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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“Universal credit will also tackle other barriers to individuals taking up work, such as providing support for childcare costs, therefore encouraging lone parents to work. <BR /> <BR />Another issue that was raised was the social sector size criteria, or the bedroom tax as it has become widely known. Members will be aware that my party and I have continually opposed the bedroom tax, and we have secured Executive agreement to measures that will protect current and future tenants from any financial impact of the bedroom tax, initially for the entire period of the new Government.”
“<BR /> <BR />The move towards a system of universal credit (UC), which is designed as an in-work and out-of-work benefit, sits at the heart of the Welfare Reform Bill. The concept of a universal credit was supported and seen as a progressive change by a wide range of stakeholders during the Bill's passage. By the time universal credit is fully implemented, it is anticipated that 37,000 households will be either newly taking up or taking up more benefit as a result of universal credit and that an overall increase in entitlements of approximately £39 million per annum will accrue. A package of transitional protection will ensure that there are no cash losers as a direct result of the managed migration to universal credit where claimants' circumstances remain the same.”
“I have asked the agency to put in place a process whereby all claimants who would benefit from advice and/or support on debt or money issues will be signposted to the advice sector. It is important that that is introduced into the guidance for decision-makers, particularly those delivering the discretionary support scheme. <BR /> <BR />I also want to promote the role of the advice sector during the process of the implementation of welfare reform to ensure that claimants understand that independent support and advice is available to support them. The programme of information that my Department will be launching to support welfare reform will include elements that will promote the role of the independent advice sector.”
“As Minister with responsibility for the voluntary and community sector, I understand and value the work carried out by the independent advice sector in providing support and guidance to many people in Northern Ireland, particularly when they are at their most vulnerable. On a daily basis, benefit uptake officers in the Social Security Agency (SSA) see the value of that service when they regularly signpost claimants to the advice sector for advice and support on debt or money issues. However, I also acknowledge that, whilst front-line Social Security Agency staff do, on occasions, refer claimants to the advice sector, there is not an agreed process currently in agency guidance. <BR /> <BR />I want to ensure that the statutory and voluntary sectors work closely together when welfare reform is implemented.”
“Unfortunately, the fiscal reality for Northern Ireland is that we cannot afford a more expansive and expensive welfare system than the rest of the UK. If we spend more on benefits, the harsh reality is that we will have less to spend on schools, hospitals and all the other public services that we rely on. I believe that, with the mitigation schemes that we have negotiated with DWP, Her Majesty's Treasury and internally in our own political structures, we have achieved that balance between mitigating measures in the Bill and spending on public services for Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />It may also be helpful to some Members if I can provide assurances that claimants will be supported throughout the reform process.”
“I believe that, if we adhere to the two fundamental principles that work pays and that the welfare system supports, we will go some distance in providing a better welfare system. <BR /> <BR />As elected representatives, we have a responsibility to ensure that the hard-earned contribution of taxpayers is sufficiently recognised in how we deliver welfare to the wider population. It is undoubtedly a fact that we all, as elected representatives, would like to do more for those impacted by these reforms and who are dependent on social security benefits. That much is evident from the amount of time and the extent of debate that the Assembly has given to the Welfare Reform Bill. However, I firmly believe that the time for talking is now over. I believe that now is the time for decisions and for getting on with the implementation of reforms.”
“<BR /> <BR />Those are the basic principles upon which our welfare state was founded, and, in bringing forward this legislation, it was those basic principles that received support from a wide range of stakeholders during the legislative passage of the Bill to this stage. Similarly, it was the engagement of political parties at Stormont Castle in December that helped me to frame not only this legislation but the package of mitigating measures that parties have agreed are essential in order that we do not lose sight of those principles. We can debate the levels of support that are needed and provided as, indeed, we have done during the fraught passage of the Bill, and that is only right, given that the cost of social security benefit in Northern Ireland is in the order of £5 billion per annum.”
“No one could possibly argue with the overarching policy intent to reach out to individuals who have become detached from the rest of society and who are, too often, trapped in a state of worklessness and benefit dependency as well as to ensure that our system is fair to the taxpayers who fund it and is sustainable into the future. The Bill represents a concept and a contract with individuals and families who are in need of support. For those who are able to work, we believe fundamentally that work should always pay, and, for the most vulnerable in society, we believe that our welfare system should provide the support that they need.”
