Revised Written Answers
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 20 January 2012 Volume 71, 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 3 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure .................................................................................... WA 3 Department of Education ........................................................................................................ WA 13 Department for Employment and Learning ................................................................................ WA 29 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment ...................................................................... WA 32 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................... WA 35 Department of Finance and Personnel ..................................................................................... WA 57 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ........................................................... WA 63 Department of Justice ............................................................................................................ WA 69 Department for Regional Development ..................................................................................... WA 72 Department for Social Development ........................................................................................ WA 73 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) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) 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) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) 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) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Clarke, Willie (South Down) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McNarry, David (Strangford) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Durkan, Mark H (Foyle) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Ford, David (South Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) 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) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lewis, Ms Pam (South Antrim) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Friday 20 January 2012 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 20 January 2012 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Visits by Heads of State of Foreign Countries Mr Allister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister (i) to outline what role, either formal or informal, their Department has in relation to planned public and private visits by Heads of State of foreign countries including the President of the Republic of Ireland; and (ii) whether their Department receives advance notification of such visits, and if so, who does it notify. (AQW 3018/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): (i) The Department has no role. (ii) The Department is usually advised in advance though has no role in notifying others. Community Relations Council Mr Allister asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, pursuant to AQW 4233/11-15, in relation to the First Minister’s Principal Private Secretary making contact with the Community Relations Council, whether the contact was made on the instruction of the First Minister. (AQW 5661/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The Department holds no information with regard to this particular request; however officials would regularly make contact with outside bodies in order to brief Ministers. Poverty and Social Exclusion Mr Copeland asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what measures their Department will introduce to combat poverty and social exclusion. (AQW 5753/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: As stated within the draft Programme for Government, the Executive remains committed to tackling the problems of poverty and disadvantage here. OFMDFM will continue to forge strong links across the programme to ensure that the work of individual departments integrates to provide optimal solutions for everyone. Our work on addressing poverty and in promoting social inclusion is central to the work of the Executive. In support of the Child Poverty Strategy, an outcomes model is being developed to drive progress of the plan towards eradicating child poverty. Our officials have also been working with other departments on a Child Poverty Reduction Pilot Study. The purpose of the study is to quantify the extent to which child poverty can be reduced by allowing families on benefit to retain more of their earned income before deductions from benefit are made and to assess the extent to which additional services such as childcare can support low income families into work. We also hope to put more detailed proposals on the development of a Childcare Strategy to the Executive early in the New Year. WA 1 Friday 20 January 2012 Written Answers The Social Investment Fund aims to reduce poverty and unemployment. The Fund’s strategic objectives include: ■ building pathways to employment; and ■ tackling the systemic issues linked to deprivation. The outcome of the public consultation, which ended on 23 December 2011, will inform how the Social Investment Fund will operate, including the arrangements for funding. The Executive also proposed a Social Protection Fund to mitigate the impact of the financial cuts on the most vulnerable in our society. The Executive subsequently agreed to prioritise fuel poverty through this fund and agreed that the £20 million budget would contribute towards a Winter Poverty Payment Scheme, distributed through DSD and DHSSPS. We believe that the work associated with the Child Poverty Strategy and the Social Investment and Social Protection Funds demonstrates a very clear commitment on our behalf to ensure that those most disadvantaged in our society, by poverty and social exclusion, have their needs addressed. Youth Work Projects in the North Down Area Mr Weir asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail (i) the level of funding provided by their Department to youth work projects in the North Down area in