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21 Feb 2007 : Column 766Wcontinued
In addition, the NI Health and Social Wellbeing Survey 2005 has recently been published and for the first time the survey has collected data relating to the height and weight of children aged 2-15 years. Using
the International Standard measurement for Obesity approximately one in 10 (8 per cent.) children were obese, and just over one in four (26 per cent.) were either overweight or obese.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; how many applications for British naturalisation there were from people resident in Northern Ireland in 2006. [120873]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 19 February 2007]: I have been asked to reply.
In 2006 there were about 270 naturalisation applications from people residing in Northern Ireland.
These data have not been provided under the national statistics protocols. They were derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Civil Service jobs have been relocated from the Greater Belfast area to each of the 12 constituencies in Northern Ireland, excluding North Down, Foyle and the four Belfast constituencies, in each of the last two years. [121609]
Mr. Hanson: No Civil Service jobs have been relocated from the Greater Belfast area to any of the 12 constituencies in Northern Ireland, excluding North Down, Foyle and the four Belfast constituencies, in the last two years.
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on buying, operating and supporting (a) all commercial software products and (b) software products produced by Microsoft in each of the last three years. [112593]
Paul Goggins: The following table provides details of the expenditure by the NIO on buying, operating and supporting commercial software products. The figures have been produced on a financial year basis. It has not been possible to identify a specific breakdown for Microsoft products relating to 2003-04 and therefore an overall figure has been provided.
£ | |||
2003-2004 | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | |
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many temporary employees were contracted to work for his Department in 2005-06; and what the total cost of such employees was in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 1997-98. [106698]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office employed a total of 59 temporary staff throughout 2005-06 at a total cost of £327,993.19.
Information on the cost of temporary staff employed throughout 1997-98 is not readily available and could be obtained (compiled) only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what role was undertaken by the casuals referred to on page 142 of the Departments annual report. [108375]
Paul Goggins: The casuals referred to on page 142 of the Departments annual report were employed by the Northern Ireland Office to undertake various general administrative duties. A breakdown of the exact duties undertaken is not available.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department has taken to implement the Race Equality Duty since 2000. [120672]
Mr. Hain: The main functions of the Northern Ireland Office relate to the provision of constitutional and security issues as they relate to Northern Ireland. The Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) Order 2001 does not extend to Northern Ireland, however as a Whitehall Department, we do have employment functions in our London Office.
In Northern Ireland, Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, requires public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and regard to the desirability of promoting good relations. These duties ensure that equality issues, including race, are integral to the whole range of public policy decision making. The NIO equality scheme, approved by the Northern Ireland Equality Commission in November 2001, set out how the Department proposed to fulfil those duties with regard to all of its policies and functions and the Northern Ireland Office reports on progress under section 75 annually to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
The NIO equality scheme is due for revision later this year and any additional measures which may be needed to meet the requirements of employment within the Race Relations Act will be considered as part of the review.
A copy of the Northern Ireland Office equality scheme is available on the Northern Ireland Office website at www.nio.gov.uk and the racial equality strategy for Northern Ireland 2005- 10 and annual action plan is available to view or download at www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to ensure that it and related bodies are in compliance with the gender equality duty in the Equality Act 2006 by the April 2007 deadline. [120986]
Mr. Hain: The main functions of the Northern Ireland Office relate to the provision of constitutional and security issues as they relate to Northern Ireland.The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930) does not extend to Northern Ireland; however as a Whitehall Department, we do have employment functions in our London office.
In Northern Ireland Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and regard to the desirability of promoting good relations. These duties ensure that equality issues, including gender, are integral to the whole range of public policy decision making. The NIO Equality Scheme, approved by the Northern Ireland Equality Commission in November 2001, set out how the Department proposed to fulfil those duties with regard to all of its policies and functions and the Northern Ireland Office reports on progress under section 75 annually to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
The NIO Equality Scheme is due for revision later this year and any additional measures which may be needed to meet the requirements of employment within the Sex Discrimination Order will be considered as part of the review.
A copy of the Northern Ireland Office Equality Scheme is available on the Northern Ireland Office website: www.nio.gov.uk and the Gender Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland for 2006 to 2016 is available to view or download at:
http://www.ofmdfm.gov.uk/genderequalitystrategy2006-2016.pdf
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many items of furniture were (a) lost and (b) stolen from his Department in each year since 1997; and what the value was of those items in each year. [120714]
Mr. Hain: The Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and NDPBs, has had no items of furniture reported as being (a) lost or (b) stolen from the Department in each year since 1997.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicles belonging to his Department were (a) lost and (b) stolen in each year since 1997; and what the (i) make and model and (ii) value was of each vehicle. [121369]
Mr. Hain: The Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and NDPBs, has had no vehicles reported as being (a) lost or (b) stolen from the Department in each year since 1997.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the tax liability is under the new discrete capital values system of domestic local taxation for (a) members of the armed services who permanently reside in Northern Ireland in non-Ministry of Defence accommodation, (b) members of the armed services who permanently reside in Northern Ireland in Ministry of Defence (MOD) accommodation, (c) members of the armed services on active duty in Northern Ireland in MOD accommodation, (d) members of the armed services on active duty in Northern Ireland in non-MOD accommodation and (e) members of the armed forces who reside in Northern Ireland but are on active duty overseas. [120840]
Mr. Hanson: Under the new capital value rating system, all living accommodation situated within a military complex will be treated as non-domestic property and will be valued as part of the parent property, assessed on its rateable net annual value and in the occupation of the Ministry of Defence.
Domestic property occupied by members of the armed services and their families and situated outside the perimeter of military complexes will be assessed individually for rates based on a capital value assessment and the rate liability will be proportionate to this value, as is the case with other ratepayers. There are no special concessions, discounts or reliefs for service personnel. The Ministry of Defence or the person in residence may be the rateable occupier and therefore liable for rates.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what forms of treatment for depression are available through the NHS in Northern Ireland. [120346]
Paul Goggins: Depression is a common disorder of varying severity, which can be treated by a range of services and treatments. Services currently can be accessed in the community, primary and secondary care settings and range from self-help and peer support initiatives to specialist mental health in-patient services.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the costs were of operating each health service laboratory in the Province in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on staffing each laboratory. [120343]
Paul Goggins: Information on the cost of operating each group of health service laboratories in the service is shown in the following table, for the financial years 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05. Information for previous years is not available.
2003-04 | ||||
£ | ||||
Cost of core services | Cost of other regional services | Total cost of core services and other regional services | Staffing costs of core services | |
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