NI Assembly News
Tuesday 30th November 2010
Selected Written Answers from 26 November 2010
http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/qanda/2007mandate/writtenans/2010/101126.htm
Ministerial Sub-Committee on Poverty and Social Inclusion
Mrs D Kelly asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister how many times the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Poverty and Social Inclusion has met to date; and what actions have been taken forward following the meetings.(AQW 1359/11)
First Minister and deputy First Minister: To date, the Executive Sub-Committee on Poverty and Social Inclusion has met on three occasions, the most recent meeting being held on 29 March 2010. During the course of its first three meetings it:
agreed its Terms of Reference;
was informed as to the extent of poverty here;
considered and agreed key co-ordinated priority actions that are needed to benefit those areas, groups and individuals and particularly those families and children in greatest objective need; agreed that further action should be taken in respect of areas such as childcare, intensive family support, budget allocation using objective need indicators and rural gain; considered and agreed proposals in respect of a monitoring and reporting framework for the ‘Lifetime Opportunities’ Strategy – this was subsequently published on Thursday 14 October and is available for download on the OFMDFM website ; and agreed to the early re-establishment of the Ministerial-led Poverty and Social Inclusion Stakeholder Forum. The first meeting of this group took place on 2 June 2010. It is our intention to convene further meetings of both the Executive Sub-Committee and the Stakeholder Forum before the end of this calendar year.
Budget of the Community Relations Council and the Human Rights Commission
Mr P Weir asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what was the budget of (i) the Community Relations Council; and (ii) the Human Rights Commission for each of the last five years.(AQW 1790/11)
First Minister and deputy First Minister: The Community Relations Council (CRC) is an independent company with charitable status and it publishes a full set of accounts each year. OMFDFM provides funding to CRC for good relations work and to support victims and survivors work. Details of this funding are included in the table below. The majority of this funding is distributed to community and voluntary sector organisations to support their work.
It should be noted that in addition to the schemes included in the figures shown below, CRC is also responsible for the administration of funds on behalf of the International Fund for Ireland and the Special European Programmes Body. Further information is available on the CRC website: http://www.nicrc.org.uk
Good Relations Funding
2005/06 - 2,858,000
2006/07 - 2,936,250
2007/08 - 3,289,882
2008/09 - 3,340,830
2009/10 - 3,547,000
Victims Funding
2005/06 - 2,872,196
2006/07 - 3,174,932
2007/08 - 3,142,085
2008/09 - 4,046,576
2009/10 - 5,237,653
Total OFMDFM funding to CRC
2005/06 - 5,730,196
2006/07 - 6,111,182
2007/08 - 6,431,967
2008/09 - 7,387,406
2009/10 - 8,784,653
This department does not provide funding for the Human Rights Commission. The funding is provided by the Northern Ireland Office. Details of funding for the Human Rights Commission are available on the organisation’s website:http://www.nihrc.org
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People
Miss M McIlveen asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the annual spend by the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People in each year since its establishment in 2003.(AQW 1830/11)
First Minister and deputy First Minister: The annual spend by the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People since 2003 is detailed below:
Annual spend
6 months to 31/03/2004 - £413,380
31/03/2005 - £1,549,042
31/03/2006 - £1,858,008
31/03/2007 - £1,909,685
31/03/2008 - £1,867,605
31/03/2009 - £1,790,275
31/03/2010 - £1,868,129
The figure in 2010 includes retention of receipts totalling £35k from the Older People’s Advocate for rent and shared services.
Early Years (0-6) Strategy Stakeholder Group
Mr C Lyttle asked the Minister of Education to detail (i) the terms of reference for the Early Years (0-6) Strategy Stakeholder Group which will consider the consultation responses; (ii) whether this group will become the strategy implementation group; (iii) whether this group will replace the Regional Reference Group and the reasons why; and (iv) which stakeholders will be represented on this group and the process for selection.(AQW 2135/11)
Minister of Education: (i). Mar fhreagairt ar cheisteanna a cuireadh faoin Straitéis, bunaíodh Grúpa Comhairleach na bPáirtithe Leasmhara le cuidiú a thabhairt don Roinn Oideachais anailís a dhéanamh ar thuairimí agus ar fhianaise a cuireadh i láthair tríd an chomhairliúchán ar an dréachtStraitéis um Luathbhlianta (0-6).
