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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“I assure the Member that I am equally concerned that we do not find ourselves in some sort of no man's land in this. We need clarity and a clear understanding of what will take place. Given the consultation, the concerns that were expressed and the importance of the fund in how it is administered and delivered for the benefit of people in their homes and the community, those issues are not lost on me, and I do not believe that they will be lost on the Health Minister either. I reaffirm what I said and trust that I will be in a position to say something of more detail on that issue during the debate tomorrow.”
“I thank the Member for his question. You will be aware that this issue was raised during the Consideration Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill. I have no doubt that the Member will be present when the Bill comes back for Further Consideration Stage tomorrow. I gave an undertaking on the previous occasion that the Bill was before the House that this issue would be raised with the Health Minister. I have done that. I had a brief conversation in relation to the issue. Unfortunately, over the last couple of weeks, the Health Minister has had to deal with the situation that pertains with the health of his wife. I will hopefully have more to say about the issue when we come to the House for the Further Consideration Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill tomorrow.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary. In 2013-14, a total of 658 volunteering organisations received support from my Department. In 2014-15, support was provided to 660 organisations. The grants that these organisations apply for can be used to purchase equipment, they can be for training, or they can meet the running costs of the organisation. I repeat, because it bears repeating, that volunteering is a lifeline for many communities. When you think of Northern Ireland as a small geographical entity compared to the rest of the United Kingdom, to have 660 organisations that have all benefited from, and been in receipt of, the small grants fund is an indication of how pivotal and important the voluntary sector is in Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Since coming into office, I have attended a considerable number of events. Many activities, whether in the sporting field or other community-led activities, would not be delivered if it were not for the actions, activities and enthusiasm of our volunteers.”
“I thank the Member for his question. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the many volunteers across Northern Ireland who, on a day and daily basis, give service to our community in a way that is exemplary and that contributes to the community. <BR /> <BR />He has highlighted a particular issue in regard to the volunteering small grants programme. I am pleased to be able to say that, since 2013, we have provided approximately £1·4 million in support through the programme. The programme targets small front-line volunteering organisations that may not normally receive support through other sources. Front-line organisations can receive grants of up to £1,500. It is of huge benefit to them to receive that amount of money. Unfortunately, it can sometimes determine whether they continue to do the work they do.”
“I can give the Member an assurance that those conversations will continue and that, whether it is the housing associations, the Housing Executive or whatever other elements are in the market for the provision of housing, I will make every effort and continue to work with them to encourage them in the best possible way.”
“<BR /> <BR />In those conversations with the Federation of Housing Associations, the Housing Executive, organisations that are responsible for co-ownership and with the private sector, we need to get, as a bottom line for them all, their commitment to ensuring that they will build quality, affordable homes so that people in Northern Ireland will have that opportunity and that choice, because sometimes they are forced into making different choices. If they are limited in the choices that they can make, I think we are limited in the outcomes that we will have.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary question. Again, what he highlights is that, when we come to look at the mix of how we provide housing in Northern Ireland, it will not be down to one particular provider. Over the last number of years, we have benefited from ensuring that there is a mix of providers. I have had conversations with the housing associations. We have had individual conversations with some of them, we have met the federation and, as the Member will be well aware, I meet the Housing Executive on a regular basis.”
“<BR /> <BR />I think that, if we get the language right and the financial structure for the Housing Executive right, there will be a huge opportunity, whether in Strabane, Omagh or any other part of Northern Ireland, for us to inject quality housing into those communities. I repeat the comment, because I believe it passionately: if we give quality, affordable housing to those communities, we give them something that is invaluable. <BR /> <BR />I visited the Limestone Road in Belfast — in my colleague's constituency — just last week. What I saw was something that is to be admired. It has been challenging and has not been without difficulties, but I believe that the quality of homes that have been provided has given to that community a sense of hope rather than a sense of hopelessness. I would like to replicate that in Strabane or Omagh.”
