Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what proposals there are to relocate services at Mullinure hospital, Armagh, from other locations; [34333]
(2) what is the estimated cost at each location in Armagh city of completing the transfer of existing services at Tower Hill hospital, Armagh; [34336]
(3) what hospital services are proposed to be transferred from the site at Tower Hill, Armagh city, and at which location at Armagh each of these services will be relocated. [34332]
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1990–94 Robbery offences known 1,205 1,329 1,512 1,361 1,373 6,780 Percentage cleared 19.5 19.6 17.8 15.7 19.4 18.3 Burglary offences known 14,609 16,268 16,888 15,512 16,692 79,969 Percentage cleared 21.5 20.4 18.0 18.8 18.6 19.4 Note:
Figures include attempts.
There has been a substantial decrease in the number of robberies and burglaries in the first five months of 1995, accompanied by an increase in detection rates, resulting from the increase in proactive patrolling by the police, both overt and covert, using manpower previously employed on security duties. Other serious crime shows a similar reduction, with all violent crime falling by 972 in the 10 months since the ceasefires compared to the previous 10-month period.
Comparative figures for robberies and burglaries January-May 1994 and 1995 1994 January-May 1995 January-May Burglary 6939 offences known percentage cleared 17.7 Burglary 6624 offences known percentage cleared 18.7 Robbery 614 offences known percentage cleared 15 Robbery 494 offences known percentage cleared 22.3 The Royal Ulster Constabulary, fully supported by Government, will continue to build on this improvement. Specific initiative such as the formation of a robbery squad in Belfast, and the amalgamation of the serious crime squad and the anti-racketeering squads, have been introduced by the RUC positively and efficiently to increase their ability to react to the increased flow of information from the public since the ceasefires.
1110W
§ Mr. MossThe Armagh and Dungannon unit of Management is currently undertaking a wide-ranging public consultation exercise on the implementation of the Southern health and social services board's recent review of health and social care services in Armagh.
The consultation period will close on 14 August and in the light of the comments received the board will decide on the shape and location of hospital services in the Armagh area including services currently provided on the Tower Hill and Mullinure sites.
Until the board makes its decision it is not possible to estimate the cost of transferring any services from the Tower Hill site.