Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard)
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 31 May 2013 Volume 85, 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 275 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 276 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 292 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 298 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 341 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 352 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 359 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 369 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 370 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 384 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 392 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 403 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) Friday 31 May 2013 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 31 May 2013 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Appeal Applications Mr Weir asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, pursuant to AQW 22646/11-15, what is the average length of time taken for a decision to be made on an appeal application. (AQW 23053/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): The Planning Appeals Commission is an independent tribunal Non-Departmental Public Body. Given its status, we have asked its Chief Commissioner to provide a response directly to you. Planning Appeals Commission: Temporary Staff Mr Agnew asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister why temporary staff were not appointed to the Planning Appeals Commission to oversee planning appeals when decisions were delayed due to a backlog in workload. (AQW 23428/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The Planning Appeals Commission is an independent Tribunal which operates at arm’s length from Government and exercises its functions independently of our Department. While OFMDFM holds sponsorship responsibility for the Commission and provides financial and administrative support, the Chief Commissioner is responsible for day to day operation of the Commission and for deployment of its resources to meet the prevailing workload. However, in recognition of the challenges and pressures facing the Commission we made a commitment through the previous Programme for Government to deliver increased resources to enable it to address increases in workload. We allocated significant additional funding to the Commission over the three year period 2008 to 2011; this enabled us to appoint an additional 14 fee-paid Panel Commissioners to address the backlog of planning appeals, and to increase the Commission’s capacity at senior levels to manage this process. As a result, the planning appeals backlog has reduced from over 3,000 in 2007 to 212 at the end of April 2013. WA 275 Friday 31 May 2013 Written Answers Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Fishing Fleet Assistance Mr Frew asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, in light of the Hardship Fund being established for the farming community affected by the severe weather crisis, what measures can be put in place to assist the fishing fleet to deal with the severe weather that it has experienced. (AQW 21973/11-15) Mrs O’Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development): The Hardship Fund being established for the farming community is aimed at assisting a sector that has experienced actual stock losses that have to be replaced. I appreciate that vessels have had difficulty getting to sea over the last few months, however, fishing opportunities in terms of quota and days at sea remain for 2013. Therefore I believe that matters will improve and fishing opportunities will be taken. However, I have recently announced a package of financial measures that will assist the fishing industry to respond to Common Fisheries Policy reforms. Financial resources will be made available through the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) to include the establishment of a “research and development fund ” specifically to develop fishing gear with very low catch rates of unwanted fish. In addition further financial assistance will be provided to the industry to improve skills and safety. Finally and subject to the completion of a business case, I will consider support for the full cost of replacing the fishing fleet’s current vessel satellite monitoring systems with new multifunctional systems. Fishing Fleet: Light Dues Mr Frew asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development whether she plans to pay light dues on behalf of the fishing fleet, given the stance of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Republic of Ireland’s authorities. (AQW 21974/11-15) Mrs O’Neill: I have no current