Question Time: Social Development Tuesday 30 September 2014
Question Time: Social Development Tuesday 30 September
2014
The new Social Development Minister, Mervyn Storey, received
a warm welcome from the Chamber as he conducted his first Question
Time. Mike Nesbitt took the opportunity to ask the Minister about whether
or not the demand is being met for social housing. Mr Storey declared that
“good progress is being made” with the size of the waiting list going down and
the number of new homes being built “significantly up”. For the first time in
ten years “planned output is in line with the Executive’s assessment of what is
actually needed”. The size of the waiting list dropped by 2,000 last year and
has already reduced by a further 1,000 this year. The delivery of new homes is
running ahead of schedule – it is anticipated that the Programme for Government
target to build 8,000 homes by 2015 will be exceeded by a further 1,500
newbuilds. Northern Ireland is also outperforming the rest of the UK when it
comes to providing social housing.
The Minister was also asked about the information being made
available to community and voluntary groups ahead of the transfer of community
planning powers to local government in April 2015. Mr Storey confirmed that his
Department will be working closely with the concerned organisations that it
supports through Neighbourhood
Renewal, Areas
at Risk and the Community
Investment Fund. This support has “proved vital to managing this period of
change” providing advice on what the changes will mean and meeting
neighbourhood partnerships and local representatives.
The Minister also answered questions on land owned by the
Housing Executive and schemes planned in the Upper Bann area. During the
topical question period, Mr Storey also answered Members queries on the
external cyclical maintenance scheme in Ballyclare, the Magherafelt town centre
master plan and the Minister’s commitment to helping clear the name of the
Department in light of recent allegations.
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