Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard)
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Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 7 June 2013 Volume 85, 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 419 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 422 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 429 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 441 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 470 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 481 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 484 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 488 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 502 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 515 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 534 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 547 Northern Ireland Assembly Commission ................................................................................. WA 560 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 7 June 2013 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 7 June 2013 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Social Investment Zone Steering Groups Mr Lyttle asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister why lead partner organisations, through which Social Investment Fund project funding will be distributed, must be members of Social Investment Zone Steering Groups. (AQW 21949/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): Lead Partners do not have to be members of Social Investment Zone Steering Groups. Community Groups Involved in Working with Ethnic Minorities Mr P Ramsey asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the funding available from their Department for community groups involved in working with ethnic minorities; and for a description of each fund. (AQW 22031/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: Minority Ethnic Development Fund Since its establishment in 2001, the Fund has supported voluntary and community groups to work towards improving relations between different ethnic groups. A recent call for applications for funding has led to us currently identifying 27 applications to receive support of approximately £1.1m per annum for the next 2 financial years. Central Good Relations Funding Programme This provides an additional source of support to those organisations that are involved in activities that complement Ministerial priorities aimed at building a united, shared and reconciled community. This may include organisations working with minority ethnic people or minority ethnic led organisations. It is planned to open the Fund again in the near future when we will be seeking applications for project funding for the 2013/14 funding year. The District Council Good Relations Programme This has been operational through all local authorities here since 1989. It seeks to identify key good relations issues and priorities to promote better relations locally and to develop and implement good relations initiatives to meet local and regional priorities. The District Council Good Relations Programme is seen as a vital component to support the Executive’s commitment to creating an equal, shared and inclusive society. Funding towards promoting good race relations has been made available through this programme. WA 419 Friday 7 June 2013 Written Answers Community Relations Council The Department also makes funding to promote good relations available through the Community Relations Council. Organisations working with minority ethnic people or minority ethnic led organisations may be eligible to apply for funding from this source. Assembly Approval for Legislative Consent Motions Mr Kinahan asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister how many requests have been made by government departments in Westminster in the last three years seeking Assembly approval for Legislative Consent Motions to enable the extension of provisions in a Bill before Parliament to Northern Ireland; and which requests they declined or did not take forward. (AQW 22859/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: In the three-year period to May 2013, four requests for Legislative Consent Motions were received by OFMDFM. LCMs were subsequently tabled and agreed by the Assembly, in respect of the Public Bodies Bill, the Protection of Freedoms Bill and the Antarctic Bill. Another request relating to the establishment of the Social Inclusion and Child Poverty Commission, as provided for in the Westminster Welfare Reform Bill, was not taken forward. OFMDFM does not hold information in relation to all requests which may have been received by other departments. It is in the first instance for each Minister and, ultimately, the Executive to agree which Legislative Consent Motions should be tabled