Social Housing: Ring-fencing

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:15 pm on 23 November 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Gerry Kelly Gerry Kelly Sinn Féin 2:15, 23 November 2020

5. Mr G Kelly asked the Minister for Communities when ring-fencing of new-build social housing, as outlined in her statement on housing policy, will come into effect. (AQO 1145/17-22)

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

I thank the Member for his question. I am currently considering a range of options to increase the supply of social housing to address demand. A key element of that plan will be to ring-fence and weight the social housing development programme's output so that it is better at providing new social homes in greater numbers in the areas of most need. My officials and the Housing Executive are progressing that work. It is my intention to see the ambition of ring-fencing reflected in the new three-year programme that will be submitted to me in January 2021.

Photo of Gerry Kelly Gerry Kelly Sinn Féin

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a freagra go dtí seo. I thank the Minister for her answers up to now. My supplementary question has, to a great extent, been answered. It was about when we will see the beginning of the changes that were promised in the very welcome statement that she made.

The Minister will be aware of damage done to Housing Executive premises in Ardoyne caused by a faulty shower unit. Is there an investigation of that, especially given that, as I understand it, those shower units were on a recall list from 2018? My worry is that we may have a huge problem in social housing throughout the North.

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

I thank the Member for his question. I saw some media reports about that, prompted, I am sure, by the Member. It is very worrying if it is the case that those shower units were recalled in 2018 and a fire has subsequently happened in a home. Certainly, I await the outcome of the initial investigation. To assure you and, indeed, other Members, I will ask whether there were recalls in any other constituency and what has been done since. That is a fairly credible question to ask. If the advice that I get flags up concerns, I will share that with Members.

Photo of Paula Bradley Paula Bradley DUP

North Belfast, as we know, will be one of the ring-fenced areas. Minister, when you look at the policy, will you look at North Belfast in its entirety, because, quite often, Newtownabbey is left out of the social housing figures when it comes to reflecting the demand in North Belfast? Can the Minister give me an assurance that Newtownabbey will also be taken into account?

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

I thank the Member for her question. I will look at the geographical area, but I can certainly talk to officials to ensure that that is the case. There is need in all constituencies. When the details on the policy's progress come back, I will look to see which areas are covered. As the Member will be aware, the issue for me is that, every year, the number of people in acute housing stress grows by 1,000. There are unacceptable levels across — it is right across — the constituency. I will wait to see what I am presented with, but I assure the Member that, if Newtownabbey is not there, I will certainly ask about that.

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Social Democratic and Labour Party

Does the Minister recognise the importance of enshrining flexibility in the reintroduced ring-fencing policy? When the policy existed before, the Housing Executive demonstrated that it did not have sufficient flexibility, which impacted negatively on social housing provision inside and outside ring-fenced areas.

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

I thank the Member for his question. He is absolutely right. I remember when the policy was removed and the consultation on it. Let me be clear: I expect the Housing Executive to present me with proposals that look at the areas most in need. The Member's constituency is, unfortunately for him and for everybody else, at the top of that list, and that has persistently been the case. We need to look at ways to tackle that. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work. We need flexibilities or even the ability to contract in and out because it needs to reflect the true need and have an outcome for those on the waiting list.

Photo of Kellie Armstrong Kellie Armstrong Alliance

Ring-fencing new-build social housing will mean that opportunities for builders will increase fantastically. However, there is an issue about the number of apprentices and younger people going into the industry. Is the Minister working with the Department for the Economy and the Department of Education to identify opportunities so that more people can be brought into the workforce?

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

When the proposals come back, I will talk to other Departments. I want to go further to ensure that the way in which procurement happens is not open to as much challenge. Even current Housing Executive contracts are challenged at a low rate, which holds back procurement and contracts. I want to make sure that it is done as part of any contract, so social clauses, social benefits and social value need to be built in at the start and completion of a project — not for just a couple of weeks here and there — so that apprentices are fully supported from the day and hour that they walk in to the day and hour that they leave, hopefully with a trade.

In relation to the question from Rachel Woods, I hope that there will be an opportunity for new ways of construction. That is a new market not only for current tradespeople but for new and prospective tradespeople.

Photo of Andy Allen Andy Allen UUP

Minister, in the past 10 years, we have been in and around meeting the target for social housing starts. As we discussed in Committee, however, that is clearly not having the effect that is required to house the many thousands on the waiting list across the Province. I appreciate that part of your revitalisation is to increase the number of houses. Are you able to indicate at this stage what a more realistic and ambitious target of new housing starts will be?

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

Even through the Programme for Government negotiations before this place was brought back, I think that every party wanted the Programme for Government to have a housing indication and, within that, better housing targets.

I have given a policy direction. At the end of January, I will have proposals not just on tackling the ring-fencing but on increasing the number of housing starts. I think that the target was met one year, and that is not acceptable.