QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
ON THURSDAY 10 JULY 2008

Questions to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

1. Mr Dallat ( East Londonderry):

To ask the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister what consideration has been given and progress made by Departments to utilise the Post Office as a source, agency or outlet for the delivery of its services as outlined in the 'Report of the Committee’s Consideration of, and Proposals for, Partnership that could Enhance the Economic Case for Viable Local Postal Services'.

(AQW 8679/08)

Questions to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Mr Shannon (Strangford):

To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development when will she initiate the Rural White Paper and when will the consultation process be completed.

(AQW 8668/08)

2. Mr Shannon (Strangford):

To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what action she is taking to ensure that rural childcare opportunities are widely available across Northern Ireland.

(AQW 8678/08)

3. Mr B Wilson (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if the Forestry Service allows access to cyclists at Cairn Wood near Bangor.

(AQW 8671/08)

4. Mr B Wilson (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development if she will direct the Forestry Service to investigate the possibility of providing a family cycle trail at Cairn Wood near Bangor.

(AQW 8672/08)

Questions to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure

1. Mr D Bradley (Newry and Armagh):

To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure pursuant to AQW 2411/8, whether the Northern Ireland Events Company was contracted into events after 20 September 2007, and if so who authorised such action and for what reason.

(AQW 8647/08)

2. Mr D Bradley (Newry and Armagh):

To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure pursuant to AQW 2411/8, if any financial penalties were incurred by his Department or the Northern Ireland Events Company due to the cancellation of events; and to outline the events in question and the penalties incurred.

(AQW 8648/08)

3. Mr D Bradley (Newry and Armagh):

To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure pursuant to AQW2947/08, AQW2948/08 and AQW2949/08, for his assessment of the findings of the review.

(AQW 8650/08)

Questions to the Minister for Employment and Learning

1. Mr Weir (North Down):

To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning what assessment he made of the threat by colleges to suspend lecturers without salary for an indefinite period during the recent lecturers' dispute.

(AQW 8681/08)

Questions to the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment

1. Dr Farry (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment which recommendations within the Varney 2 Report have been prioritised for action.

(AQW 8660/08)

2. Mr Hamilton (Strangford):

To ask the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to quantify the value to the economy of the annual Twelfth celebrations.

(AQW 8652/08)

3. Mr Hamilton (Strangford):

To ask the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment how the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland intend to market the annual Twelfth celebrations as a visitor attraction.

(AQW 8653/08)

Questions to the Minister of the Environment

1. Mr McCallister (South Down):

To ask the Minister of the Environment for his assessment of the European Union targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 as part of a range of measures to halt climate change.

(AQW 8676/08)

2. Mr B Wilson (North Down):

To ask the Minister of the Environment if he will compel the developer who felled trees subject to a Tree Preservation Order at Myrtle Lodge, Newcastle, to replace the felled trees.

(AQW 8670/08)

3. Mr B Wilson (North Down):

To ask the Minister of the Environment what action has been taken to enforce the Tree Preservation Orders on the trees felled at Myrtle Lodge, Newcastle.

(AQW 8673/08)

Questions to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety

1. Mr Weir (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what action his Department is taking to improve the support available to people with communication difficulties as a result of suffering a stroke.

(AQW 8662/08)

2. Mr Weir (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if Health Centres have targets for responding to phone calls.

(AQW 8664/08)

3. Mr Weir (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what action he is taking to ensure that Health Centres do not charge callers a premium rate.

(AQW 8665/08)

4. Mr Weir (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety which Health Centres use call waiting phone systems that charge callers premium rates for their calls.

(AQW 8667/08)

5. Mr B Wilson (North Down):

To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if Health Trusts have fully implemented his proposals that patients suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses and their next-of-kin would receive free car parking, as outlined in his press statement of 21 May 2008.

(AQW 8669/08)

Questions to the Minister for Regional Development

1. Dr Farry (North Down):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development what is the designation of Belfast City Airport under European Union legislation.

(AQW 8656/08)

2. Dr Farry (North Down):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development what plans there are to change the designation of Belfast City Airport under European Union legislation.

(AQW 8657/08)

3. Dr Farry (North Down):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development to outline his policy on airports.

(AQW 8658/08)

4. Dr Farry (North Down):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development for his assessment of the role played by Belfast City Airport within the overall airport strategy.

(AQW 8659/08)

5. Mr Gallagher (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development the number of occasions that traffic wardens have instigated court proceedings against members of the public for alleged offences against them in the course of carrying out their duties on behalf of the Department; and the number of cases that have been (a) successfully prosecuted; and (b) otherwise determined by the courts.

(AQW 8680/08)

6. Mr Hamilton (Strangford):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development if the Roads Service has any plans to construct a roundabout at the Maryland crossroads between Moneyreagh and Belfast.

(AQW 8645/08)

7. Mr Shannon (Strangford):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development how many developers have to provide for a footpath within their planning application from the caravan park towards the mini-roundabout in Ballyhalbert.

(AQW 8661/08)

8. Mr Shannon (Strangford):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development further to correspondence with his Department, why has the Department delayed their response to the Rivers Agency request for information of the drainage system of Killynether Road which had been requested 3 months ago.

(AQW 8663/08)

9. Mr Shannon (Strangford):

To ask the Minister for Regional Development further to AQW 6416, how many breaks in the water supply have occurred in each parliamentary constituency in the last 12 months.

(AQW 8666/08)

Questions to the Minister for Social Development

1. Mr Hamilton (Strangford):

To ask the Minister for Social Development when it is anticipated that (i) construction of new social housing at Upper Crescent in Comber will conclude; and (ii) the Housing Executive will begin allocating these new homes.

(AQW 8646/08)

QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER ON THURSDAY 10 JULY 2008