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Friday Volume 45 20 November 2009 No WA 3 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) CONTENTS Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister [p173] Department of Agriculture and Rural Development [p175] Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure [p202] Department of Education [p215] Department for Employment and Learning [p218] Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment [p223] Department of the Environment [p226] Department of Finance and Personnel [p233] Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety [p237] Department for Regional Development [p261] Department for Social Development [p275] Northern Ireland Assembly Commission [p289] £5.00 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. This document is available in a range of alternative formats. For more information please contact the Northern Ireland Assembly, Printed Paper Office, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3XX Tel: 028 9052 1078 ASSEMBLY MeMBerS Adams, Gerry (West Belfast) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Armstrong, Billy (Mid Ulster) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Dr William (South Antrim) Bradley, Mrs Mary (Foyle) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Bradley, P J (South Down) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McFarland, Alan (North Down) Bresland, Allan (West Tyrone) McGill, Mrs Claire (West Tyrone) Brolly, Francie (East Londonderry) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Browne, The Lord (East Belfast) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McHugh, Gerry (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Burns, Thomas (South Antrim) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Butler, Paul (Lagan Valley) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McNarry, David (Strangford) Clarke, Willie (South Down) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Cobain, Fred (North Belfast) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Coulter, Rev Dr Robert (North Antrim) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Cree, Leslie (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Deeny, Dr Kieran (West Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Dodds, Nigel (North Belfast) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) Neeson, Sean (East Antrim) Donaldson, Jeffrey (Lagan Valley) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Loan, Declan (North Antrim) Empey, Sir Reg (East Belfast) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Paisley, Rev Dr Ian (North Antrim) Ford, David (South Antrim) Paisley Jnr, Ian (North Antrim) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Gallagher, Tommy (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Purvis, Ms Dawn (East Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Ritchie, Ms Margaret (South Down) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hanna, Mrs Carmel (South Belfast) Robinson, Mrs Iris (Strangford) Hay, William (Speaker) Robinson, Ken (East Antrim) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Savage, George (Upper Bann) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Shannon, Jim (Strangford) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Simpson, David (Upper Bann) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Long, Mrs Naomi (East Belfast) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Weir, Peter (North Down) McCallister, John (South Down) Wells, Jim (South Down) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Wilson, Brian (North Down) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Friday 20 November 2009 Written Answers NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY Friday 20 November 2009 Written Answers to Questions Office of the FirST MiniSter and depUTY FirST MiniSter Budgets for Good Relations Dr S Farry asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, pursuant to AQW 1391/10, to provide a breakdown of the allocation of budgets for good relations during each financial year of the current comprehensive spending review period. [R] (AQW 2342/10) First Minister and deputy First Minister (Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness): Further to your previous question AQW1391/10 regarding the allocation of the £29m budget for good relations within the current Comprehensive Spending Review period 2008-2011, the budget for each year has been allocated as follows: 2008/2009 £8.405m £K North Belfast Youth Intervention Scheme 100 Youth Interventions (Education & Library Boards) 400 District Councils’ Community Relations Programme 2,563 Community Relations Groups & Bodies 425 Community Relations Council 3,341 Minority Ethnic Development Fund 945 General Admin Expenditure 631 2009/2010 £9.742m £K North Belfast Youth Intervention Scheme 113 Youth Interventions (Education & Library Boards) 400 District Council Community Relations Programme 2,760 Community Relations Council 3,547 Community Relations Groups and Bodies 560 Minority Ethnic Development Fund 1,047 General Admin Expenditure 640 Current Total 9,067 2010/2011 £10.788m Funding allocations for 2010/11 have not yet been decided. WA 173 Friday 20 November 2009 Written Answers Maze Site Mr T Elliott asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister if any asbestos was present on the Maze site during demolition and site clearance work; and if so, how was it removed and disposed, and at what cost. (AQW 2466/10) First Minister and deputy First Minister: Prior to the commencement of the major demolition work at the Maze/Long Kesh regeneration site in 2007, a detailed asbestos survey was undertaken. Asbestos was identified and removed before any major work was carried out at the site. The cost of the initial survey and removal of asbestos by a licensed contractor to a licensed disposal facility was £160,000. In September 2009 as part of the finalisation of the demolition contract, some asbestos cement sheeting was found in underground ducts. The extent of this find is currently being assessed and costs will be determined before it is removed. All necessary related health and safety requirements are being observed during this assessment. Afterschool Childcare Providers Mr B McElduff asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister (i) when afterschool childcare providers will have certainty about their projects’ funding beyond March 2010; and (ii) how Playboard is carrying out its work to assess the quality of, and need for, afterschools provision, in order to determine criteria for future support as a part of a wider strategy. (AQW 2499/10) First Minister and deputy First Minister: We recognise the importance of good childcare provision and are working closely with other Departments to seek a long term resolution to the current difficulties faced. At the September 2008 meeting of the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Children and Young People, it was agreed that a specific exercise should be undertaken to consider the potential for increasing childcare provision and that the work should be linked to the sub-group on child poverty which was asked to produce a report to the Ministerial Sub-Committee identifying options for future provision. The initial report of this sub-group was presented to relevant Ministers on 18 June when it was decided to progress economic appraisal of four strategic options. The sub-group has now cleared the terms of reference for the economic appraisal and the carrying out of this exercise is currently being procured. It is intended to report back to Ministers in February 2010. The continued funding for the PlayBoard projects is an interim approach pending a longer-term outcome from the work of the sub-group detailed above. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to give you any confirmation of future funding at this stage but we can assure you that we are continuing to consider this issue. In relation to your question regarding how PlayBoard is carrying out its work to assess the quality of, and need for, afterschools provision, in order to determine criteria for future support as a part of a wider strategy, PlayBoard has recently launched its independent report ‘School Age Childcare Matters!”. This report, compiled by Blueprint Development Consultancy, critically reviews the contribution and benefits of school age childcare services. It also examines the current case for continued support of the sector in the medium to long term. Additionally PlayBoard is currently working with DHSSPS funded projects in order to determine criteria for future support. A Statistical Monitoring Form has been devised and sent to all projects for completion. The information gleaned from this exercise