Mervyn Storey
North Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It will be noted that there are those who cry much about the environment and purport to be the champions of the environment who did not have the courtesy to come to the House and be present when the statement was being made.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Clearly, there are some in the House who want to continue with the same old, same old and get the same outcomes at a huge cost to the public purse and to farms in Northern Ireland. The Minister is absolutely right: it is a scourge.”
“I am sure that the Minister will be aware, having listened to the Member who spoke before me, that the farmers of North Antrim will make an informed choice about who best supported farmers during this mandate of the Assembly.”
“A pilot scheme has been operating with the Education Authority, the PSNI and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust across 60 schools in the south Down area since September 2021 and was extended to a further 77 schools in the Newry and south Armagh areas at the start of February 2022.”
“As Chair of the Justice Committee, I am pleased to welcome the motion. It implements the provisions taken forward by the Committee in the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 to establish an Operation Encompass model in Northern Ireland, which is, as the Minister has outlined, a police and early intervention pa…”
“We had our final meeting of that Committee this morning, and I want to place on the public record our appreciation and thanks to our Committee staff of for all the work that they have done.”
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“The Department has produced five papers since the Stormont House Agreement.”
“May I say to the Member, and to Members across the House, that they should continue to encourage people in their constituencies to ensure that they have made the call so that they can see what may be available to them? Given the fact that we are talking about a considerable amount of money over a number of years, I think it is well worth making the effort to make that call, because it will, undoubtedly, bring a reward.”
“The Department is entering into the final year of Maximising Incomes and Outcomes, which is a three-year strategy to improve the uptake of benefits. An action plan for 2015-16 is in place. It continues to prioritise and invest resources in programmes and activities aimed at encouraging the uptake of benefit services and supports. Officials are due to present the action plan to the Social Development Committee on 18 June. That will give the Committee and Members of the House an insight into how we intend to address this issue over the next three years.”
“I thank the Member for his question on benefits uptake. Of all the benefits — excuse the pun — benefits uptake has been one of the most successful schemes that we have engaged in. I continue to be committed to promoting the uptake of benefits in an effort to tackle poverty and improve the lives of the most vulnerable. In 2013-14, over 4,000 people, many from our older generation, gained some £14·2 million in new and additional benefits. In fact, since 2005, benefit uptake work has generated over £81 million in additional income for people in Northern Ireland.”
“However, we sometimes need to take cognisance of the communities that we are delivering these projects in, listen to their voices and concerns, and try as much as we possibly can to deliver for them.”
“The Member rightly refers to phases 3 and 4. It is certainly a challenge to ensure delivery. The crises that he referred to were not of my making and are no reflection on my goodwill in trying to see delivery of a project that would undoubtedly have a huge impact on the well-being and quality of life of people in the Markets area. <BR /> <BR />Whether it is this scheme or others — my Department and I have been involved with a myriad and multiplicity of schemes over the last number of months and years — we need to ensure that we do not lose the focus of the importance of these projects for the communities that want them delivered. Other Members have the very cavalier attitude that we should not spend this amount of money and should spend it on other things.”
“I do not have specific details about that scheme with me, but I am quite happy to give the Member an update on it. In that scheme, as in others, I want to ensure that we continue to make progress. However, progress can be made only when all the agencies concerned work together and when we have the overall budget that will be made available to deliver these schemes.”
“<BR /> <BR />My call and challenge to the party opposite and to the SDLP, which, unfortunately, along with the single Green Party Member, became a conspirator on this issue, when it signed the petition of concern, is this: let us implement the agreement that we made; let us ensure that we do not create any more vulnerable people; and let us deal with the issues that will give to the people of Northern Ireland clarity and certainty in a way that does not create more vulnerability for those saying that they have lost all confidence in the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />Despite all the smokescreens and diversions over the last number of weeks, and despite all the misinformation about papers not being given and people acting in bad faith, I cannot understand why, when we had an agreement at the beginning of this year that was sold by the parties opposite and advocated as being a new dawn and a new day — it was a process that would help the vulnerable and one whereby we were getting to terms with dealing with issues — all of a sudden, on that fateful weekend in March, something dramatically changed. We know, of course, what it was. It was not the focus on the people of Northern Ireland. A party was looking two ways, and its focus was on an election that it hopes will come in the Irish Republic.”
