Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard)
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 27 June 2014 Volume 96, No WA3 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 205 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 207 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 212 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 221 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 267 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 277 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 280 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 326 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 339 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 345 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 355 Northern Ireland Assembly Commission ................................................................................. WA 376 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) McCallister, John (South Down) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McDonnell, Alasdair (South Belfast) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) South Tyrone) Cameron, Mrs Pam (South Antrim) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McKinney, Fearghal (South Belfast) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McLaughlin, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) McNarry, David (Strangford) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Easton, Alex (North Down) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Milne, Ian (Mid Ulster) Farry, Stephen (North Down) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Ford, David (South Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) 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, Chris (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) Sugden, Ms Claire (East Londonderry) 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) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 27 June 2014 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Support for Ethnic and Religious Minority Groups Mr Nesbitt asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what financial, or other, resources their Department has provided to ethnic and religious minority groups in each of the last five years. (AQW 33874/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): For the past five years, including this financial year, the Minority Ethnic Development Fund has been set at £1.1m per annum. The Racial Equality Unit also provides day to day assistance and guidance to individuals and groups in respect of their funding awards. Main Street, Markethill Mr Allister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what propriety interest their Department has in the premises at Main Street, Markethill, formerly occupied by SAVER/NAVER. (AQW 33908/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The Department has a charge over the premises at Main Street, Markethill along with two other funders (Rural Development Council and International Fund for Ireland). A pari passu agreement is in place between the funders. Social Investment Fund: Area Plans Mr P Ramsey asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline any changes that have been made to the Area Plans of the Social Investment Fund. (AQO 6286/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: Following our decision on the allocation of the Fund across the nine Zones, the Steering Groups were given the opportunity to revise the priority ranking of projects submitted within the Area Plans. As a result, a number of projects were reprioritised within the Belfast South, Western, Southern and Belfast East area plans by the Steering Groups. This took account of progress since submission of the plans and the current needs of the local communities, as well as to maximise the impact of available funding. Active Aging Strategy Mr Storey asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the Active Ageing Strategy 2014-20. (AQO 6280/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The purpose of the Active Ageing Strategy is to transform attitudes to and services for older people. It is important that we fully acknowledge the enormous WA 205 Friday 27 June 2014 Written Answers contribution that older people make to our society and that we challenge the negative stereotyping of older people. The Strategy will provide direction for departments’ policies, make connections between Strategies and lead to the improvement of services for older people. It will increase the understanding of the issues affecting older people and promote an emphasis on rights, value and contribution, as opposed to needs, costs and burden. The public consultation on the Active Ageing Strategy ran from Friday 21 February and ended on Friday 23 May. Consultees were asked for their views on the draft Vision, Strategic Aims and signature programme proposals in the Strategy. Nine public consultation events were held and these included an intergenerational event at which younger and older people worked together to provide feedback on the Strategy. Over 300 people attended the events and approximately 140 online or written responses have been received. The consultation responses are currently being analysed and it is planned that following Ministerial and Executive approval the finalised Strategy will be launched in the autumn. The Strategy will be implemented under the Delivering Social Change initiative and the Ageing Strategy Advisory Group, chaired by Claire Keatinge the Commissioner for Older People, will play a key role in overseeing its delivery. St Patrick’s Barracks Mr Frew asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the progress made at the St Patrick’s Barracks site. (AQO 6281/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The St Patrick’s Barracks site occupies a significant