HC Deb 18 May 2004 vol 421 cc939-40W
Lady Hermon

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding his Department allocated to support for(a) the Ulster Scots culture and language and (b) the Irish culture and language in each of the last three years, expressed on a per capita basis of those who claim to identify with each. [171925]

Angela Smith

This information is not available in the format requested.

The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure jointly funds the Ulster-Scots Agency and the Irish Language Agency. The Ulster-Scots Agency has a statutory remit to promote Ulster-Scots language and culture. The Irish Language Agency has a statutory remit to promote the Irish language.

rates were for (i) normal vaginal deliveries, (ii) caesarean sections and (iii) other deliveries in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [173584]

Angela Smith

The small numbers of maternal deaths in Northern Ireland preclude any robust statistical analysis of maternal death by mode of delivery. Wider literature from within the United Kingdom does indicate that whilst mortality rates for mothers are low no matter how delivered, caesarean section does carry a slightly increased relative risk compared to that for all deliveries.

Mortality and morbidity sequela are difficult to separate from the primary reasons for performing the caesarean section and detailed information about this is not routinely available.

With regard to mortality and morbidity in infants, without differentiating the underlying reasons for sections (emergency or planned), it is impossible to establish any direct correlation between mode of delivery and the nature of the subsequent morbidity. The maturity of the infant at the time of the caesarean section is the most important element of its survival and development.

Mrs. Iris Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) normal vaginal, (b) caesarean section and (c) other deliveries there have been in each of the last 10 years. [173610]

Angela Smith

The information requested is contained in the table.

Funding is also available from departmental mainstream programmes for projects which may have an Irish or Ulster-Scots language or culture dimension which cannot be separated from the primary funding objectives.