Written Answers to Questions
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Official Report (Hansard) Written Answers to Questions Friday 2 April 2010 Volume 50, 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 .....................................................................163 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development ........................................................................173 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ......................................................................................179 Department of Education ............................................................................................................180 Department for Employment and Learning ....................................................................................209 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment ..........................................................................216 Department of the Environment ...................................................................................................219 Department of Finance and Personnel .........................................................................................236 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ...............................................................239 Department for Regional Development .........................................................................................251 Department for Social Development ............................................................................................263 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 Adams, Gerry (West Belfast) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Armstrong, Billy (Mid Ulster) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCrea, Dr William (South Antrim) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Bradley, Mrs Mary (Foyle) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Bradley, P J (South Down) McFarland, Alan (North Down) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McGill, Mrs Claire (West Tyrone) Bresland, Allan (West Tyrone) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Browne, The Lord (East Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Burns, Thomas (South Antrim) McHugh, Gerry (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Butler, Paul (Lagan Valley) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Clarke, Willie (South Down) McNarry, David (Strangford) Cobain, Fred (North Belfast) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Coulter, Rev Dr Robert (North Antrim) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Cree, Leslie (North Down) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Deeny, Dr Kieran (West Tyrone) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Dodds, Nigel (North Belfast) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Donaldson, Jeffrey (Lagan Valley) Neeson, Sean (East Antrim) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Empey, Sir Reg (East Belfast) O’Loan, Declan (North Antrim) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Ford, David (South Antrim) Paisley, Rev Dr Ian (North Antrim) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Paisley Jnr, Ian (North Antrim) Gallagher, Tommy (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Purvis, Ms Dawn (East Belfast) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hay, William (Speaker) Ritchie, Ms Margaret (South Down) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Robinson, Ken (East Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Savage, George (Upper Bann) Leonard, Billy (East Londonderry) Shannon, Jim (Strangford) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Simpson, David (Upper Bann) Long, Mrs Naomi (East Belfast) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) McCallister, John (South Down) Weir, Peter (North Down) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Wilson, Brian (North Down) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY Friday 2 April 2010 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Relocation and Decentralisation of Departmental Posts Mr D McKay asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what consideration they have given to posts within their Department that could be relocated or decentralised. (AQW 5259/10) First Minister and deputy First Minister (Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness): The majority of posts within the Department are located in and around Belfast, with a small number of posts located in Armagh and Derry/Londonderry. The Executive is still to consider a paper in relation to the Bain Review on the Location of Public Sector jobs. The decentralisation/relocation of posts within the Department is still under consideration. Funding to Tackle Racism Ms C Ní Chuilín asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the funding distributed by their Department to tackle racism across Belfast, broken down by the four Belfast constituencies, in each of the last three years. (AQW 5370/10) First Minister and deputy First Minister: In each of the last three financial years, OFMDFM has awarded funding to organisations in the four Belfast constituencies under the Minority Ethnic Development Fund as shown in the table below. The Minority Ethnic Development Fund supports work which contributes to the promotion of good relations, community cohesion, and integration between people from different racial groups, thus helping to tackle racism. 2007-08 MINORITY ETHNIC DEVELOPMENT FUND Belfast East Belfast North Belfast South Belfast West Total - - £ 215,000.00 £ 137,571.23 £ 352,571.23 2008-09 MINORITY ETHNIC DEVELOPMENT FUND Belfast East Belfast North Belfast South Belfast West Total £ 38,000 £ 15,000 £ 405,000 £ 120,000 £ 578,000 2009-10 MINORITY ETHNIC DEVELOPMENT FUND Belfast East Belfast North Belfast South Belfast West Total £ 38,000 £ 75,000 £ 389,764 £ 150,000 £ 652,764 WA 163 Friday 2 April 2010 Written Answers Direct geographical criteria do not form part of the criteria for awarding funding under the scheme; the criteria are need-based. This has resulted in a spread of organisations to be funded which broadly aligns with the location of the minority ethnic population here and from where many of the applications for funding originate, which is in the South Belfast constituency. However, it should be noted that many of the successful organisations operate on a regional basis, or will deliver projects at a regional level. This means that they provide support and guidance to those outside the constituency in which their headquarters are located, across all of Belfast and in many cases Northern Ireland. We recognise and value the vital roles played by minority ethnic groups, and those who support them, with work on the ground. It is hoped that Junior Ministers will make an official announcement on the successful applicants of the 2010-11 Minority Ethnic Development Fund in the forthcoming weeks. Apology for Child Migrants Programme Ms M Anderson asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister (i) if they are aware of the British Prime Minister’s apology for the Child Migrants Programme, under which 150,000 children between the ages of 3-14 were sent to Commonwealth countries where many of them were abused and forced into slave labour; (ii) how many of these children were born on the island of Ireland; and (iii) if they will make a statement on this matter. (AQW 5472/10) First Minister and deputy First Minister: We are aware of the apology made by Gordon Brown on 24 February for the Child Migrant Programme of the UK Government and indeed welcome the resultant establishment of the Family Restoration Fund. Whilst inquiries into the programme were led by the House of Commons and data is held at Westminster, the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has examined the statistics and background. Hence we understand between 1938 and 1956, Roman Catholic agencies sent a total of 1109 children from the UK to Australia, 103 of whom are known to