“As Minister with responsibility for these matters, I feel that it is incumbent on me to say a few words to put today's proceedings into context and to underline my personal commitment, and that of my party, to Members to oversee the implementation of welfare reform measures contained in the Bill together with the schemes of mitigation agreed by the five main parties at Stormont Castle in order to deliver the best possible welfare system for all the citizens of Northern Ireland into the future. <BR /> <BR />I think that we all recognise that the Bill sets a new and very different course for our welfare systems.”
“No one more than I knows how much we depend upon the ability of our First Minister and my party leader. During all the discussions over the last number of weeks and months, he has been a tower of strength and has been by our side, and I want to personally say that we miss him in the Chamber today. This debate will be the worse for not having him with us as we proceed. <BR /> <BR />Over the last few weeks, welfare reform has never been far from public consciousness. Much of that has been due to media speculation surrounding our lack of progress and the ramifications that that could have for these institutions and, more importantly, for wider society.”
“Before proceeding, first of all, I express our sincere thoughts, best wishes and prayers to the First Minister and my party leader, Peter Robinson. We continue to remember Peter at this time, as well as Iris and the family, and we trust and pray that Peter will make a speedy recovery.”
“First, I have no tickets for the golf. Secondly, yes, I will be in Newcastle tomorrow morning, and I look forward to seeing what is, yet again, a very important part of our tourism infrastructure and a place that many people in Northern Ireland enjoy going to, not only during the summer but throughout the year, because it is an idyllic part of our natural heritage.”
“Indeed, I plan to be in Newcastle very soon, I trust; in fact, possibly tomorrow morning.”
“The Newcastle revitalisation scheme sought to build upon the award-winning public realm scheme by introducing new public art, additional attractions, a covered outdoor event space, bespoke Christmas lighting, and a new marketing and promotional campaign to promote the area. In addition, particularly in relation to what has been done in regard to the Irish Open golf championship that is going to be held there in May, we recently approved funding of £21,500 to help Newcastle prepare. <BR /> <BR />An important factor in hosting that event is ensuring that we do our best to create a welcoming and attractive town centre for the many visitors and tourists expected to arrive in support of those prestigious golf events. I visited Newcastle some time ago and was really impressed with the work that had been carried out.”
“I thank Mr Wells for his question and his continued interest in his constituency. We are also glad to see our colleague with us. We continue to have him in our thoughts and prayers. We ask him to pass those on to his wife at this time and also, as he mentioned the issue of golf, to pass on our congratulations to Rory McIlroy, who, yet again, at the weekend, did us all proud. He is someone that Northern Ireland is immensely proud of, and one can only wonder at his skill in playing golf. <BR /> <BR />My Department has provided funding of some £250,000 towards a £287,000 revitalisation project in Newcastle.”
“<BR /> <BR />There will be a challenge for us in the coming weeks. There is one coming for us all on Tuesday, but there is another one, and that is around where we take housing in Northern Ireland. The Member will be aware that a stock condition survey has been carried out by Savills. I now have receipt of that report and will soon share it with him and his colleagues on the Social Development Committee. That will clearly indicate to us the magnitude of the problem that we have in addressing the needs with the current Housing Executive stock. Clearly, the challenge for us will be how we fund all of that. How do we secure the funding to ensure that we continue to give the best possible quality homes to the people that we represent? I have repeatedly said in the House that it is not about houses; —”
“Yes, I would like to see progress being made, as I would on a number of issues. I am well aware. In fact, just last week a petition was handed in to both the Housing Executive and the Department around concerns and particular issues that had been raised in Rathcoole. I have asked the Housing Executive, as the lead body to deal with that issue, to give us an update. That will all feed in to where we go with that particular issue, because I am very conscious that there are people who want to use it as a divisive issue and who say, "Well, you are doing work in that particular location, but you're not doing work in this location". I want to ensure that, within the limited and finite resources that we have, we will address the problem in a way that is fair to as many as possible.”
“Indeed, I have a meeting with the Housing Executive either next week or the following week, and that is one of the issues on the agenda.”
“I thank the Member for his question. It is an issue that continues to be a particular concern for me. I have had some discussions with the chair and chief executive of the Housing Executive on the matter. Members will be aware that one scheme is currently being progressed — they will see it as they make their way along the Westlink — but we have a considerable number of tower blocks in locations throughout Northern Ireland, and there are decisions that we will have to make about where we go with housing in general and about the long-term issues. There are exciting plans and proposals that, I trust, we will be able to develop in the weeks and months ahead around housing in Northern Ireland. One issue that will require specific work is tower blocks.”