(i). In response to concerns expressed about the Strategy, the Advisory Stakeholder Group has been established to assist the Department of Education in the analysis of views and evidence presented through the consultation on the draft Early Years (0-6) Strategy. The purpose of the group is to assist DE in finalising the Strategy for consideration by the Minister of Education.
The role of the Group will be to contribute to the final Early Years (0-6) Strategy, within the overall objectives and framework of educational services, by providing views and advice on key issues emerging from the consultation.
Independent expertise and input will be sought from members. Members will be expected to bring to the exercise their views and expertise and contribute to the analysis of the responses and shaping the strategy, free from any sectoral focus or bias.
(ii). The implementation of the Strategy will involve the collaboration of a range of partners and DE will consider the appropriate forum to ensure the engagement of partners when developing the implementation plan once the Strategy is finalised.
(iii). In the early stages of the development of the Strategy DE established a Regional Reference Group (RRG) which in turn was supported by four thematic groups. Through these various groups, DE sought to gather the views and utilise the expertise of stakeholders to ensure a participatory approach to the development of the policy area. From 2007 onwards the input from the groups was taken forward by DE in the development of the draft Strategy which has now issued for consultation.
There are currently no plans to continue the work of the RRG. Its work has been valuable but we are now at a different stage of the process.
(iv). The membership of the Group is drawn from:
Department of Education
The Early Years Organisation
Children in NI
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Early Childhood Studies,
Stranmillis University College
Centre for Effective Services
Education and Training Inspectorate
The primary education sector
The statutory nursery school sector
The Group discussed membership at its first meeting and agreed that further representation was required. Invitations to additional members will issue shortly and will include representation from Sure Start, the National Children’s Bureau, MENCAP, Gingerbread. The Department has also invited membership from the Health and Social Care Board.
In addition, it was agreed that the Group would utilise additional expertise as and when appropriate.
Education and Library Boards
Mr G Savage asked the Minister of Education for an update on the reconstitution of the education and library boards.(AQO 586/11)
Minister of Education: Is cúis mhór díomá í go raibh sé riachtanach na Boird Oideachais agus Leabharlann a athbhunú de bharr nár chomhlíon an Coiste Feidhmiúcháin a ghealltanas le hÚdarás um Oideachas agus Scileanna a bhunú faoin chéad lá de mhí Eanáir Dhá Mhíle is a Deich.
It is very disappointing to note that reconstitution of the Education and Library Boards has only been necessary because the Executive did not meet its commitment to establish the Education and Skills Authority by 1 January 2010.
Transferor and Trustee Representatives and the General members were appointed to the Belfast, North Eastern, Southern and Western Education and Library Boards on 14 May 2010. The appointment of Councillors to the North Eastern, Southern and Western Education and Library Boards is underway. The appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of the requisite pre-appointment checks. I hope they can all be confirmed by next month.
In the case of the Belfast Board it is disappointing that Belfast City Council has not yet provided at least two nominations for each Councillor post. The processes have not yet been concluded for that Board.
Education and Library Boards
Mrs M Bradley asked the Minister of Education for an update on the convergence of education and library boards' services and functions.(AQO 587/11)
Minister of Education: Tá luathbhunú an Údaráis Um Oideachas agus Scileanna (ESA) riachtanach le pleanáil agus soláthar sheirbhísí a fheabhsú agus le coigiltí suntasacha a fhíorú.
The early establishment of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) is vital both to improve the planning and delivery of services and realise significant savings. I remain ready to implement ESA, if the Executive will agree to do so. It is very disappointing that ESA is still not in place.
In the advance of ESA it has been necessary to take forward plans for the convergence of services. Plans are currently being considered by the Convergence Programme Management Board involving the Chairpersons of the five Boards. In the absence of a single authority, consensus must be achieved across the boards. The ESA Chair (Designate) and Chief Executive (Designate) continue to meet regularly with the boards and other stakeholders to progress matters.
