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NHS: Dentistry
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps are being taken to ensure people have reasonable access to National Health Service dental services in Northern Ireland. [HL5614]
Lord Rooker: I am satisfied with the level of dental provision in Northern Ireland both in terms of availability and accessibility. The Health Service provides a full range of dental services through general dental practitioners, the community dental service and the hospital dental service.
There is approximately one general dental practitioner for every 2,400 people in Northern Ireland. This compares to one practitioner for every 2,773 people in England, Scotland and Wales.
A new Primary Dental Care Strategy has been developed which sets the oral health agenda for the next 10 years. It identifies the oral health needs of the Northern Ireland population, determines desired outcomes and identifies areas where oral health can link into the wider health agenda.
The strategy has been developed around the local commissioning of services, where commissioners would be responsible for the delivery of primary care dental services to their population in keeping with local needs. One of the main recommendations is that access to appropriate dental care should be available to everyone.
Consultation on the draft strategy has ended and it is expected to be published in the summer.
NHS: Dentists
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many dentists resigned from the National Health Service in Northern Ireland in (a) 2005; and (b) the first three months of 2006. [HL5613]
Lord Rooker: The number of dentists who have resigned from providing health service dentistry is not exclusively available. However, the count of dentists who had been providing health service dentistry within Northern Ireland but who have ceased doing so in (a) 2005 and (b) the first three months of 2006 is provided below. The reasons for ceasing to provide health service dentistry will include retirement, death, moving out of Northern Ireland or moving to private practice.
(a) During the 2005 calendar year there were 41 dentists who were removed from the Northern Ireland dental list and who did not return to that list by January 2006.
(b) During the first three months of 2006 there were nine dentists who were removed from the Northern Ireland dental list and who did not return to that list April 2006.
NHS: Non-EU Doctors
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many non-European Union doctors are currently training in (a) the United Kingdom as a whole; and (b) Northern Ireland; and what steps are being taken to ensure that they are able to complete their training, in view of new Department of Health immigration rules for non-European Union doctors. [HL5615]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The following table shows the number of doctors working in the National Health Service in England, who qualified in a non-European Union country. Information relating to Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
In Northern Ireland, there are currently 370 non-European Union doctors in training.
1 All Practitioners includes Contracted GPs, GMS Others, PMS Others, GP Registrars and GP Retainers
2 Excludes medical Hospital Practitioners and medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals
3 Excludes all dental staff. Information about country of qualification is derived from the General Medical Council. For staff in dental specialties, with a General Dental Council registration, the country of qualification is therefore unknown.
Source:The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census The Information Centre for health and social care General & Personal Medical Services Statistics.
The Department of Health has put in place transitional arrangements to ensure that doctors currently in post are allowed to complete their programme.
Doctors from outside the European Economic Area who have graduated in the United Kingdom will have up to three years to complete their foundation training. Once the foundation course has been completed, doctors will need to meet the normal requirements of the immigration rules.
24 May 2006 : Column WA109
North/South Implementation Bodies
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
In percentage terms, what is the total number of employees in the implementation bodies in Northern Ireland broken down by religious background. [HL5605]
Lord Rooker: As of May 2006 the community background of the Northern Ireland-based staff that work in the north/south implementation bodies is set out below in percentage terms.
| Protestant | 33% |
| Roman Catholic | 63% |
| Non-Determined | 4% |
Northern Ireland National Stadium
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the cost to date of preparing and promoting the site at the Maze as a national stadium for Northern Ireland. [HL5654]
Lord Rooker: The Government are seeking to explore the potential to develop the entire site and commissioned a masterplan on this basis. Any expenditure incurred to date at the Maze/Long Kesh relates to the regeneration of the whole site rather than to any specific project.
Northern Ireland: Festivals
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 10 May (WA 139) concerning the Smithsonian Institution's Folklife Festival in 2007, what Ulster-Scots activities have been offered for inclusion in the festival by the Northern Ireland Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure. [HL5754]
Lord Rooker: I refer to my previous Answer 10 May (WA 139).
The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure passed on the list of recommendations it received from the Ulster-Scots Agency to the Smithsonian's curator.
Parliamentary Ombudsman
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Learning and Skills Council has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. [HL5697]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Mark Haysom, the LSC chief executive, will write to the noble Lord with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.
Political Parties: Funding
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the reason for the delay in answering the Question for Written Answer by the Lord Lester of Herne Hill tabled on 28 March (HL4991) about confidentiality clauses in loan agreements to political parties. [HL5728]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The noble Lord's Question tabled on 28 March [HL4991] was answered on 17 May 2006. The reason for the delay in answering was because the issue of confidentiality clauses in loan agreements to political parties was one which was still under consideration by the Government, in the context of new provisions relating to the regulation of such loans which were subsequently tabled to the Electoral Administration Bill on 26 April.
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