“The Member is absolutely right: it does not help. By constantly delaying it, we are ratcheting up problems that affect everybody in Northern Ireland. At Stormont House, we endeavoured in good faith to ensure that we had a comprehensive agreement, to which five parties made a contribution and signed up. We then began the process of implementing it.”
“By August of this year, which is not that many weeks away, we would be in a very difficult and challenging position that could result in a situation in which some element of the annually managed expenditure (AME) delivered on the ground, specifically in the form of certain benefits, could be put in jeopardy, and some benefits might not be paid.”
“I thank the Member. Obviously, this issue is part of the problems that we currently face. In fact, correspondence some time ago from the previous Chief Secretary and from the previous Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Clegg, indicated to the Executive that they needed to make decisions on how they wanted to provide social security when DWP started to withdraw from its IT contracts in mid-2016. <BR /> <BR />That is one element of the issue. The other is that, if we cannot find an agreed solution to the Budget and were to find ourselves in the position that the finances of the House were under the control of the permanent secretary at the Finance Department, it would certainly create a huge challenge for us.”
“This is the benefit of the House, because all politics is local. I appreciate the fact that the Member has a particular issue in relation to the matter that he raised. I am quite happy, now that the Member has given the details of the matter to the House, for my officials to look at the particular need and see what help can be given to the service in Omagh that is currently under stress.”
“<BR /> <BR />I continue to support the independent advice sector and, through the various funding arrangements that we have, I give them the support and the financial assistance that they need so that they can continue to deliver the service in the expert way that they have done to date.”
“Yes. Obviously, I value very much the work that the independent advice sector does for us. The Member will be well aware of the challenges that we have in the House in relation to the Budget and in making difficult decisions. In fact, because of requests from his party, we have had to take some money from the block grant and divert it into other needs that he and his colleagues have seen as being a priority, particularly in relation to welfare. We did that in the comprehensive agreement but, unfortunately, the Member and his party are stalling the implementation of that agreement that we made.”
“Yes. Again, we are aware of those particular recommendations. They are being considered, and I trust that we will be able to give a positive response in a way that is equitable and tries to strike a balance between the needs of the traders, who have expressed their particular concerns, and the needs of pedestrians.”
“This issue is always raised in regard to public realm schemes. When public realm schemes are taken on board, as far as I am concerned and, I trust, for those who are involved in the delivery of these schemes, every concern is heeded, whether in relation to those who have particular physical disabilities or some other disability. In particular, we have had issues in the past with guide dogs for the blind. All those issues are taken on board in a very practical way. In fact, just a few days ago, I was made aware of a particular scheme that had not been followed in a way that gave us a good outcome. I have asked for that particular issue to be looked at again.”
“— the Member mentions north Belfast — and the rest of our city. There is already anticipation in the lead-up to the bridge being handed over. I look forward to being in a position by the end of this month to officially open the bridge. It will be another added asset to this great city and to the River Lagan, which it crosses.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary question. My colleague has reminded me that Belfast is the capital city; I may have been referring to another city in the west, which is the Maiden City. The new bridge will provide improved connections across the River Lagan between Belfast city centre and the Titanic Quarter. The bridge will also help to promote the Queen's Quay area to potential developers. In only the second event that I attended after taking up office, I went to see the commencement of the works. At that stage, people were raising concerns as to why there was a huge investment of £5·5 million. It is a good investment that will provide tremendous connectivity between the Titanic Quarter and Queen's Quay —”
“I thank the Member for his question. I am glad that he has an interest in what goes on in our Maiden City. The Lagan Weir pedestrian and cycle bridge is on programme to be opened to the public before the Tall Ships event, which is due to take place in July.”
