Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 26 April 2013 Volume 84, No WA2 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 57 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................... WA 59 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure .................................................................................. WA 75 Department of Education ........................................................................................................ WA 75 Department for Employment and Learning ................................................................................ WA 99 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 104 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 113 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 125 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 161 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 197 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 206 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 213 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 26 April 2013 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 26 April 2013 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Procurement and Commissioning Procedures Mr Agnew asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the research project procurement and commissioning procedures for the (i) Early Intervention Services and Children, by RSM McClure Waters; (ii) Making better use of the schools estate to support childcare access and affordability, by RSM McClure Waters; (iii) Childcare sector and parental survey, by RSM McClure Waters; (iv) Departmental support to develop Child Poverty Outcomes Models, by the National Children’s Bureau and C4EO; and (v) Childminding research exploring issues of practice and quality within child minding and the impact of the grouping of children of different ages within childcare, by the National Children’s Bureau; and what procedures are in place to ensure that research projects are open, transparent and relevant. (AQW 19706/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): In 2011 OFMDFM advertised an open call for research linked to the Department’s Policy interests. This call resulted in a number of research projects being funded including: ■ Early Intervention Services and Children, by RSM McClure Waters; ■ Childcare sector and parental survey, by RSM McClure Waters; ■ Childminding research exploring issues of practice and quality within child minding and the impact of the grouping of children of different ages within childcare, by the National Childrens’ Bureau; The project on ‘Making better use of the schools estate to support childcare access and affordability, by RSM McClure Waters’, while proposed under the open call was not agreed for funding by the Childcare Research Steering Group. This was primarily because the Department of Education had been engaged in work assessing the use of the schools estate and it was considered there could be duplication of effort. In 2012 it became necessary to commission some additional research to address specific policy concerns. In total 9 such grants were awarded. In particular Government targets to eradicate child poverty by 2020, difficulties with this in the current economic climate and new innovation in terms of Results Based Accountability and Outcomes Based Analysis resulted in a research grant being awarded to National Childrens’ Bureau to develop Child Poverty Outcome Models, by the National Childrens’ Bureau and C4EO. As a research grant, this was not subject to procurement procedures. In terms of procedures in place to ensure that research projects are open, transparent and relevant, all research projects are project managed by NISRA statisticians. Each research project also has an advisory group to draw from expertise in each area which stretches beyond the policy arena to academia both local and international. An overall programme board manages the complete set of projects. WA 57 Friday 26 April 2013 Written Answers Employment of Teachers and Staff Mr Lunn asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether they have had any discussions with the Education Minister regarding the apparent contradiction between Clause 10(c) of the Heads of Agreement and Clause 3(1) of the Education Bill, in relation to the employment of teachers and staff. (AQO 3406/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: There is no contradiction. The Education Bill gives effect to both of the key requirements on employment matters within the Heads of Agreement. Firstly, it will establish the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) as the employer of all staff in all grant-aided schools. Secondly, it provides for the delegation of employment functions to schools. This will ensure that boards of governors can take all of the employment decisions within their schools if they wish. Strategy for Children with Disabilities Mr Agnew asked the