HC Deb 02 March 2004 vol 418 c864W
Mrs. Iris Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients are awaiting occupational therapy assessment and how many have waited for more than six months; and what the figures were at each six-month interval over the past five years. [151214]

Angela Smith

The figures for persons awaiting assessment by a community occupational therapist in respect of priority cases, non-priority cases and total cases are shown in the following table, for the position at quarters ending September 1998 to September 2003 (the latest date for which such information is available).

Jane Kennedy

A number of officers have written to the Northern Ireland Office regarding the Ombudsman's Office. However, the Police Ombudsman's Office is operationally independent and the handling of investigations by the Ombudsmans staff is a matter for the Police Ombudsmans Office.

Mr. Peter Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what powers he has to require explanations from the Police Ombudsman on(a) the actions of her officers and (b) investigations carried out by her office. [156692]

Jane Kennedy

The Secretary of State has no statutory powers to require explanations from the Police Ombudsman on the actions of her officers or the investigations carried out by her office.