Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard)
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 10 May 2013 Volume 84, No WA4 This publication contains the written answers to questions tabled by Members. The content of the responses is as received at the time from the relevant Minister or representative of the Assembly Commission and has not been subject to the official reporting process or changed in any way. Contents Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister ............................................................... WA 355 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 356 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 369 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 372 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 391 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 398 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 399 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 407 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 409 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 427 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 433 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 439 Northern Ireland Assembly Commission ................................................................................. WA 446 Suggested amendments or corrections will be considered by the Editor. They should be sent to: The Editor of Debates, Room 248, Parliament Buildings, Belfast BT4 3XX. Tel: 028 9052 1135 · e-mail: [email protected] to arrive not later than two weeks after publication of this report. Assembly Members Agnew, Steven (North Down) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) McCallister, John (South Down) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brown, Ms Pam (South Antrim) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McLaughlin, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Durkan, Mark H (Foyle) McNarry, David (Strangford) Easton, Alex (North Down) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Ford, David (South Antrim) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hay, William (Speaker) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hazzard, Christopher (South Down) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Rogers, Sean (South Down) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Friday 10 May 2013 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 10 May 2013 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Victims and Survivors Service Mr Cree asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the roll out of the Victims and Survivors Service. (AQO 3833/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): The Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) is now well established. The VSS aims to provide a high quality service to victims and survivors based on individual assessed needs. It aims to accomplish this through the funding of victim/survivor support groups and service providers, the direct commissioning of interventions, and the delivery of financial assistance to individuals in need. The Service opened in April 2012. Since then, the following objectives have been accomplished: ■ The VSS successfully launched the Victim Support Programme (VSP) in early November 2012. The VSP will provide approximately £20 million of funding for victims and survivors over the period 2013-2015. ■ The VSS appointed an Independent Panel to assess applications to the VSP from more than 50 service providers in the victim/survivor sector. This assessment process was completed on schedule, by February 2013. ■ The VSS has allocated the VSP funds (on the basis of the Independent Panel’s assessments) and issued Letters of Offer to successful applicant organisations at the end of March 2013. The VSS is currently working closely with each organisation to develop agreed workplans and budget breakdowns for the funded period. ■ We recently agreed the details of the new Individual Needs Programme (formerly administered by the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund). The VSS has developed guidance for individuals seeking to access the new Programme. As of 15 April 2013, the VSS has been communicating both directly with individuals and with funded organisations to encourage victims and survivors to access the new Programme. ■ All of the staff members identified for transfer from the Community Relations Council (victims unit) and the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund have successfully taken up their posts in the VSS. ■ As noted previously, the VSS has already begun the process of speaking directly with individual victims and survivors to work with them in identifying their needs. To date, over 400 individuals have availed of an Individual Needs Review with a VSS Assessor. Many of these individuals have been referred for specific interventions, or signposted to resources and support within the network of organisations funded by our Department. WA 355 Friday 10 May 2013 Written Answers Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Horse Passport System Mr Allister asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, following the BBC Spotlight programme on 5 March 2013, whether she has confidence in her Department’s horse passport system. (AQW 20670/11-15) Mrs O’Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development): It is a legal requirement for all horses and ponies (and other forms of equidae) within the EU to have a passport identifying the animal. The Horse Passports Regulations (NI) 2010, on the identification of equidae, have been in operation since March 2010. These Regulations implement Commission Regulation (EC) No. 504/2008 in the north of Ireland. In order to protect the food chain, my Department enforces these Regulations at point of slaughter and at import / export at ports in the north and I am confident in the operation of these procedures. My Department is currently reviewing its enforcement policy with regard to passports, given the current issues raised and will enhance controls as considered appropriate and proportionate within the current legal framework. My officials are working with colleagues