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30 Mar 2006 : Column 1185W—continued
NORTHERN IRELAND
Average Earnings
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what the average gross weekly earning were in each council area in Northern Ireland in the latest period for which figures are available; [61420]
(2) what the average gross weekly earnings in Northern Ireland are according to the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, broken down by council area. [61104]
Angela E. Smith: The average gross weekly earnings 1 in Northern Ireland for full-time employees according to the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, broken down by council area are provided in the following table.
(16) The information relates to employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence.
(17) Estimate is not available (n/a) due to excessive variability.
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Cancer Care (Belfast)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what nursing care is provided on weekdays between 6pm and 9am for cancer patients using the Belfast City Hospital Patient Hotel in Belfast. [62622]
Mr. Woodward: No nursing care is provided at the Patients Hotel (Glenview Building) at Belfast City Hospital.
The facility is designed to provide accommodation free of charge for cancer patients from outlying areas who although self caring and mobile require accommodation close to the Cancer Centre to avoid repeated long journeys for daily treatment. In the event that a patient staying at Glenview Building becomes unwell, access to nursing and medical staff is readily available from the hospital.
Patients who have been assessed as requiring nursing care while receiving treatment are admitted to Belfast City Hospital and would therefore not be accommodated in the Glenview Building.
Capita Group
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with directors and senior executives of (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries since 1 January 2004; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have provided input (1) in writing and (2) in person to policy discussions in his Department since 1st January 2004. [61070]
Mr. Hain:
Capita Group plc has a large number of trading subsidiaries and I am unable to provide the requested information without incurring disproportionate costs.
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Car Park (Coleraine)
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the multi-storey car park at Abbey Street in Coleraine to be (a) completed and (b) open. [62620]
Mr. Hanson: The Department for Social Development issued a development brief in respect of the Abbey Street and Mall car park sites in November 2005. One of the objectives of the development brief was to address the parking shortfall in Coleraine town centre. The Department is currently assessing the development proposals which have been submitted in response to the development brief. It is anticipated that the Department will be in a position to appoint a preferred developer or developers for these sites at the end of 2006 and that construction site could commence on one of them during 2007. It is not possible at this time to predict when a multi-storey car park at Abbey Street may be completed and open as the nature and timing of a development on that site has not yet been decided.
Correspondence
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons his Department took more than seven months to reply to the hon. Member for North Down's letter dated 1 August 2005 (TOF/353/2005). [62147]
Mr. Woodward: An administrative error within the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety unfortunately caused the delay to which the hon. Lady refers. I have apologised to the hon. Lady for the delay in my response of 20 March.
Equality Commission
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the salary is of the Political Affairs Officer of the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland; on how many occasions since October 2004 meetings have been sought with political representatives in Northern Ireland by the officer; and with whom meetings were held in that period. [60832]
Angela E. Smith: I understand that the Chief Executive of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, Ms Evelyn Collins, has written to the hon. Gentleman in the following terms:
The Political Affairs Officer post is set at NICS Staff Officer grade and the salary is within the NICS salary scale at this level.
The remit of the post of Political Affairs Officer, which is part of the Communications and Coordination Unit of the Commission, includes the promotion and co-ordination of all points of engagement between ECNI and the political sector in Northern Ireland. The role of the Unit generally covers media work, political liaison, stakeholder liaison and internal/external communications as well as coordination.
Since October 2004, the Political Affairs Officer has on two occasions offered, on behalf of the Commission, briefing meetings on pre-agreed topics, including Section 75, to all of the five main political parties. Staff from across the Commission would be involved in such briefings. In respect of the s75 briefings, four parties have taken up the offer and the DUP have not yet.
In respect of political parties, the Chief Commissioner has sought meetings with the leaders of the five main political parties. The leaders of four parties have accepted the invitation
- and meetings have taken place—these meetings were attended also by the Chief Executive and the Political Affairs Officer. A meeting with the Leader of the DUP remains outstanding, and efforts continue to be made by the Commission to arrange this meeting.
The Commission has met with all the main political parties in the period specified. These meetings, which have included the Political Affairs Officer, are outlined as follows. Some of these meetings were at the request of the political party:
Residents' Parking
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Department of Regional Development's Roads Service has assessed the merits of establishing residents' parking schemes in residential areas adjacent to the University of Ulster Magee Campus. [61240]
Mr. Woodward: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 30 March 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about whether the Department for Regional Development's Roads Service has assessed the merits of establishing residents' parking schemes in residential areas adjacent to the University of Ulster Magee Campus.
I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
You will be aware that the introduction of charged parking in the Magee Campus car parks in September 2004 led to complaints from residents in adjacent areas about parking problems. As a result, the University did agree to re-evaluate their decision however, residents would still appear to be concerned about the increased level of parking in adjacent streets.
At present there are no residents' parking schemes operating in Northern Ireland. However, I can advise that policy development on the introduction and operation of residents' parking schemes is well advanced and it is hoped that this process will be completed within the next two months, at which time it will be submitted to the Minister for approval.
Subject to Ministerial approval, Roads Service proposes to initiate detailed surveys and commence formal consultation with the residents living in the vicinity of Magee College to seek agreement on the extent and detail of any such scheme.
You may be aware that the local PSNI agreed to enforce a pilot residents' parking scheme in the university area, however it is unlikely that any scheme will be brought forward in advance of the introduction of Decriminalised Enforcement Parking in October 2006, when the Department will take over the responsibility for the enforcement.
I am advised that in an attempt to provide an interim resolution to some of the concerns of the residents, staff in our Northern Division wrote to the Aberfoyle Residents Committee in October 2005 suggesting the introduction of limited parking waiting restrictions in the area. I understand that to date a reply to this letter has not been received.
I trust you find the above information useful and I can assure you that when residents' parking schemes are being introduced in Londonderry, the area around the Magee Campus will be given a high priority.
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