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13 Mar 2007 : Column 212W—continued
Domestic Rates
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) gross and (b) net revenue from domestic rates in Northern Ireland was in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06; and what the estimated level is for 2006-07. [120835]
Mr. Hanson: The gross collectable rate for domestic properties in NI for 2004-05 was £343,759,491.47. The net revenue collected for domestic properties in 2004-05 amounted to £328,376,655.77.
The gross collectable rate for domestic properties in NI for 2005-06 was £379,372,507.06. The net revenue collected for domestic properties in 2005-06 amounted to £367,620,688.16.
The estimated gross collectable rate for domestic properties in NI for 2006-07 is £425 million. The estimated net revenue collected for domestic properties in 2006-07 will be in the region of £383 million.
Firearms
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firearms certificate applications were made in each Police Service of Northern Ireland district command unit area in each of the past three years; and how many of those applications were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful. [123488]
Paul Goggins: The chief constable has provided, in the following table, details of firearms applications from 1 February 2005 (when a new computer system was introduced) to December 2006. The figures cannot be disaggregated by district command unit.
| Granted | Refused | |
The figures include certificates granted to both first time applicants and to persons whose previous certificate had expired. The figures for 2006 were inflated by a backlog of applications carried forward from 2005.
Housing: Waiting Lists
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce housing waiting lists in Northern Ireland; and what targets have been put in place relating to the reduction of such lists. [126963]
Mr. Hanson: The Government are committed to reducing housing waiting lists and are investing in a range of measures to achieve this objective.
The main method of meeting housing need is through reallocation of existing stock supplemented by additional new build. There are also strategies in place to purchase suitable homes and to bring vacant properties back into social housing use. The private rented sector has also grown significantly and is increasingly an important source of housing supply.
The current five-year social housing development programme makes provision for 1,500 social housing units annually, subject to the availability of funding. The need for additional social housing is addressed in the current comprehensive spending review. The Semple review into affordability, which is due to be published shortly, is expected to contain recommendations to help reduce waiting lists.
Maternity Services
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding was allocated to maternity services in each health board area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [127114]
Paul Goggins: The planned funding allocated to maternity services (both acute expenditure and community midwifery spend) in each health board area in each of the last three years as shown in the following table.
| £000 | |||
| Board | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| Note: The planned hospital spend relates to Obstetrics and does not include specialist neo-natal care, for example in a Special Care Baby Unit, that would be recorded under Acute services. | |||
Further information would be available only at disproportionate cost.
Nurses: Pay
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rates of pay are for each grade of nurse Northern Ireland; and what the percentage change was to the rate at each grade in each of the last six years. [127130]
Paul Goggins:
Nurses in the Health and Personal Social Services are paid on the Agenda for Change pay bands 5, 6, 7, 8a, 8b or 8c depending on the job undertaken. The pay band ranges at April 2006 are
band 5 (£19,166 to £24,803), band 6 (£22,886 to £31,004), band 7 (£27,622 to £36,416) band 8a (£35,232 to £42,278), band 8b (£41,038 to £50,733), and band 8c (£49,381 to £60,880). All nurses have received similar percentage pay increases in the last six years; the percentage pay increases that have applied are shown in the following table:
| Percentage increase | |
| (1) Or £400 whichever is the greater | |
Physiotherapy
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety physiotherapy taskforce are; and for what reason they were appointed in each case. [127123]
Paul Goggins: I established the physiotherapy taskforce to address and provide workable, realistic solutions to the current situation of reported high levels of graduate unemployment among newly trained physiotherapists. It was considered important to involve representatives of the profession, the commissioners, employers and work force planners. Membership of the taskforce therefore comprises representatives of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the trade union, HSS Trust physiotherapy management and Human Resources; a member of the physiotherapy work force and a physiotherapy student. A full list of members will be placed in the Library.
Physiotherapy taskforce membership:
Joyce Cairns, Workforce Planning Unit, Human Resources Directorate, DHSSPS
Diane Taylor, Education and Training Unit, Human Resources Directorate, DHSSPS
Catherine Elliman, Clinical Tutor (staff-side rep), Royal Hospital Group HSS Trust
Karen McMaster, Physiotherapy Manager, Causeway HSS Trust
Tom Sullivan, Policy Officer, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Linda Austin, Senior Negotiating Officer, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Nuala Doherty, Physiotherapy Undergraduate
Wendy Harpur, Lecturer in Health Sciences, University of Ulster
Fiona Crossey, Senior Consultant, Beeches Management Centre
Gloria Mills, Physiotherapy Manager, Mater Hospital HSS Trust
Deirdre Corrigan, Information and Analysis Directorate, DHSSPS
Nuala McArdie, Officer for the Allied Health Professionals, DHSSPS
Brian Beattie, Physiotherapy Manager, Craigavon Area Hospital
Michelle Tennyson, Allied Health Professional Commissioning Advisor, EHSSB
Jean Johns, Physiotherapy Manager, Belfast City Hospital
John Martin, Physiotherapy Manager, Association of Physios in Private Practice
Liz Cavan, PAMS Director, Newry and Mourne Trust
Pauline McAleese, Physiotherapy Manager, UCHT
Sue Prenter, PAMS Manager, Sperrin Lakeland Trust
Fiona Wilson, Physiotherapist, North and West Belfast HSS Trust
Dr. Jackie Gracey, Lecturer in Health Sciences, University of Ulster
Mervyn Barkley, Director of Human Resources, Belfast City Hospital
Muriel McRobbie, Secretariat, Workforce Planning Unit, DHSSPS
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many physiotherapists were employed by each health trust area in Northern Ireland in each of the last six years, broken down by grade; and if he will make a statement. [127124]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is presented in the following tables.
| Physiotherapists employed within the NI HPSS by grade and by trust as at 30 September 2001 | ||||
| Headcount | ||||
| Area physiotherapist/supt physiotherapist | Senior physiotherapist 1 | Senior physiotherapist 2 | Basic grade physiotherapist | |
| Physiotherapists employed within the NI HPSS by grade and by trust as at 30 September 2002 | ||||
| Headcount | ||||
| Area physiotherapist/supt physiotherapist | Senior physiotherapist 1 | Senior physiotherapist 2 | Basic grade physiotherapist | |
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