“I do not have the actual figures for the need, but I am quite happy to supply those to the Member. However, I think it goes back to the point that I made to the Member who asked the previous question. There is a huge challenge for the House. I have said it to members of the Social Development Committee and others since coming into post. We run the risk of taking our eye off the ball in terms of the importance that we place on housing. Regrettably, housing has always been seen as a divisive issue in the past, particularly in an urban situation. Members are well aware that I have said in the House in the past that I find it difficult to come to the House to answer questions when I am specifically asked how many houses have been built for one particular community or the other.”
“When we have good-quality and affordable housing in Northern Ireland, we will have given to our community something of immense value and profit.”
“The Member will be aware that the Housing Executive carries out extensive work with rural communities, and I have seen some of that work. I attended an event in Cookstown not that long ago, at which it was abundantly clear that the Housing Executive has a grasp of, and a handle on, how it has a responsibility, not only in its role as a landlord but in a number of other areas, which have become known as its regional functions. <BR /> <BR />You can have a debate on whether the focus should be on the landlord functions or on the other elements of its business, but the Housing Executive has made progress on separating the two. I, along with the Housing Executive, will continue to ensure that, whether in rural communities or in an urban situation, the needs of those who are in the properties are addressed in a way that enhances the properties.”
“The Member will be aware that the Housing Executive has appointed Savills to do a stock condition survey, and its initial findings will indicate to us the state of what will be needed and the amount of money that will be needed to address the problem, whether in Fermanagh or any other part of Northern Ireland. That will be a huge challenge, not only for me as Minister but for the Assembly, because of the amount of money that will be needed to address something that is a serious problem, despite all the efforts and progress made. I assure the Member that the rural community will not be left out of that analysis and will not be left out of addressing the need.”
“I thank the Member for the question. We have a situation with the condition of homes in Northern Ireland, particularly Housing Executive homes, that is beginning to cause me grave concern. If I want to achieve anything in my time as a public representative, surely it is to enhance the lives of people: the people who come to our constituency offices; the people whom we represent; and the people whom we claim are at the heart of all that we do. <BR /> <BR />A huge challenge for me since coming to the Department has been to address the level of repairs needed.”
“I will be as brief in my reply. Yes, we have done the piece of work on the implications for staff, who will be in place. If the delay has given us any benefit, it is that we will be in a better position to work with councils so that we have, when it comes into effect in April 2016, staff, finance and processes in place in a way that is to the benefit of local authorities.”
“When you look at an area, you should be able to identify a community plan that gives enhanced services to a community in a way that is beneficial to the financial position but, more importantly, beneficial to people in the community because it is led by them and is for them. That is a vital element of the reform of local government.”
“We have heard a lot about double-jobbing and gone through that process in the House, but I still believe that Members who have come to the House from local government have made an invaluable contribution through bringing to the debates and the issues experience that is to be had only if you have come through the councils. However, there is a huge challenge. I had a conversation with my colleague the Minister of the Environment about how we could best ensure that community planning really works. It should not be just a policy or something that rolls off the tongue; it should be real, joined-up and meaningful.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary. I wrote to councils last December, giving my Department's commitment to fully engage with the community planning process, on which councils have the lead. My Department established a community planning steering group with the remit of providing a single point of contact for all business areas of my Department. My officials also play a full role in the DOE-led interdepartmental community planning group. <BR /> <BR />The Member has asked about what is, for me, one of the most important elements of the transfer of functions to councils. I am proud that I came into politics in 2001 as a member of Ballymoney Borough Council.”
“I want to continue to work with councils to minimise the impact of a challenging budgetary outcome.”
“Yes, the amount that we transfer will not be the same envelope as we originally envisaged, but I am doing everything I can to minimise the difference in a practical way and, where I can, to introduce another way whereby councils would have access to some other element of funding. I am having discussions about how that would be done, what it would look like and how we can deliver it practically for councils so that, when it comes to the transfer date in April 2016, they are in possession of not only the finance but the policy and process that give them some sense of continuity <BR /> <BR />I do not want to be in the position of imposing my will on local authorities. That is neither the role nor the vision of the transfer of powers and functions.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary. When distributing a budget, it is interesting that, all of a sudden, Members realise the importance of making sure that they get their question in or get a piece on 'Good Morning Ulster' or some other programme so that I hear all the concerns. <BR /> <BR />I am still engaged in the process, and I would have preferred to be in a better position in terms of time. I have met officials over the last 10 days to discuss the budget. I have asked for refinement and further information to ensure that, within the budgetary challenges that I face, councils do not perceive that, somehow, we are reducing their budget just because it is easy to do so. I want to work with councils.”
