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16 Mar 2006 : Column 2491W—continued
Departmental Refreshments
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on refreshments in each department for which he has responsibility in each of the last three years. [53242]
Mr. Hanson: All departments, including the Northern Ireland Office, replied that they were unable to distinguish between money spent on refreshments and other hospitality costs, due to the way in which spend is coded. The total spend on hospitality, which includes refreshments over the last three financial years was:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 926,703 |
| 2003–04 | 949,823 |
| 2004–05 | 897,409 |
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To obtain the costs incurred on refreshments separately could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Employment Statistics
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people receiving benefits moved back into employment in Northern Ireland in the last three years for which figures are available. [52974]
Mr. Hanson: Comprehensive information on the flows of all customers into employment by benefit is not currently available. A new system capable of providing this data is being developed and is scheduled to be in place by summer 2006.
In the interim, information on flows to employment is available for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and New Deal programmes and is shown as follows:
| Calendar years | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Flows into work(59) | 31,241 | 27,766 | 25,255 |
(59) This information is based on self-reported data volunteered by claimants of JSA at the point of terminating their claim to benefit.
Food Retail Sector
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what policies have been put in place to promote and support small businesses in the food retail sector in Northern Ireland. [58116]
Angela E. Smith: It is not Government policy to provide direct financial assistance to established small businesses in the retail sector (including food retail). Such assistance is limited to sectors with the potential to export such as manufacturing (including food processing) and tradeable services. Support is, however, available to individuals starting a business in food retail through the Start a Business Programme" (SABp), delivered on Invest NI's behalf by Enterprise Northern Ireland. Government also supports Sector Skills Council (SSCs) to identify and address skills needs. These include Improve Limited, for the food processing sector, and Skillsmart, for the retail sector. The SSCs are required to work with Government, educators and employers to meet these skill needs.
Global Point (Newtownabbey)
Dr. McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the building of industrial premises on grounds at Global Point, Newtownabbey, has not begun; and when he expects the first sod to be cut at the site. [58123]
Angela E. Smith: Further development at Global Point, including the building of industrial premises, is not expected until after the Public Inquiry into the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan is completed. The draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) is a material consideration in determining current planning applications for Global Point. No decision has yet been reached in respect of the proposals.
Planning Service published a Plan Amendment to BMAP on 14 February 2006 which has addressed some of the issues raised in earlier consultations. Its publication initiated an 8-week consultation period which expires on 11 April 2006.
Planning Service will, in the near future, formally request the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) to hold a public inquiry into the objections and counter objections. Timetabling for the Public Inquiry is the responsibility of the PAC, which is an independent body.
16 Mar 2006 : Column 2493W
Greencastle-Magilligan Ferry
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the vehicular traffic using the Greencastle-Magilligan ferry in 2005 originated in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland. [57742]
Mr. Woodward:
Limavady borough council advise that for the period July 2005 to 7 March 2006 81,259 vehicles used the Greencastle-Magilligan ferry of which 43 per cent. originated in Northern Ireland and 57 per cent. originated in the Republic of Ireland. Figures in the format requested for all of 2005 are not available.
16 Mar 2006 : Column 2494W
Health and Social Services Councils
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his Answer of 7 March 2006, Official Report, column 1324W, on Health and Social Services Councils, what percentage of the population of each Board area each figure represents. [59366]
Mr. Woodward: The information in the table shows the number of people assisted by the Health and Social Services Councils and the percentage population of the relevant Board area that these figures represent.
| NHSSC | EHSSC | SHSSC | WHSSC | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| 2002–03 | 675 | 0.16 | n/a | n/a | 84 | 0.03 | n/a | n/a |
| 2003–04 | 804 | 0.19 | 1,176 | 0.18 | 100 | 0.03 | 40 | 0.01 |
| 2004–05 | 803 | 0.19 | 1,442 | 0.22 | 100 | 0.03 | 42 | 0.02 |
n/a=Not available.
Hospital Doctors
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many junior house doctors there were in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [58576]
Mr. Woodward: The information requested is presented in the following table:
Notes:
PRHO=Pre-Registration House Officer / Post-Registration House Officer
SHO=Senior House Officer
WTE=Whole-Time Equivalent
Source:
Human Resource Management System
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients on average are looked after by junior house doctors (a) during the day and (b) at night in (i) the Royal Victoria hospital, (ii) the City hospital, (iii) the Ulster hospital, (iv) Whiteabbey hospital, (v) Altnagelvin hospital, (vi) Craigavon hospital and (vii) Daisyhill hospital, Newry in the latest period for which figures are available. [58577]
Mr. Woodward: Information on the number of patients on average who are looked after by junior house doctors (a) during the day and (b) at night is not available. Information is available on the number of junior house doctors working in each hospital at September 2004 as is the number of admissions to each hospital over the course of the year 2004–05. From this information the average number of admissions to each hospital per junior house doctor can be calculated and is shown in the following table for the year 2004–05. It should be noted that not all admissions will have been treated by a junior house doctor.
(60) Deaths and discharges from hospital used as an approximation for admissions.
(61) The number of whole-time equivalent staff used in calculation.
Source:
Hospital In-patients System and Human Resource Management System.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many consecutive nights on average were worked by junior house doctors in Northern Ireland in the latest period for which figures are available. [58578]
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Mr. Woodward: The information requested is not available. The Department monitors compliance with the European working time directive (EWTD) for junior doctors but the monitoring confines itself to the parameters of the directive—total hours worked, allowing 11 hours off work in any 24 hour period. It further requires a 24 hour period off work in any seven days or alternatively 48 hours in 14 days. This allows for a wide range of working patterns. The EWTD does not state any requirement with respect to working on consecutive nights. The last monitoring round (autumn 2005) demonstrated 73 per cent. compliance with the directive.
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