“I am very conscious of that, and I alluded to the framework within which we have to work, in the sense that we have the Northern Ireland Civil Service redeployment policy. I am very conscious that we want to ensure, as far as possible, that staff are located in areas that are suitable. The issue of travelling to work is obviously a concern for staff who are currently employed in the Londonderry area. I will endeavour, as we have done in relation to other issues in the city, to be very conscious of the employment challenges in the west and in that particular location. It is something that I will continue to give an importance to, and, if there are any developments on that issue, I will be happy to keep the Member informed.”
“Staff will be redeployed in line with the Northern Ireland Civil Service redeployment policy. The voluntary exit scheme and subsequent redeployment opportunities will be the means by which the surplus in the North West Development Office will be managed. <BR /> <BR />I will just say in conclusion in relation to that issue that I pay tribute to the staff in that office and, indeed, to all my staff in the development offices, particularly for what they have achieved in the city. I know from working with many of the organisations and from the feedback that we have received that it is appreciated and valued and that their contribution to the city has been worthwhile and has been recognised.”
“I thank the Member for raising the issue. Obviously, this is a concern to him as a constituency MLA. He is right that the Regeneration Bill currently progressing through the Assembly provides the legislative basis for the Department for Social Development to transfer the urban regeneration and community development powers to local government from 1 April 2016. As the Department is transferring powers rather than functions, there will be no compulsory transfer of DSD staff to councils. Staff exercising urban regeneration and community development powers that are to be transferred to local government will become surplus when the powers are transferred. The staff in the Department's urban regeneration and community development group include the 44 people in the North West Development Office.”
“Because a proactive approach was taken and there was intervention, today that development has a waiting list. The tone and the way in which people live has been greatly enhanced, and we are all beneficiaries as a result of that.”
“It is always difficult when you start to remove something from people. Obviously, you would need to have a very good basis. Let us remember that the process commences when someone goes into the Housing Executive for a points assessment to be carried out. You would need substantial reasons not for removing points but for not allocating points. I have seen in my short time in this job — maybe it will be even shorter, depending on what happens over the next number of days — how good housing and settled tenants contribute to the community. You make an invaluable contribution, which is something that we all strive to do as Members. We all have areas in our constituencies where there have been difficulties and challenges. I think of one estate in my constituency where, a number of years ago, people did not want to live.”
“Whatever system you put in place for points allocation, there are those who will try to find inventive and sometimes not very wholesome ways of getting round that to ensure that they have more points than the reality of their needs justifies.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Obviously, this is an issue that has done the rounds. There has been a contentious issue for a long time about how we allocate houses. The Member will know, as will other Members and as I do as a constituency MLA, that there are those who believe that the allocation system is unfair and there are those who believe that it is fair. We have many different approaches, and it all depends on the experience that the individual has when they go to the Housing Executive or to other agencies for an allocation. It is under review, and no doubt we will face challenges on how we get an objective and fair system.”
“For them, it is an improvement and an advancement, and I want to build, if you will excuse the pun, on that success.”
“I was delighted just last week to announce that we have exceeded our target of for social and affordable homes. It was set at 8,000 homes, and it is over 10,000. There are always many naysayers who will say that it should have been 12,000 or 15,000. However, for the people who are in those homes today —”
“Housing need is identified by the number deemed to be in housing stress. This is where applicants have 30 points or more on the Housing Executive's housing selection scheme. Housing need in Northern Ireland is addressed through the social housing development programme in a fair and equitable way. <BR /> <BR />Also in answer to the Member, I want to say that much has been achieved in addressing housing need, but there is no doubt that the serious financial challenges that we face moving forward will make this an increasingly difficult task. However, the delivery of social housing will remain a priority.”
“I am always impressed by how Members can be inventive when it comes to moving from west Belfast to north Down. On the specific question of how housing need is identified and addressed, the Housing Executive is responsible for assessing the level of social housing need, determining the need for schemes in specific geographic areas and formulating the social housing programme. The Housing Executive carries out an annual housing needs assessment of all council areas to examine the supply and demand for new social housing. This assessment is then used to determine the Housing Executive's unmet housing needs prospectus, which identifies locations where there is general unmet housing need beyond the schemes included in the social housing development programme and where it has not been possible to secure new-build sites.”