“I will commence that process after Question Time today when I meet the first of the councils to discuss the issue.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Regeneration Bill is the mechanism to allow the conferral of powers and functions by my Department on councils. I introduced the Regeneration Bill to the Assembly on 8 December 2014. The Second Stage debate took place on 20 January 2015, and the Bill was passed to the Social Development Committee for detailed scrutiny. Although the powers will not be conferred until 2016, my officials and I are working closely with councils to ensure that my Department's regeneration and community development activities fit with locally developed plans in the intervening period. In the coming months, I will meet representatives of each of the new councils to discuss a range of issues and to ensure a smooth transfer of powers to the new councils from April 2016.”
“Yes. I am confident that we will be able to bring the old scheme to an end and that, when it comes to an end, the other will be in place. Obviously, you face a challenge when you move from one scheme to another to make sure that the funding and the referral elements are brought to an end in a timely and efficient way. I assure the Member that that is important to the Department. We want to make sure that, when one scheme comes to an end, all is done and dusted before we move on to the new scheme.”
“I thank my colleague for his question. The affordable warmth scheme is primarily a targeted scheme, and I expect that the vast majority of homes assisted will be in the target group, which came about as a result of an Ulster University identification process — I think it was called an algorithm. That was difficult for me to say; do not ask me to spell it or you really will have difficulties. <BR /> <BR />I accept that there will be householders who meet the criteria for the scheme but are not in the area being targeted by the council. Councils have the discretion to accept non-targeted referrals from a range of sources, including health professionals, social workers and environmental health officers.”
“There will be an ongoing process of monitoring and evaluation. Obviously, when we come to the end of the scheme, as has been the case with the previous scheme, there will be an evaluation. Over recent days, representations have been made to us by the Member's colleague Mrs Kelly in relation to the practical outworkings of the scheme. I had a meeting just last week with a charitable organisation that expressed concerns about how the scheme was being rolled out. Since that meeting, we have reinforced with councils the importance of making sure that people are aware of the scheme and of the criteria to access it. An evaluation is ongoing, and it is relevant and pertinent to the 33,000 households in Northern Ireland that want a better outcome in addressing fuel poverty.”
“All local councils across Northern Ireland are targeting households identified as being most at risk of fuel poverty. The areas identified as being most in need of energy efficiency measures will be contacted first. To qualify for the scheme, the householder's gross annual household income must be less than £20,000. Householders will be free to choose a provider to install the approved measures. All work completed will be subject to inspection by building control officers.”
“It differs significantly from the warm homes scheme, targeting specific low-income households that are likely to be subject to fuel poverty. Over 33,000 households in Northern Ireland are in severe or extreme fuel poverty; that is, they need to spend more than a quarter of their household income on energy costs. Those are the households that the affordable warmth scheme will find and help as a priority. All the energy efficiency measures available under the warm homes scheme will be retained under the affordable warmth scheme, with some new measures added. <BR /> <BR />The scheme is administered in partnership with local councils and the Housing Executive. It gives householders control over their choice of installer and when they get the work carried out.”
“I thank the Member for his question. With the Principal Deputy Speaker's permission, I will answer questions 6 and 11 together, as both are in reference to the affordable warmth scheme. <BR /> <BR />Following two successful pilots in 2012 and 2013, my Department introduced the new affordable warmth scheme on 14 September 2014. The warm homes scheme will end on 31 March 2015, and, from 1 April, it will be replaced by the affordable warmth scheme as the Department's primary tool to address fuel poverty. The scheme is a new area-based approach that will find and assist households in severe or extreme fuel poverty by using a targeting tool that has been developed by Ulster University and successfully tested in the pilots.”
“We need to recognise that, sometimes, there will be sensitivities that we have to recognise, but that should not deflect us from the overall objective of the scheme, which is to enhance communities generally. By doing that, we all benefit.”
