Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard)
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 26 October 2012 Volume 78, No WA4 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 473 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 477 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 488 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 489 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 507 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 516 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 534 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 542 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 555 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 614 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 623 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 634 Northern Ireland Assembly Commission ................................................................................. WA 644 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) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Brown, Ms Pam (South Antrim) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and South Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) 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) 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) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Friday 26 October 2012 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 26 October 2012 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Cases of Abuse from Children Mr P Ramsey asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what options are being explored, or will be put in place, to hear and investigate the cases of abuse from children in foster care and non-state run residential children’s homes. (AQW 14930/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): Any institutions here that fall within the definition set out in the Terms of Reference will be within the scope of the Inquiry into historical institutional abuse, that is: “any body, society or organisation with responsibility for the care, health or welfare of children in Northern Ireland, other than a school (but including a training school or borstal) which, during the relevant period, provided residential accommodation and took decisions about and made provision for the day to day care of children”. The issue of child abuse outside the institutional setting is no less important or emotive than that which will be investigated by the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry. As such, the Executive will have to give careful consideration as to how it should be dealt with following the Inquiry. Lay Members to the NI Judicial Appointments Commission Mr Allister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister (i) who sat on the selection panel giving rise to the recent appointment of lay members to the NI Judicial Appointments Commission; (ii) how many applications were received; (iii) how many applicants were interviewed; and (iv) how many names forwarded for consideration by the First Minister and deputy First Minister. (AQW 15133/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: (i) The selection panel for the competition to appoint lay members to the NI Judicial Appointments Commission comprised a Chair and three panel members. Frank Duffy the Director of Arms Length Bodies and Financial Governance in OFMDFM chaired the panel. The members of the panel were Gareth Johnston the Head of Criminal Justice Policy and Legislation Division of the Department of Justice, Edward Gorringe the Chief Executive of NIJAC, and Orla Moore an independent assessor. (ii) Eighty-seven applications were received. (iii) Nine candidates were invited to interview and eight candidates attended. (iv) Four names were put forward for consideration by the First Minister and deputy First Minister. Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry Mr Clarke asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether any consideration has been given to widening the scope of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry. (AQO 2569/11-15) WA 473 Friday 26 October 2012 Written Answers Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: We have agreed to amend the starting parameter for the Inquiry from 1945 to 1922. However, we are content that the current scope, as outlined in the Terms of Reference definition of “institution”, remains the same. Apprentices Employed Through Departmental Contracts Mr McKay asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister how many apprentices have been employed through departmental contracts in this financial year; and what percentage this number represents of the total posts allocated. (AQW 15256/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: No apprentices have been employed in our department through departmental contracts this financial year. Social Investment Fund Mrs Dobson asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail any money which has been allocated from the Social Investment Fund to date. (AQW 15293/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: Monies to date have been allocated to taking forward the necessary work to finalise the policy proposals and to establish