Written Answers to Questions Official Report (Hansard) Friday 29 June 2012 Volume 76, 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 193 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development .................................................................. WA 195 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure ................................................................................ WA 199 Department of Education ...................................................................................................... WA 204 Department for Employment and Learning .............................................................................. WA 219 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment .................................................................... WA 222 Department of the Environment ............................................................................................. WA 222 Department of Finance and Personnel ................................................................................... WA 244 Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety ......................................................... WA 253 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................... WA 266 Department for Regional Development ................................................................................... WA 273 Department for Social Development ...................................................................................... WA 284 Northern Ireland Assembly Commission ................................................................................. WA 297 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) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) 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) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Brown, Ms Pam (South Antrim) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) 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, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) McNarry, David (Strangford) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Durkan, Mark H (Foyle) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) 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) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hay, William (Speaker) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hazzard, Christopher (South Down) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Rogers, Sean (South Down) 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) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Friday 29 June 2012 Written Answers Northern Ireland Assembly Friday 29 June 2012 Written Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Ministerial Sub-Committee on Children and Young People Mr Agnew asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the work being carried out on each of the following priorities of the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Children and Young People (i) Safeguarding; (ii) NEETS; (iii) Special Educational Needs; (iv) Early Years; and (v) Vulnerable Young People. (AQW 10799/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness (The First Minister and deputy First Minister): A summary of progress on each of the five sub-groups is set out below: (i) Safeguarding The Safeguarding Board Act (NI) 2011 provides a legislative framework for the creation of a new regional Children’s Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) and a Committee structure of the Board. This multi-disciplinary, inter-agency body will be the main statutory mechanism for agreeing how members co-operate to deliver safeguarding and for ensuring the effectiveness of what they do. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) will publish guidance for the SBNI before it comes into operation. (ii) NEETS The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) has consulted on its Pathways to Success Strategy which set a broad strategic direction and supports cross-departmental actions to reduce the number of 16 to 19 year-olds who are outside education, employment or training, or at risk of being so. It recognises the need to put in place structures or mechanisms to co-ordinate and make these more effective. (iii) Special Educational Needs Work on this issue focused on improving transitions for children with Special Educational Needs. This included: the transition from school to the range of post-school settings eg further and higher education, training, social care; preparing for independent living eg housing and benefits; and those who come within the youth justice system. (iv) Early Years In line with direction from the Ministerial Sub-Committee, the Early Years sub-group produced an action plan to monitor progress on aspects of Early Years work. The action plan drafted by the Early Years sub-group identifies DE and DHSSPS as the key departments responsible for Early Years Services. The Sub-Group has not met since 2008, but the actions proposed have been taken forward by other means in the absence of any formal meetings. Officials from DE have continued to work closely with DHSSPS on a range of relevant key issues. The action plan was agreed by the MSC in 2009, the Executive in March 2010, and updated in 2011. WA 193 Friday 29 June 2012 Written Answers (v) Vulnerable Young People Work has focused on young people at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour and entering the juvenile justice system, with the Department of Justice taking the lead. This work is now being progressed through the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership and the Regional Steering Group on Community Safety. Both of these Groups bring key agencies together to co-ordinate actions that support children and young people. Apprenticeship Programmes Mr Eastwood asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail (i) the apprenticeship programmes available within their Department; (ii) the apprenticeship programmes provided by their Department; (iii) the number of people currently enrolled in these programmes; and (iv) the number of places available on the programmes. (AQW 12006/11-15) Mr P Robinson and Mr M McGuinness: (i) OFMDFM, together with other departments, participates in the Programme Led Apprenticeship (PLA) Programme which is run by the Department for Employment and Learning. (ii) Nil (iii) Nil (iv) Three PLA places have been identified in OFMDFM.