“I thank the Member for his question. All that we do in the Assembly should be about trying to ensure that we continue to recognise that, while we still have many differences as a society, we can do many things in a shared way to the benefit of all communities. We always run the risk in Northern Ireland of believing that, somehow, it is about only two communities and that "shared" is about only two communities. Northern Ireland is becoming very diverse, with many varying interests and elements of community right across the country. We need to ensure that, whatever we do in regard to this project or any others, we take into consideration the community and communities that we are working with and in.”
“<BR /> <BR />Looking at other locations, what we can say about this approach is that it has been the catalyst for others. I made reference to one business that has now started up as a result of the south Belfast hub, and it is when more of that takes place that we generate in the community and the wider area that entrepreneurial spirit and determination to ensure that economic regeneration is in the hands of the community, as well as in the hands of larger organisations.”
“I thank the Member. I also thank him for his continued work in representing South Belfast and for the issues that he has already brought to my attention. Social enterprise hubs are not specific to south Belfast; they cover a wide range of locations. It would be right to say that it is almost too early at this stage to state whether the pilot phase has been successful. However, early indications continue to be positive. The initial task of securing and fitting out premises for the hubs has been completed in all areas, and stakeholder and client feedback on the quality of the facilities has been universally positive. The enterprise activity is now ramping up across the hubs, and I am optimistic that we will see an increase in social enterprise start-ups and the socio-economic benefits as a result of this pilot phase.”
“A project on-site like this can dispel that, and I will certainly give the assurance that my Department and I will continue to do what we can to bring this over the line.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary. This is the challenge set by many of these projects. When you get something up and running and have an end goal in sight, it would be very disappointing for all those involved if we were not able to see it brought to fruition. I mentioned the contamination survey that has been carried out, as we all need to be cognisant of it. I want to ensure that, as the information is brought to the fore, it does not become a reason for not reaching the finishing line and realising the project, which I believe could have huge significance, as I outlined in my original answer, through linking another part of the city with the city centre and giving opportunity to a community that may feel disconnected from the rest of the city because of the road layout. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
“That activity will bring significant value to the area in skills development, community group development and potential new business starts, with associated job creation.”
“A hub manager and a team of associates provide support such as mentoring, training and ideas generation to new and existing social enterprises to develop new business ideas. The hub also provides free facilities for hot-desking and test trading to new social enterprises. The retail unit available for test trading as part of the hub at 86 Sandy Row opened on a test-trading basis on 3 November, with Made in Belfast with Love, a social enterprise craft collective, being the first to occupy the space. <BR /> <BR />To December 30 2014, 131 individuals and groups have engaged with the south Belfast hub on Sandy Row to consider options for starting up new social enterprises in that area.”
“The Lanyon tunnels has been identified as a regeneration project that has the potential to provide commercial and regeneration activity in the Markets area of Belfast. Working in conjunction with the private-sector-led regeneration of the Stewart Street lands, the project also offers the Markets area community the benefit of greater connectivity to the city centre. An application to the social investment fund has been made to OFMDFM and is being assessed. Belfast City Council carried out a contamination study on the site in November 2014, and its findings are being analysed. <BR /> <BR />The south Belfast social enterprise hub contract was awarded in May 2014 to the consortium of Belfast South Community Resources, CM Marketing and Community Training Research Services.”
“The Member raises a valid point on that. There are households where there is an issue with negative equity. The lenders are acknowledging that house-price inflation alone will not alleviate the drag of negative equity on market mobility, and, consequently, we can increasingly expect products for customers in negative equity, such as mortgage porting, to become available. That also points to the responsibility on the banks and lenders to ensure that the products that they provide are for not only those who are in receipt of benefits but working families that have pressures and problems, that struggle in many of those circumstances and that sometimes find it difficult to find a friend in the system who can be of assistance to them.”
“<BR /> <BR />I never take the view that there is nothing that we can learn from other schemes, but I always take the view that we must ensure that the schemes that we introduce in Northern Ireland are bespoke and address the specific needs and problems in Northern Ireland. That is one of the reasons why we will not rule anything out but will be cautious about what we implement over the next number of years.”
