Friday 7 July 2000
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Special Purpose Evacuation Dwellings Scheme

Mr Adams asked the Minister for Social Development to detail (a) the number of individuals or families on Northern Ireland Housing Executive waiting lists with A1(I) status by housing district and post code for the current year and each of the years from 1994 to 1999; (b) the number of applications for A1(I) status, and new applications to the special purchase evacuation dwellings scheme on a monthly basis from 1994 to the present; (c) the total number of house owners by housing district and post code who have applied to the special purchase evacuation dwellings scheme for the current year and for each of the years from 1994 to 1999; (d) the total number of successful applications to the special purchase evacuation dwellings scheme between 1994 and the present which have qualified (or have been approved) for the special purchase evacuation dwellings scheme, by housing district and post code.

(AQW 718/99)

The Minister for Social Development (Mr Dodds): This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, and the chief executive has advised me that information, which is collected on a financial year basis, can only be provided as follows:

For part (a), the information is not held by postcode. However, Table 1 provides the information by housing district.

For part (b), for applications for A1(I) status the information is not held by month. Table 2 provides information on an annual basis, except for the current year, which has not yet been collated. For applications for the scheme for the purchase of evacuated dwellings (SPED), Table 3 provides the information in the format requested.

For parts (c) and (d) (SPED new applications and SPED applications accepted respectively), the information is not held by postcode, and the information by district office from 1994 to 31 March 1998 is not available. To extract and collate the details in such a format would involve disproportionate cost. Table 4 provides the information in the required format from 1 April 1998.

Table 1: Applications for Rehousing Awarded A1 Priority Status on Grounds of Intimidation by Housing Executive District Office

TABLE 2: Number of A1 Applications by year

TABLE 3: SCHEME FOR THE PURCHASE OF EVACUATED DWELLINGS – Applications 1994 – To Date By Month

TABLE 4: SCHEME FOR THE PURCHASE OF EVACUATED DWELLINGS by Housing Execuitive district Office

Housing Wait List

Mr Adams asked the Minister for Social Development to detail the numbers of those on the housing waiting list by homelessness category, housing district and waiting time.

(AQW 719/99)

Mr Dodds: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, and the chief executive has advised me that it is not possible to list those on the waiting list by homeless category, because once accepted as homeless they are then only categorised as A1 priority. However, most people with A1 priority will have gained that status after being accepted as homeless. Table 1 shows the numbers who presented as homeless according to the reason they gave at that time. Table 2 gives the numbers awarded A1 priority status for each Housing Executive district office.

The number of those on the waiting list with A1 priority status, according to the length of time on the list, cannot be provided at this time. However, the chief executive of the Housing Executive will provide this information directly to Mr Adams when it is available.

Note: Table 2 includes both first and second preference choices of areas in which the applicant wishes to live.

Sale of Housing Executive Dwellings

Mr Shannon asked the Minister for Social Development if funds generated by the sale of Northern Ireland Housing Executive property will be returned to the budget of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and, if so, when this will happen.

(AQW 734/99)

Mr Dodds: The Housing Executive has always retained 100% of its estimated receipts from house sales. This year, the figure is almost £60 million. This money will be used for capital improvement works to the executive’s own estate. As is required under Government accounting provisions, receipts over and above the estimated receipts have to be surrendered to the centre, where they are at the disposal of the Executive Committee and the Assembly for addressing emerging pressures, including housing. Over the last five years or so, of the additional housing receipts which have been surrendered to the centre to be redeployed to other priority spending areas, about one third have been returned to the Executive. I will be pursuing this question of additional receipts and arguing for significant additional resources for the housing programme to meet housing need in Northern Ireland.