“I want to ensure that, in whatever sector the homes are provided, they are provided in a way that is fair and equitable and gives quality of provision to those who live in them.”
“Yes, in answer to the question that the Minister — the Member — asked. That might be a prophecy: he may be a Minister one of these days. <BR /> <BR />You are not long in post in any of the positions in the House before you realise the particular issues that are prevalent and the particular concerns that various groups and interests raise. One of those concerns is rent. We also get some very good feedback and some positive messages from a variety of sources in the Housing Executive and housing association provisions and from those who are involved in co-ownership. <BR /> <BR />It goes back to the point that I made earlier. We have a patchwork quilt of provision and a variety of providers.”
“That goes right across the piece, whether it is Housing Executive properties or those in the control of housing associations. <BR /> <BR />I trust that I have taken a pragmatic view of the issue. I do not want to scare the horses or create alarm. I want to have an informed discussion about how we get the best possible outcome that secures tenure for people in their homes and gives them the assurance that they are not being overcharged for services that are not being provided.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. It is my intention to put this out for consultation over the summer. That always raises the question of whether it is being done over the summer because people are away on holidays. However, I assure the Member and the House that the issue will generate considerable debate. It has already done so. Housing associations have made representations to me and the Department on the issue of a rent policy, and I think that they even raised that issue when they were with the Committee recently. I am also aware of concerns that have been raised across the piece about the particular way that we ensure that we do not have excessive rents but, equally, that people can live in homes in which they get value for money for the rent that they are charged.”
“My Department has no authority to control the level of service charges that are set by housing associations. However, the Department reviews service charges through the inspection regime and quarterly financial monitoring. The inspection reviews the appropriateness of the arrangements that housing associations have in place to determine the level of service charges and the processes for collecting those costs. The monitoring team receives and reviews quarterly financial information relating to service charge income and costs. <BR /> <BR />My Department is developing comprehensive proposals for a social housing rent policy. The proposals will also look at the fairness, consistency and transparency of service charges.”
“I do not have the exact figures to give the Member, so I am happy to come back and give her a detailed breakdown.”
“It was an open discussion around how we could continue to provide good homes in Northern Ireland. Let us not leave out the private sector, which continues to build houses and is showing some recovery in Northern Ireland. It has to be an all-round provision, not focusing solely on one element. However, there is no doubt that challenges remain for us in the budget.”
“When you have to cut your cloth according to the amount of money you have, it will obviously have an impact. I would like to be exceeding the plan and doing more than we intended. Much has been achieved, and no doubt much more needs to be done, but, in the current circumstances of a reduced overall amount of money, we have to do the best we can with the money that is available. However, there is no doubt that that has an impact on communities and locations where there is a greater need or demand. That is the challenge for my Department and everybody, which follows on from my comments to the previous Member about all those involved in the provision of housing in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I attended a meeting recently with the CBI and had a useful exchange with a variety of providers from co-ownership providers to bankers.”
“We have seen progress made with housing associations. I am having ongoing discussions with them on how we can improve our relationships, and they are key. There are also issues that Members have raised in the House about tower blocks and the way in which the Housing Executive needs to address those. All those matters are under consideration in a variety of ways. However, the focus must remain for me, as the Minister, and the Department to continue to work with all providers to get the best possible outcome and delivery for the people of Northern Ireland.”
“I thank the Member for her question and for the work she does on the issue on the Committee for Social Development. Obviously, she has a particular interest in this. <BR /> <BR />I would like to see the Housing Executive again at the forefront of building and providing homes. However, over the last number of years, we have seen the challenges that have been created. Since I have been in post, I have seen the variety of housing provision. It cannot be one-size-fits-all, so it has to be a multiplicity of providers. That will come from the Housing Executive being a good landlord and ensuring that its properties are kept up to the standard that they should be. We have fallen behind on that. Very soon, I will announce the outcome of the Savills stock condition survey, which will clearly indicate the huge investment needed.”
