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| Written Answers to Questions (Continued) Public Sector Houses Built Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Social Development to detail (a) the number of public sector houses built in the last five years; (b) the location of these houses by constituency and (c) the building costs. (AQW 75/02) Mr Dodds: In order to reconcile budget provision with the number of houses built, figures are compiled on the basis of starts rather than completions. The number of houses started by registered housing associations and the Housing Executive, over the five-year period 1997-98 to 2001-02, is as detailed in the attached appendices A and B. The costs associated with the housing association schemes include the purchase price of the land, the construction costs and a percentage on-cost. The on-cost figure covers a range of items such as legal and consultants fees, home loss and disturbance payments, furniture provision (where appropriate in schemes for people with special needs) and a contribution towards the association’s development and administration costs. The cost of the actual construction work cannot be disaggregated except at disproportionate cost. The Housing Executive does not hold its statistical data by constituency and the information is therefore provided by District Council area. The information can only be provided by constituency at disproportionate cost. The costs associated with the Housing Executive figures relate only to construction costs. APPENDIX A - HOUSING ASSOCIATION STARTS 1997-2002
APPENDIX B - NIHE STARTS (Note – "nil" during 2001/02)
Cost of Public Housing Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Minister for Social Development to explain why the cost of public housing rose by 78% in the last six years when the comparative rise in England was 18%. (AQW 115/02) Mr Dodds: These figures are taken from a Needs and Effectiveness Evaluation which was leaked and there has been some misplaced and misguided commenting on them by the media. Comparisons with the cost of providing new social housing in England are misleading for a number of reasons. For example, land costs, particularly around Belfast, have risen sharply in recent years and our social housing is built to higher standards and lower density. My Department is always conscious of the need to deliver value for money and has commissioned detailed research into a number of issues arising from the evaluation, including the reasons why house prices have risen so dramatically, to ensure that we continue to get the best possible value for investment in the housing programmes. Public Consumption of Alcohol: The Lord Kilclooney asked the Minister for Social Development, during the past 12 months, how many persons have been successfully prosecuted for the public consumption of alcohol in areas designated by the 26 district councils as prohibited locations for the public consumption of alcohol; and to make a statement regarding the designation of such areas. (AQW 201/02) Mr Dodds: Bye-laws made by district councils make it an offence to drink alcohol in designated places. Under current policy, areas designated by a district council should be confined to those areas where there is a recognised problem associated with the public consumption of alcohol. District councils are responsible for prosecution proceedings. The number of persons successfully prosecuted in the last 12 months for breaches of the bye-laws is not held centrally by my Department and, therefore, I am unable to provide the information requested.
Committee Clerks Mr Paisley Jnr asked the Assembly Commission if it will put in place the two proposals concerning appointment of Committee Clerks outlined by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee in his letter to the Speaker dated 13 August 2002. (AQW 74/02) The Representative of the Assembly Commission (Mrs E Bell): Following the Assembly Commission meeting on 17 September it has been agreed that the Clerk to the Assembly will consider issues surrounding the movement of staff and report back to the Commission at the earliest opportunity. I will write to you further as and when the revised procedures are agreed. |