“We can look at what has happened in other jurisdictions, but we always need to ensure that we have put in place the right and appropriate mechanisms to deal with issues in Northern Ireland. We could be asked why we are not implementing the mortgage rescue scheme immediately. Mortgage rescue is a complex policy, with a range of stakeholders needed to deliver a successful scheme. The key lesson from the English experience is that, to achieve value for money, the policy development phase cannot be rushed. To ensure that we secure buy-in from all the key sectors and to determine whether the scheme, if viable, will deliver value for money, we have asked the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations to complete a feasibility study.”
“<BR /> <BR />I think that, if that is implemented, it will encourage people to come forward a lot earlier in the process when the indications are pointing to a serious situation developing. I trust that, as a result, we could and should avert some of the more disastrous outcomes that come about as a result of the repossession of one's home.”
“This is an issue, as it is in most of these cases, where relevant, appropriate information at the right time could be of great benefit and help. My Department is working with the behavioural insights team, which is known as the nudge unit, which is appropriate, to examine how behavioural economics can provide an innovative stimulus to borrower engagement. My Department will soon implement the recommendations, as we discussed in the original question, of the housing repossession task force, which includes the establishment of one of the recommendations in regard to a mortgage options hub for the delivery of specialist mortgage debt advice at an early stage and the harmonisation of debt advice services.”
“Given the nature of this issue, we cannot just allow it to be set in a number of recommendations in a document that does not have the flexibility to be able to respond to what may be the changing circumstances as a result of an issue he mentioned regarding a rise in interest. This is something that we need to keep under review. I assure the Member that the issue in regard to how we would respond will be given consideration so that we are left as flexible as possible. No one should underestimate the seriousness of the situation for families affected by this matter. It is something that has been highlighted by the task force and it is something that we need to keep constantly under review so that we have every eventuality covered to be as proactive as possible given the challenges we face.”
“They include continued funding of support for mortgage interest, which assists homeowners on certain benefits with mortgage interest payments, allowing them to remain in their own homes; timely assistance from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, including a homelessness assessment for vulnerable households; and increasing the availability of voluntary exit schemes such as assisted voluntary sales. <BR /> <BR />Across the United Kingdom, there are signs that the situation is improving, with the number of mortgage approvals increasing and the number of mortgages in arrears decreasing. The task force recommendations aim to improve the situation in Northern Ireland further and help gather the numbers of households that engage proactively with their lenders at an earlier stage.”
“The final report of the housing repossession task force was published on 12 February and outlines a range of recommendations on how existing systems of support can be improved and how people in difficulty can be encouraged to come forward for help earlier. This is an incredibly important area of work, and I am considering how the task force recommendations can be used to make a positive impact for many households affected by this very serious issue. <BR /> <BR />I plan to publish a formal response to the report shortly, but there are a number of proactive recommendations that I am keen to support.”
“I would, therefore, like to thank the House for the endorsement of the regulations in the Chamber today.”
“I thank the Chair of the Committee for the comments he has made in relation to the issue. I am pleased that there has been consensus across the Assembly in relation to the regulations. As I said, the regulations are technical in nature and simply ensure the equality of treatment in determining entitlement to jobseeker's allowance. <BR /> <BR />By amending the JSA regulations, we will merely be ensuring that the existing provisions of a maternity allowance payable to a woman who regularly participates in her spouse's or civil partner's self-employed business are treated the same way as a maternity allowance that is paid to a woman who is employed or self-employed in her own right, for the purposes of identifying and determining entitlement to jobseeker's allowance.”
“The regulations ensure equality of treatment by treating this new group of women in the same way as women who are employed or self-employed when determining entitlement to jobseeker’s allowance.”
“The amendments to the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 ensure that the existing provisions relating to a maternity allowance payable to a woman who regularly participates in her spouse's or civil partner’s self-employed business are treated in the same way as a maternity allowance that is paid to a woman who is employed or self-employed in her own right, for the purposes of identifying and determining entitlement to jobseeker’s allowance (JSA). <BR /> <BR />The regulations are technical in nature and are a consequence of the recent introduction of a maternity allowance for a new group of women who habitually participate in their self-employed spouse’s or civil partner’s business but who are neither employed nor self-employed.”