Youth Service: Chief Inspector’s Report
Mr D Hilditch asked the Minister of Education for her assessment of the findings in the Chief Inspector's Report (2008-2010) in relation to the quality of provision in the youth sector.(AQO 588/11)
Minister of Education: The Chief Inspector has reported that more than two-thirds of practice observed during area youth inspections was evaluated as good or better, and within the youth centres inspected, just over one-half of the quality of the provision for learning observed was evaluated as satisfactory or better, with just under one-quarter considered to be outstanding. I welcome the findings and I pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of the youth workers and volunteers who provide these non formal education services for children and young people.
Cuirim fáilte roimh mhéadú i líon na ndaoine óga a ghlacann páirt ghníomhach, páirteachas a chuidigh go mór leo a gcuid féinmhuiníne agus a gcuid scileanna ceannaireachta a fhorbairt.
I also welcome the confirmation of increasing levels of active participation by young people which enabled them to develop self-confidence and leadership skills. The Chief Inspector has reported good examples of effective and creative project-based youth work which meets the needs of marginalised young people and outreach work in urban and rural areas.
While those who are achieving high standards are to be congratulated, there is still room for improvement. The report identified that almost one third of the quality of the provision in youth centres was deemed inadequate. I am therefore committed to delivering further improvements in the youth sector and maximising its contribution to educational achievement and to closing the gap between those achieving at the highest levels and those who, perhaps due to disadvantage, disability or other barriers to learning, are not achieving their full potential.
I welcome the recommendations contained within the Chief Inspector’s Report relating to improvements in quality planning and the development of structures to monitor and evaluate the overall coherence and progression in the young peoples’ learning experiences. Work is already underway to address issues of improving the process of self-evaluation. Further improvements will continue to be supported through the forthcoming Priorities for Youth Work in Education strategy which is currently under development.
District Policing Partnerships and Community Safety Partnerships
Mr D Kinahan asked the Minister of Justice what measures his Department is taking to ensure that, when District Policing Partnerships and Community Safety Partnerships are merged, they will attract as broad a spectrum of community participation as possible.(AQW 2136/11)
Minister of Justice: The proposed ‘Policing and Community Safety Partnerships’ (PCSPs) are intended to attract a broad spectrum of community participation. They will also be statutory bodies in their own right, and will have equality obligations to fulfil.
There will be three kinds of members: elected members; independent members; and representatives of delivery agencies.
The elected members will be appointed in line with the membership of the council.
Independent members will be appointed to ensure that the Partnership is as far as practicable representative of the community overall. They will bring a wealth of experience to the Partnerships and will be able to reflect the diversity of the community in the district in which the Partnership operates.
I also anticipate that each PCSP will designate a range of different organisations from both the statutory and voluntary/community sectors to send a representative to be a member of the PCSP. Each PCSP will designate at least four such organisations.
In addition to the composition of the Partnership itself, each PCSP will be able to set up committees to look at specific issues. These committees might be responsible for specific projects, themes or neighbourhoods. In addition to members of the PCSP, these committees would be able to co-opt people who are not members of the PCSP. There would be no maximum size. The ability to set up these committees provides PCSPs with the flexibility to engage additional community and delivery partners as and when required.
Furthermore, the statutory functions of the PCSPs will include the responsibility to engage with the public more generally. To operate effectively, they will have to obtain the cooperation of the public with the police in preventing crime and enhancing community safety, and to obtain the views of the public about matters concerning policing and the enhancing of community safety.
Selected Business Items from Committee meetings this week
The Rainbow Project will meet with MLAs to discuss concerns of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community. http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/roundup/archive/2010/All-In-A-Weeks-Work-At-The-Assembly.htm
Wednesday 1 December 2010 at 2pm , Room 21, Parliament Buildings - http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/education/2007mandate/agenda_a.htm
Committee For Education
Departmental Update Briefing on Budget 2010 and Convergence
Departmental Briefing on December Monitoring
Thursday 2 December 2010 at 10am, Room 144, Parliament Buildings - http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/environment/2007mandate/agenda.htm
Committee for the Environment
Consultation on Child Poverty Strategy
Thursday 2 December 2010 at 2pm, Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings - http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/justice/2007mandate/agenda.htm
Committee For Justice
Representatives from Women’s Aid will give a briefing on the Justice Bill
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