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Museums and Galleries
Mr. MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Northern Ireland Museums Council was consulted on the preparation of the draft Museums and Galleries (NI) Order 1997. [21133]
Mr. MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what costs have been incurred in advertising for personnel for the Museums Institution for Northern Ireland prior to its being given parliamentary approval. [21131]
Mr. Worthington:
No costs have been incurred in respect of personnel solely relating to the new institution. A director has been sought to fill the current vacancies at the Ulster Museum and Ulster Folk and Transport Museum with the intention that this person would in due course become the director of the new institution. Advertisements relating to this appointment have been run on two occasions and cost £26,410 in total.
17 Dec 1997 : Column: 186
Advertisements to seek trustees for the Northern Ireland Museums Council and the new body have cost £3,760.
Mr. MacKay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the individuals and organisations that commented on the draft Museums and Galleries (NI) Order 1997. [21136]
Mr. Worthington:
The organisations and individuals who commented were as follows:
Mr. Mackay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the advice of the Museums and Galleries Commission was sought (a) before preparation of the draft Museums and Galleries (NI) Order 1997,
17 Dec 1997 : Column: 187
(b) during the consultation stage on the draft Order and (c) following the representations received on the draft Order. [21130]
Mr. Worthington:
The advice of the Museums and Galleries Commission (MGC) was sought before the preparation of the draft Museums and Galleries (NI) Order 1997 and during the consultation stage. After this, further consideration was restricted to the Museums Merger Steering Group which includes representatives of the three museums involved in the merger together with independent representatives one of whom is the NI Commissioner for MGC.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what fluoride compounds are added to public water supplies in Tandragee and Bangor; in what concentration; and by whom they are supplied. [20063]
Mr. Worthington:
The fluoride content of the water supply is increased only in water supplied to Tandragee and Holywood. The water supplied to Bangor is not subject to fluoridation. The compound of fluorine used to increase the fluoride content of the water supply is hexafluorosilicic acid.
The fluoridation of water is subject to the provisions of the Water (Fluoridation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1987. Under the provisions of that Order the concentration of fluoride is, so far as is reasonably practicable, required to be maintained at one milligram per litre.
Hexafluorosilicic acid is purchased from a supplier selected by annual tender.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the risks to health arising from fluoridation of water supplies. [20065]
Mr. Worthington:
The overwhelming scientific evidence has concluded that fluoridation of water supplies at one part per million parts of water is entirely safe. The water service monitors the supply to ensure that the concentration is maintained at this level.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to (a) extend and (b) cease the fluoridation of water supplies in Northern Ireland. [20067]
Mr. Worthington:
There are presently no plans to extend or cease the fluoridation of water supplies in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) households and (b) residents receive fluoridated public water supplies in (i) Tandragee and (ii) Bangor. [20069]
Mr. Worthington:
The estimated number of households and residents in Tandragee and Holywood normally receiving water supplies with an increased fluoride levels is as follows:
Museums
Ulster Museum (Board of Trustees)
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum (Board of Trustees) plus two individual members of staff
Ulster-American Folk Park (Board of Trustees)
Museums related
Northern Ireland Museums' Council
Museums' Association
Irish Museums' Association
Museums and Galleries Commission
Irish Professional Conservators' and Restorers' Association
Down County Museum
District Councils
Ards Borough Council
Armagh City and District Council.
Ballymoney City Council
Belfast City Council
Craigavon Borough Council
Derry City Council
Down District Council
Magherafelt District Council
Newtownabbey Borough Council
Strabane District Council
Government
Virginia Bottomley MP
Department of Economic Development
Department of the Environment
Northern Ireland Audit Office
Michael D. Higgins TD
Other bodies
SDLP
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Sports Council for Northern Ireland
Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland
Ministry of Defence
Royal Ulster Constabulary
Association of Local Authorities of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Community Relations Council
Ulster Historical Foundation
NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance)
William Thompson MP
Individuals
D. R. M. Weatherup
Sir Phillip Foreman
Clive Priestly
17 Dec 1997 : Column: 188
The water supplied to Bangor is not subject to fluoridation.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representation she has received in relation to fluoridation at Tandaragee and Bangor. [20064]
Mr. Worthington:
I have received 15 representations in relation to fluoridation. Five of the representations related to the fluoridation of Tandragee's water supply.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the impact of fluoridation on the (a) dental and (b) general medical health of the population of Tandragee and Bangor. [20066]
Mr. Worthington:
No assessment of the effects of fluoridation have been carried out in Tandaragee or Holywood because the population supplied with fluoridated water is too small for a valid statistical assessment to be made. However observation by general dental practitioners and community dentists indicate the patients in Tandragee and Holywood supplied with fluoridated water enjoy better dental health than those who do not receive fluoridated water.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what basis Tandragee and Bangor were selected as the location for the fluoridation of public water supplies. [20068]
Mr. Worthington:
Following encouragement from Government in 1968 Councils responsible for Tandragee and Holywood agreed to introduce fluoridation schemes in these areas.
The water supplied to Bangor is not subject to fluoridation.
Mr. Mallon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Water Service commenced adding flouride compounds to public water supplies at Tandragee and Bangor; and what public consultation preceded such action. [20070]
Mr. Worthington:
Fluoridation takes place at the water treatment works serving Tandragee and Holywood. These schemes were both introduced by their respective Councils. The Holywood plant became operational in 1970 followed in 1974 with the opening of the Tandragee plant.
The water supplied to Bangor is not subject to fluoridation.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the religious and community background of (i) male and (ii) female clerical officers and clerk/typists in each office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. [19575]
17 Dec 1997 : Column: 189
Mr. Paul Murphy:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, who has advised me that information about the religious and community background of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's workforce is not published at a level below that of the organisation as a whole. This is published annually in the Fair Employment Commission's Report "A Profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce Summary of the Monitoring Returns". The most recent report for 1996 is available in the Library.
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