital

30

27

37

41

46

Sperrin Lakeland

Erne Hospital

3

0

10

3

2

Tyrone County Hospital

2

3

5

13

4

Ulster Community and Hospitals

Ards Hospital

(11)13

0

1

0

0

Bangor Hospital

(11)

1

0

0

0

Ulster Hospital

(11)

24

22

34

25

United Hospitals

Antrim Area Hospital

(12)25

28

32

(13)41

(14)37

Braid Valley Hospital

(12)

0

1

(13)

(14)

Mid Ulster Hospital

(12)

1

8

(13)

(14)

Moyle Hospital

(12)

0

0

(13)

(14)

Whiteabbey Hospital

(12)

5

5

(13)

(14)

Northern Ireland total

170

212

284

270

243

Note:
Surveillance began 1 April 2001.
Source:
Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland (CDSC (NI)).

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