To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints were made about noise levels to each district and borough council in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and on how many occasions each council took steps to reduce the noise level. (77306)

District council noise complaint statistics have been collected by the Department of the Environment since 2004, therefore only two years of data is currently available.

In 2003-04, district councils received a total of 8,397 complaints about noise. During the same period a total of 307 noise abatement notices were issued and seven prosecutions were taken by council officers.

In 2004-05 the number of noise complaints received by councils totalled 10,047. During the same period a total of 340 noise abatement notices and 17 prosecutions were taken by council officers.

A breakdown of the statistics by district council is contained in an annual report published by the Department. The reports for 2003-04 and 2004-05 can be accessed on the Environment and Heritage service’s website at http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/environment/noise/noisestats.shtml The report for 2005-06 is presently being compiled and will be published by 31 August 2006. Copies of this report will be placed in the Library.