Friday Volume 42 7 August 2009 No WA 5 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) CONTENTS Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister [p311] Department of Agriculture and Rural Development [p320] Department of Education [p329] Department for Employment and Learning [p333] Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment [p336] Department of the Environment [p349] Department of Finance and Personnel [p353] Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety [p377] Department for Regional Development [p388] Department for Social Development [p393] £5.00 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. This document is available in a range of alternative formats. For more information please contact the Northern Ireland Assembly, Printed Paper Office, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3XX Tel: 028 9052 1078 ASSEMBLY MeMBerS Adams, Gerry (West Belfast) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Armstrong, Billy (Mid Ulster) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Dr William (South Antrim) Bradley, Mrs Mary (Foyle) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Bradley, P J (South Down) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McFarland, Alan (North Down) Bresland, Allan (West Tyrone) McGill, Mrs Claire (West Tyrone) Brolly, Francie (East Londonderry) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Browne, The Lord (East Belfast) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McHugh, Gerry (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Burns, Thomas (South Antrim) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Butler, Paul (Lagan Valley) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McNarry, David (Strangford) Clarke, Willie (South Down) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Cobain, Fred (North Belfast) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Coulter, Rev Dr Robert (North Antrim) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Cree, Leslie (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Deeny, Dr Kieran (West Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Dodds, Nigel (North Belfast) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) Neeson, Sean (East Antrim) Donaldson, Jeffrey (Lagan Valley) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Loan, Declan (North Antrim) Empey, Sir Reg (East Belfast) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Paisley, Rev Dr Ian (North Antrim) Ford, David (South Antrim) Paisley Jnr, Ian (North Antrim) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Gallagher, Tommy (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Purvis, Ms Dawn (East Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Ritchie, Ms Margaret (South Down) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hanna, Mrs Carmel (South Belfast) Robinson, Mrs Iris (Strangford) Hay, William (Speaker) Robinson, Ken (East Antrim) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Savage, George (Upper Bann) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Shannon, Jim (Strangford) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Simpson, David (Upper Bann) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Long, Mrs Naomi (East Belfast) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Weir, Peter (North Down) McCallister, John (South Down) Wells, Jim (South Down) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Wilson, Brian (North Down) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Friday 7 August 2009 Written Answers NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY Friday 7 August 2009 Written Answers to Questions Office of the FirST MiniSter and depUTY FirST MiniSter European Union Mr D Kennedy asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline how relations between the Executive and the European Union are managed and what plans it has to modify these arrangements. (AQO 2183/09) First Minister and deputy First Minister (Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness): We take lead responsibility for co-ordinating engagement with Europe on behalf of the Executive. Each Executive Minister is responsible and accountable for the implementation of European policies and legislation that fall within their Department’s devolved responsibilities. Our Junior Ministers represent us on the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe), which co-ordinates the United Kingdom’s policy position on European matters. The European Commission’s Taskforce has enhanced these arrangements, providing greater focus on the region’s European policy and programme priorities. A Taskforce Working Group, chaired by Junior Ministers, co-ordinates this work and reports back to the Executive. Executive Office in Brussels Mr S Neeson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister for its assessment of its use of the Executive Office in Brussels. (AQO 2352/09) First Minister and deputy First Minister: The Executive’s Office in Brussels provides a service to the Executive, to this Assembly and its Committees, and to wider civic society, local government, universities and other groups seeking to engage in Europe. This service includes provision of information and advice, arranging visits and meetings and educational programmes. The office has arranged Ministerial programmes on 25 occasions since May 2007 including 8 visits by Ministers of this Department. Most recently we visited Brussels at the end of March 2009. During the visit we had a useful series of meetings with, among others, the then President of the European Parliament, Hans- Gert Pöttering, Commission President Barroso and the Trade and Internal Market Commissioners Ashton and McCreevy. Among the issues raised was the Bombardier State Aids application, now settled favourably. Looking forward, the Brussels Office is currently working on 3 Ministerial visits to Brussels in September, including an important visit to plan future Taskforce actions led by the Junior Ministers of this Department. The Office will continue to play a central role in the ongoing Task Force work and maintaining contact between Northern Ireland and key EU Institutions. WA 311 Friday 7 August 2009 Written Answers European Policy and Co-Ordination Unit Mr K Robinson asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the work undertaken by the European Policy and Co-Ordination Unit in the last year, particularly how it has discharged its co-ordination function. (AQO 2598/09) First Minister and deputy First Minister: During the course of the last year, the European Policy and Co-ordination Unit (EPCU) has supported us, the Executive and the Assembly Committee for OFMDFM in developing the administration’s strategic approach to Europe. This work included publishing, for the first time, the Executive’s ‘Priorities for European Engagement’, which signified a step-change in our relations with Europe. EPCU provides the Secretariat to the Barroso Task Force Working Group, chaired by Junior Ministers, which co-ordinates European policy matters at Deputy Secretary level across civil service departments. Under the guidance of the Working Group, and with inputs from Departments, EPCU are currently co-ordinating the drafting of our European Action Plan 2009/2010 which will be considered by the Executive in the autumn. On an ongoing basis, EPCU also co-ordinates policy lines promoting our interests within the UK’s overall European negotiating position. These lines are used by Junior Ministers, who represent us at meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) in London each quarter. This Committee, chaired by the Foreign Secretary, brings together Ministers from the UK Government and Devolved Administrations to consider European Union matters impinging on devolved responsibilities. EPCU co-ordinates the process by which Northern Ireland’s representatives on both the Committee of the Regions and European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) are appointed. EPCU also leads in briefing our representatives to these Committees. In April 2008, the Unit facilitated a visit by an influential EESC sub- committee evaluating the role of the European Union in our Peace Process, which involved formal recognition of the Peace Programme founders at a joint EESC/ University of Ulster conference. Inward visits to this region by key European decision-makers, influencers and representatives are supported by EPCU. A recent example was the two-day visit last November by Hans-Gert Pöttering, the President of the European Parliament, in the context of the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Over the last year, EPCU