Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard)
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 6 September 2013 Volume 87, No WA1 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 1 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development ...................................................................... WA 7 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure .................................................................................... WA 7 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment ...................................................................... WA 18 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................... WA 27 Department of Justice ............................................................................................................ WA 33 Department for Regional Development ..................................................................................... WA 33 Department for Social Development ........................................................................................ WA 46 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) Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 6 September 2013 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Social Investment Funds Steering Groups Mr Eastwood asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether they issued guidance that lead or managing agencies for projects should only come from representatives on Social Investment Funds steering groups; and whether such guidance was equality proofed, given that members of steering groups were appointed as individuals and not organisations. (AQW 20347/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): Guidance was issued to Steering Groups to assist them during the area planning process and included advice on the identification of lead partner organisations coming from within the Steering Groups. That advice did not state that lead or managing agencies should only come from within the steering group. Decisions on lead partners will take into account which organisations are best placed to manage and oversee individual project delivery. Steering Groups have now identified preferred lead partner organisations on their final plans and these are under consideration within the economic appraisals submitted to the Department for assessment Ten Year Children and Young People’s Strategy Mr Agnew asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister when a further action plan will be developed for the ten year children and young people’s strategy; and when work will begin on a further children and young people’s strategy. (AQW 21793/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The current Ten Year Strategy for Children and Young People is due to continue until 2016. Work to further the aims of the Strategy is now being taken forward through the Delivering Social Change framework which seeks to address the linked issues of poverty and improving children’s lives. Through Delivering Social Change, we are moving away from plans with long lists of existing activities towards smaller numbers of cross-cutting and strategic objectives which can really make a difference and which are additional to existing work across government. The Children and Young People’s Strategy is the key mechanism for the implementation of our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the outcome of the forthcoming Periodic Review of the Convention will be critical in informing our assessment of how we can best deliver for children and young people post 2016. In particular, as part of the Periodic Review of the UNCRC, a series of direct engagements with children and young people is currently underway. Account will be taken of the views expressed to help inform how best the needs of children and young people can be met. The recommendations of the UN Committee in their Concluding Observations at the end of the process will help us to identify those areas where further progress is needed. WA 1 Friday 6 September 2013 Written Answers The outworking of this process taken alongside the ongoing development of the Child Rights Indicator Framework, represents an excellent basis to review the effectiveness of the existing strategy and inform a clear strategic direction for co-ordinated Government action in the future to ensure that all of our children and young people have the best possible start in their lives. Freedom of Information Request Mr Copeland asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister when the Freedom of Information Request, OFMDFM/2012-0027, will be answered. (AQW 22812/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: This request was answered on 28 June 2013. Public Consultations Mr Nesbitt asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail (i) the number of public consultations undertaken by their Department, in each year since 2007; (ii) the type of consultation; and (iii) the total cost of each consultation. (AQW 23308/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The consultations undertaken by OFMDFM since 2007 are as follows: Total cost of each Year Type of consultation Details consultation 2007 Workshops with groups Collating the views of Children and Young Costs not readily of marginalised, hard People available.* to reach children Jul - Sep Public Consultation on implementing EU equality Approx £400 2007 obligations under the Gender Goods and plus press Services Directive advertising costs which are not readily available. 2007 Public Public Authorities Reform