“I look forward to ensuring that we continue to do the same in the future.”
“In relation to whether the targets for the delivery of social and affordable housing have been met, I think the answer is yes. A total of 10,066 homes have been delivered in Northern Ireland under the current Programme for Government. As I said, 6,101 of those were social homes and 3,965 were affordable homes. Believe it or not, that is over 2,000 more homes than were promised. It is not often that Ministers stand in the House and are able to say that something has exceeded a Programme for Government target. The individual targets for all four years were exceeded each year, with 1,410 homes delivered in 2011-12; 1,379 delivered in 2012-13; almost 1,300 delivered in 2013-14; and 2,013 delivered in 2014-15. That all goes well for how we plan in the future. It is a good news story, particularly for those who are now in receipt of good homes.”
“They provide not only housing for families but supported housing for some of our most vulnerable citizens. We can be rightly proud that our social housing standards are very much the envy of other jurisdictions. <BR /> <BR />In fact, if we look at output in the rest of the UK, we see that we are doing much better. Recent figures show that in England one new social house was being provided for every 60 applicants on the waiting list. The figures for Scotland and Wales were better, but the figure for Northern Ireland was best, with one social house being built for every 30 or so applicants. In relative terms, therefore, we are outperforming the rest of the United Kingdom on this issue.”
“In the four-year period just ended, my Department funded registered housing associations to provide over 6,100 new high-quality, energy-efficient social homes in areas of need across Northern Ireland. The Programme for Government target set by the Northern Ireland Executive was to deliver 6,000 houses, so the overachievement was a good result for those on the housing waiting list. Plans are to deliver at least 1,500 more new homes in the current year. <BR /> <BR />At this point, I acknowledge the contribution made by the housing association sector, not least the £315 million of private finance that was levered in to part fund the building programme. That makes a tremendous addition to the work that we can do every year to help those in housing need. Housing associations build some of the very best housing to be found in Northern Ireland.”
“Other requests have come in on specifics, and we are working our way through those so that we do all that we can. <BR />The other point is that we have learned from other public realm schemes that have been carried out in this way so that we can avoid some of their issues. I trust that that will be the case with Ballymena.”
“On the specifics, I have met individual traders, and I am going back again this week to meet the council on the issue, because it will have responsibility for the management of the works. The work on the Ballymena public realm scheme actually commenced on the ground on 18 May. It is anticipated to last some 80 weeks and to be completed by November 2016. I take on board the concerns that have been raised and continue to be raised. I am asking the council and the contractor to ensure that everything is done to minimise the disruption, because an 80-week project of this magnitude will undoubtedly have particular challenges. It is important that we work with the traders. I have received correspondence from my colleague the MP for the area on compensation for traders.”
“Although the Member's question is slightly beyond the remit of the original question, I am quite happy to answer it. <BR /> <BR />The money that is being invested in Ballymena is somewhere in the region of £4·6 million, which is very welcome by the traders and the town. I am sure that the Member, like me, would have been the first to complain if we did not have an investment in Ballymena, which is a premier town in Northern Ireland for retail and many of the other shopping experiences that people enjoy when they go there.”
“The council will have to ensure that it does this in the best way possible, and in a way that does not create the situation that the Member outlined.”
“The aim is to ensure that this is equitable, as far as we can make it so, within the resources that are available. Obviously, there was an issue in the past, where there was a cut-off point of 4,500. There was a view that funding should be for smaller conurbations. Councils have made representations — I have had discussions now with most of them. I think that there are two councils that I still have to meet, but there was certainly a clear indication from local authorities that they wanted to be in a position in which they were able to be of help and assistance where there was a smaller number of persons within their particular community. However, given the amount of money that we are talking about here, it is a limited resource, and there are many needs, whether they are in conurbations of 1,000 persons or beyond 4,500.”