“They are supported in this by my Department and the Housing Executive through the programme of advanced land purchases. However, securing land in areas of high demand such as west Belfast remains very challenging, and opportunities that do arise, such as Visteon, need community support. There is also a case for building higher densities in west Belfast and other areas of high demand, and, if there is support for this, it is an issue that my officials will continue to explore.”
“Obviously, one of the areas that has had a considerable degree of interest is the Visteon site. Fold Housing Association plans to take forward the development of the Visteon site during this financial year, subject to planning approval. This is an important scheme that would meet a significant amount of housing need, and I urge all in the Chamber to be supportive. My Department is fully supportive of mixed-use tenure developing with this particular type of development. <BR /> <BR />In areas where housing need is identified, housing associations are encouraged to look out for potential sites for development. Land supply is a key constraint to building more in west Belfast. Housing associations are doing all that they can to identify and buy land in the area.”
“I will assume that that was question 5. <BR /> <BR />You will be aware that it is the Housing Executive's role to assess housing need and formulate and manage the delivery of the social housing development programme. I recently approved the three-year gross social housing development programme, covering the period 2015-18. For the West Belfast parliamentary constituency, the programme comprises a total of just under 1,200 units, 1,191 to be precise. At this early stage in the programme, it is hard to be precise about delivery times and final numbers. As you will appreciate, schemes can slip or be lost from a particular given programme for a variety of reasons, such as difficulties achieving planning permission, and others can be added as new opportunities arise.”
“There is a mechanism for self-referral, which I will outline to the Member. The affordable warmth scheme offers a range of insulation and heating measures to improve energy efficiency in low-income households. Such measures include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and new heating systems. The person can refer themselves by making contact with the council. If the council believes that someone should be referred to the scheme, it can also refer an individual.”
“Officials from the Department will meet regularly with the lead council officers to monitor progress, receive feedback and provide additional support where necessary. It is my intention to take some time, if we have time — some of us may have more time after next week than we imagined; however, we will deal with that as it is — to visit some of the schemes to see in a practical way what is being delivered, what it really means to our constituents and to the people, and how the scheme is being effective in what it was originally intended to do. That is what I want to ensure happens as a result of the scheme.”
“I thank the Member for his question, which in a sense follows on from what I was saying to the Member who asked the previous question. While the affordable warmth scheme is at an early stage, I think that it has already been effective in delivering across all council areas. My officials have been working with council staff for over two years to pilot and develop the affordable warmth scheme. A number of issues were highlighted in the pilots, and those can now, I trust, be easily addressed in the roll-out of the scheme. <BR /> <BR />Each council has signed a service level agreement with the Department, demonstrating their commitment to deliver the new scheme, and all councils have appointed a coordinator and support staff for the scheme.”
“I will endeavour, as will all those involved in the affordable warmth scheme, to make sure that those are kept to a minimum and that this remains an effective and efficient way of dealing with a very important issue in our homes that has to be addressed.”
“Obviously, we have a particular issue here in that we moved from one scheme to another, and any transition is always difficult. We continue to liaise with the councils to ensure that they are working in a way that is effective and efficient in relation to the timescale, as well as to referrals and the quality of what is going on in the scheme. That is something that I am particularly interested in, given that colleagues in the House have been writing to me over a period of time to raise particular concerns. <BR /> <BR />We have had correspondence on individual cases where there have been some delays, and I am obviously concerned that that number could grow. I do not think that it has started to grow, but when you have a situation where there is a process and referrals, you could have some delays.”
“Already, 328 households have benefited from the provision of energy efficiency measures delivered through the affordable warmth scheme. My Department has a public service agreement target to assist at least 9,000 households with energy efficiency measures. In the past, we have consistently exceeded the targets, and I am confident that that will be the case again in 2015-16.”
“<BR /> <BR />As for the specifics about Carrickfergus, when the Member raised this question, it focused my attention on that area. When we looked into the detail, we found that it has been going on for a considerable time. Following today's Question Time, I intend to get an update from the Housing Executive as to what further steps it will take to ensure that we have an effective outcome. When I have that information, I will share it with those Members who raised concerns.”
“I thank the Member for his contribution and for declaring his interest in this issue. He makes a valid point, particularly about the Housing Executive. The Housing Executive's non-statutory interventions, as we said, include warning letters, acceptable behaviour contracts, mediation and community support. In addition, the Housing Executive is a founding partner and participant, along with the PSNI and councils, in antisocial behaviour forums that meet to discuss antisocial behaviour in nearly every council area. They have 57 neighbourhood officers who contribute to making their estates cleaner and safer places. The Housing Executive contributes funding to local schemes to address crime, and the fear of crime, in an area.”
