Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 11 April 2014 Volume 94, 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 103 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 104 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 114 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 120 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 141 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 143 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 151 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 160 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 185 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 196 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 209 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 227 Northern Ireland Assembly Commission ................................................................................. WA 242 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) McCallister, John (South Down) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McDonnell, Alasdair (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and Cameron, Mrs Pam (South Antrim) South Tyrone) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McKinney, Fearghal (South Belfast) 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 (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, Stephen (North Down) Milne, Ian (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) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hay, William (Speaker) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hazzard, Chris (South Down) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Rogers, Sean (South Down) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 11 April 2014 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Good Relations Programme Mr McCarthy asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what impact the reform of local councils will have on the delivery of the Good Relations Programme. (AQO 5826/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): The reform of local councils offers a unique opportunity to bring good relations issues to the heart of council decision-making. We have already taken steps to align the district council’s good relations programme to the strategic aims and objectives of the Together: Building a United Community strategy. The strategy also commits to ensure that good relations issues are mainstreamed through the review of local government. This is being advanced through discussion with DOE and through the work of the Ministerial Panel. In addition, OFMDFM is represented at senior official level on a cross-departmental working group to ensure that the community planning element of the reforms puts good relations at the centre of that process. Vacancies and Agency Staff Mr Dallat asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the (i) vacancies; and (ii) agency staff in their Department, broken down by grade. (AQW 32573/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The position at 1 April 2014 within the Department is as follows: Vacancies Agency Staff Grade Number Grade Number Grade 5 2 DP Accountant 2 Grade 7 5 SO Accountant 1 DP 4 Information Officer 1 SO 2 Personal Secretary 1 EO1 2 AO 2 SGB2 1 SGB2 1 Total 16 Total 8 WA 103 Friday 11 April 2014 Written Answers Goods, Facilities and Services Legislation Mr Lyttle asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what are the implications of the legal opinion provided to the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People by Robin Allen QC and Dee Masters BL regarding Goods, Facilities and Services legislation. (AQW 32660/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: The Equality Commission and NI Commissioner for Children and Young People used the legal advice to produce a joint policy paper to make the case for strengthening the rights of children and young people against unlawful age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services. Junior Ministers met recently with the Commissioner for Children and Young People, the Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission and Robin Allen QC to discuss the proposed extension of age discrimination legislation to the provision of goods, facilities and services. We are still considering the scope of the proposed age discrimination legislation. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Single Farm Payments: Farmers Mr Byrne asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, as of 21 March 2014, how many farmers are awaiting their Single Farm Payments, broken down by constituency. (AQW 32251/11-15) Mrs O’Neill (The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development): The Department has delivered a record payment performance in 2013 with 98% of Single Farm Payment (SFP) claims finalised to date. The number of farmers awaiting their payments, broken down by constituency, is detailed in the table below. Constituency SFP 2013 Payments outstanding as of 21 March 2014 Belfast East 5 Belfast North 3 Belfast South 6 Belfast West 1 East Antrim 9 East Londonderry 54 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 243 Foyle 10 Lagan Valley 14 Mid Ulster 137 Newry and Armagh 62 North Antrim 157 North Down 4 South Antrim 12 South Down 36 Strangford 19 WA 104 Friday 11 April 2014 Written Answers Constituency SFP 2013 Payments outstanding as of 21 March 2014 Upper Bann 16 West Tyrone 128 No Constituency* 23 Total 939 The constituency information is drawn from the postcodes of businesses that submitted