“<BR /> <BR />The other element is that councils now have a responsibility for community planning, so there has to be a joined-up approach. It is something that I have a concern about and something that I want to ensure is done in a way that maximises the best possible outcome for the councils, but they, as the lead authority when they have the power and the resource, will have to determine, in conjunction with their elected representatives and the information and guidance that is issued by my Department and that comes out of the community planning process, that they are doing it in a way that is best tailored to meet the needs of their community.”
“Of course, if the Bill is successful and the powers are transferred in 2016, it will ultimately be for the councils to determine how they use that money. I have said that to councils that I have met. There is a concern now growing among some councils across Northern Ireland that members of those authorities may have different priorities and a different focus. What I am ensuring is that it is entirely an issue for the councils as to how they use that money, but I am also ensuring that they take into account the needs of the community that they serve. If we believe that all council is local, surely those at the grass roots of our political process should be best placed to be able to identify the needs in their locality.”
“This has resulted in a skewing of resources from largely urban councils to their more rural counterparts in places such as Fermanagh and the west. That was welcomed by those councils, which had felt that smaller councils were left with a lesser amount from the allocation process.”
“<BR /> <BR />The budget being transferred is mostly what is being used for the current implementation of urban policies by the Department. As the Member knows, those policies currently applied only to settlements of 4,500 persons and above, the number recommended by the Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency in its report in 2005. However, the Department recognised that the new councils may want to deliver regeneration programmes in smaller settlements, and for this reason the proposed distribution of funding is based on population figures down to settlements of 1,000 persons, resulting overall in councils with more rural populations receiving a greater share of the budget than would have been the case if we had decided to apply the 4,500 urban cut-off rigidly.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary. This issue caused concern and raised questions. I endeavoured during conversations with councils to explain it to them as well as I could so that they are absolutely sure that we endeavoured to do everything possible to make a fair allocation across the 11 councils. <BR /> <BR />The development of the methodology for the distribution of funds for urban regeneration and community development was the outworking of the Executive's policy decision to transfer the functions in the first place. The model is designed to provide local government with objectively based allocations that take into account both population and deprivation. DSD can transfer to new councils only the relevant budgets and the physical assets associated with the delivery.”
“Indeed, I recently met my officials in connection with the community planning element of all of this. I had some concerns about how we were implementing this and wanted to be absolutely sure that the functions for which my Department is responsible —”
“<BR /> <BR />In terms of human resources, arrangements are in place to allow the new councils access, on a voluntary secondment basis, to staff from my Department with regeneration and community development expertise. My officials will continue to liaise with councils to determine their requirements, as I mentioned in answer to the previous question. <BR /> <BR />In terms of general assistance, my officials are working closely with councils to assist them in putting in place effective arrangements to meet the needs of their communities. Officials recently reviewed all existing projects for support in 2015-16, and the outcome of these reviews is being made available to councils to enable them to take informed decisions about the arrangements that they wish to put in place.”
“As you are aware, under the reform of local government my Department will confer powers and budgets to enable councils to decide how best to take forward regeneration and community development in their areas. <BR /> <BR />The financial allocation to local government from 1 April 2016 is £56·5 million. In order to determine the percentage of the £56·5 million that should be allocated to each council, the Department devised a funding allocation model. The allocation to each council is determined largely on the basis of income-deprived population settlement bands for tackling disadvantage; total population for physical development; income-deprived population of district for community development; and programme costs, excluding the Laganside, for salaries.”
“If the Bill is passed and the transfer of functions takes place, it will be an issue for the individual councils. To date, a small number of councils have expressed an interest. We will continue to work with councils to maximise the benefit for them and agree the ultimate complement. I am quite happy to provide the Member with the actual numbers for all the councils, but they are relatively small.”
“As the Member is aware, we are specifically talking about land purchase and land disposal, but I am quite happy to refer to the issue of staff. I have continued to have discussions with the councils about the potential success of the Regeneration Bill, which will come up later on in questions for oral answer.”
“I have not got the detail on the particular issue that the Member raises. I will provide him with the specific detail.”