“That sets out the Housing Executive's objectives and priorities. There are a number of elements in what we and the Housing Executive can do; ultimately, however, this is an issue that society has to address. I trust that in areas where there is a considerable focus on this issue that people realise that they are bringing to their own community a reputation that is ill deserved and certainly not warranted by the great majority of people, who want to live in settled communities at peace with their neighbours.”
“This issue is a challenge for us all. What we face in Carrick is no different from what is faced in many other parts of Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />You could look at what the Department does to address antisocial behaviour in two parts. First, it provides the policy and legislation to help the Housing Executive and other social landlords to deal with antisocial behaviour. Proposals are being developed for new legislation to facilitate the sharing of information about antisocial behaviour. Many people are concerned that what we have in place is not robust enough to deal with issues in an effective and timely way. Many of these things go on for a long time. <BR /> <BR />The Housing Executive has also developed a system to tackle antisocial behaviour based on a written strategy, which is being updated.”
“The Housing Executive has advised me that the abandoned cars in Taylors Avenue are on private property and not on Housing Executive land. This matter was raised at the Carrickfergus antisocial behaviour forum meeting in March and it was agreed that the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council — formerly Carrickfergus Borough Council — were the most appropriate agencies to take action.”
“Recently, the forum had a meeting at which there was one issue on the agenda, and that issue clearly focused the minds of the many organisations that are part and parcel of the forum. <BR /> <BR />I bring Members back to the issue of the concordat. I know that that is only on paper, but it ought still to be in practice. It is a commitment by government about the way in which it will respect and work with the community and voluntary sector and endeavour to understand the problems that it faces.”
“The Member's question follows on from the answer that I gave to the previous question. We sought to use a process to mitigate those difficulties as far as we could. We did that by prioritising, as far as possible, funding to support the sustainability of the voluntary and community sector for key services such as general advice services, neighbourhood renewal, the Supporting People programme, volunteering and the women's centres' childcare fund. As I said, we will liaise closely with the junior Ministers as they undertake dealing with the impact of the review. I also intend to continue to discuss the issues with NICVA, because it plays an important role as a conduit. As I said yesterday, we have the joint forum, which I have attended and for which I have set out our programme and priorities.”
“I trust that that rationale was transparent, fair and equitable and that things were at least done in a way for which there was justification, if there ever can be justification for being in a position in which you had a certain amount of money last year but that is now reduced. However, that is the reality of where we are, and that process is a template. It is not perfect; it probably has flaws; but I think that we clearly made a genuine attempt to address the issue. <BR /> <BR />The other point that we need to bear in mind is that I was also very cautious and cognisant of the fact that, come next year, the funds will transfer to local councils. It will then be the responsibility of those councils to determine how those moneys are spent and their priorities.”
“I thank the Member. That was an issue that I found challenging, given how the process operates. With the hand that I was given in the budgetary process, it would have been easy for me to have simply top-sliced. In fact, the situation in DSD became even bleaker, as, following further discussions, the budget was further reduced. That created a particular difficulty for us. However, a process was engaged in. In fact, I encouraged organisations that felt that they could not fully accept the way in which the budgetary process had been handled to come in and have discussions with us so that they were clear about the rationale that we use.”
“We all know of organisations that, if they do not find a financial resolution to their problems, will either have to provide a greatly reduced service or disappear altogether. Then, the challenge for government agencies will be to meet the cost of picking up that service. We need to bear that in mind, and it ought to be to the forefront of the decisions that we make. However, we should always be mindful of the difficult and challenging financial circumstances that we find ourselves in, which are a challenge for every Minister and for the Assembly.”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary question. On the basis of her last point about a transitional fund, I met NICVA representatives a few days ago, and the issue of a transitional fund was raised at that meeting. I have subsequently written to OFMDFM setting out the issue, and I continue to engage with OFMDFM. Obviously, the follow-on from yesterday's debate will be part and parcel of the review that has been undertaken by the two OFMDFM junior Ministers. As outlined, I have responsibilities as Minister for the community and voluntary sector. I have given an assurance that I and my officials will continue to engage in that process. That is the reality for us. As I said yesterday, I have seen this in my constituency, and many Members, if not all, can relate it to their constituency.”