Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard)
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 14 December 2012 Volume 80, No WA2 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 173 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 178 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 187 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 191 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 220 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 231 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 242 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 243 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 262 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 276 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 288 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 296 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 Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) Tyrone) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McLaughlin, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Durkan, Mark H (Foyle) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Easton, Alex (North Down) McNarry, David (Strangford) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ford, David (South Antrim) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hay, William (Speaker) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hazzard, Christopher (South Down) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Rogers, Sean (South Down) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Friday 14 December 2012 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 14 December 2012 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Programme for Government Mr Eastwood asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister why the milestone of ‘1175 jobs promoted through the public, community and private sectors’ is not included as a target in their Departmental Plan 2012/13, even though it is detailed in the Programme for Government in relation to the development of the One Plan. (AQW 14294/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): The OFMDFM Business Plan relates to our high level objective for developing and co-ordinating the One Plan across government departments to ensure its success. OFMDFM has established an inter departmental group to work towards achieving the objectives of the One Plan. The commitment within the Programme for Government was to support the work of the One Plan. North-South Bodies Mrs D Kelly asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether their Department is making any plans to utilise the North-South bodies to gain full advantage from the forthcoming Irish Presidency of the EU. (AQO 2566/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: We recognise that there may be opportunities for us associated with the Irish EU Presidency between January and June 2013. We have discussed this with the Irish Government on a number of occasions, most recently at the NSMC Plenary meeting on 2 November 2012 where Ministers recognised the importance of engagement in order to maximise mutual benefit from the Presidency. The Irish Government has offered to brief Executive Ministers on presidency related issues and to invite Ministers, including those with responsibilities for the NSMC Areas of Co-operation and North South Implementation Bodies, to presidency related meetings and events relevant to their areas of responsibility. Unanswered Questions Mr Eastwood asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister why AQW 14294/11-15 has not been answered. (AQW 16153/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: We refer the Member to the answer to AQW 14294/11-15 issued on 10 December 2012. WA 173 Friday 14 December 2012 Written Answers Maze Regeneration Board Mr Allister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to reconcile the figure of 14 being deemed appointable in the March 2012 competition for the Maze Regeneration Board, as shown in the answer to AQW 15654/11-15, and the figure of 16 which appears in the answer to AQW 15657/11-15. (AQW 16416/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: There were 16 successful applications from 14 applicants for the Maze/Long Kesh Chair and Board Member positions in the March 2012 competition. Two of the 14 successful applicants had applied for both the Chair and Board Member positions. Arms-Length Bodies Mr McGlone asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what practices, protocols and measures are in place within the Department and its arm’s-length bodies to ensure prompt payment to contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers. (AQW 16797/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: OFMDFM and its sponsored bodies take all possible steps to pay suppliers as promptly as possible. The initial target for payment is to meet the 10-day prompt payment commitment made by the Executive in response to the current economic position. In addition, the Department and all ALBs are legally bound to meet the terms of the Late Payment of Commercial debts (Interest) Act 1988 as amended and supplemented by the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2002. This requires that all payments should be made within agreed terms or if no terms have been agreed, 30 days after receipt of a valid invoice. To meet the 10-day and 30-day requirements, the Department and ALBs review their performance on a monthly basis against these two targets. The annual accounts of the Department and each of its ALBs contain