Adrian McQuillan
East Londonderry · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I am sure that you agree, Minister, that stalking is one of the worst types of harassment and that the sooner we bring forward legislation to stamp it out and get the people who are carrying it out before the courts the better.”
“The Executive are also committed to the Co-ownership scheme, which supports people buying a home, and the Minister has secured an additional £100 million for it. <BR /> <BR />Another block to providing new and affordable homes is down to the availability of land.”
“I oppose the motion and the amendment. The housing sales scheme has been part of the fabric of housing policy for nearly 40 years. Its purpose is twofold: first, it has been utilised as a means of generating income to build more social housing, through the price paid for the house and the savings made from the house maintenance budget; an…”
“Suspending or scrapping the scheme would, therefore, not provide additional homes for the social housing sector. Everyone is aware of the pressure on the social rented sector, given the number of people in statutory housing stress.”
“All government policy is subject to regular review, and the housing sales scheme is no different. <BR /> <BR />The Programme for Government sets out the aim to provide an additional 9,600 new homes by the end of the mandate. That is an ambitious but achievable target.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I certainly agree with my colleague from North Belfast, who has made a very good point. When people were not able to buy their housing association house, there was uproar. <BR /> <BR />I support the house sales scheme and the right of long-term social housing tenants to buy their home.”
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“I thank the Minister for her answer. I am sure that you agree, Minister, that stalking is one of the worst types of harassment and that the sooner we bring forward legislation to stamp it out and get the people who are carrying it out before the courts the better.”
“Will the Member perhaps tell us how suspending the scheme would help his constituent?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I certainly agree with my colleague from North Belfast, who has made a very good point. When people were not able to buy their housing association house, there was uproar. <BR /> <BR />I support the house sales scheme and the right of long-term social housing tenants to buy their home. I am, of course, conscious of housing need, especially in my constituency, and I favour policies that lead to meeting that need.”
“All government policy is subject to regular review, and the housing sales scheme is no different. <BR /> <BR />The Programme for Government sets out the aim to provide an additional 9,600 new homes by the end of the mandate. That is an ambitious but achievable target. Therefore, I welcome the commitment of the Minister and the Executive to delivering additional homes for those in the social rented sector, as well as the Minister's commitment to helping people buying homes through the Co-ownership scheme.”
“The Executive are also committed to the Co-ownership scheme, which supports people buying a home, and the Minister has secured an additional £100 million for it. <BR /> <BR />Another block to providing new and affordable homes is down to the availability of land. Land is in short supply in already developed urban settings that are suitable for new social housing. Land that is suitable also tends to be in demand, which pushes the prices up, making it less affordable. Members will be only too aware of the recent review of the scheme undertaken by the Department for Communities. It was completed only in the last number of weeks, and the Minister will, no doubt, review the conclusions and recommendations in due course. There is, therefore, little need to conduct another review, which the signatories to the motion call for.”
“Suspending or scrapping the scheme would, therefore, not provide additional homes for the social housing sector. Everyone is aware of the pressure on the social rented sector, given the number of people in statutory housing stress. Those individuals, perhaps, cannot afford to rent in the private rented sector due to the need for a deposit. However, there are agencies out there to help people, such as Smartmove Housing. The Executive are committed to providing affordable homes to our population, and, with the growth of independent housing associations, new homes have been built that, given the economic downturn and the reduction in our block grant, might not otherwise have been built.”
“I oppose the motion and the amendment. The housing sales scheme has been part of the fabric of housing policy for nearly 40 years. Its purpose is twofold: first, it has been utilised as a means of generating income to build more social housing, through the price paid for the house and the savings made from the house maintenance budget; and, secondly, its central purpose is to assist those on low incomes to get on to the property ladder. The scheme offers long-term tenants a significant discount on their home — a home that they have been living in for some time. It offers tenants the freedom to buy their home at a knock-down price. Generally, that has been welcomed. <BR /> <BR />Evidence has shown that those unable to purchase their home through the scheme are likely to continue to rent the property.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement, which I welcome. Given the emphasis, Minister, that you have put on the new Programme for Government, what PFG outcome will the Department align its regeneration activities to?”
“It concluded that, while it put additional resources into tackling the issue, how you spend money is more important than how much you spend. Governments need an effective means of establishing what works and the patience to see whether policies bear fruit in the long run. I believe that the new social strategy will do that. I support the motion and the amendment.”
“I certainly agree with my colleague. She is far more qualified to speak on behalf of the judiciary than I am. <BR /> <BR />The key means of tackling the issue is job creation. That is why our Executive have been active in promoting Northern Ireland abroad as a place to do business. However, the issue of ensuring fairness and equality in the distribution of the new jobs has been identified by the Executive. <BR /> <BR />I look forward to the publication of the first ever social strategy for Northern Ireland in the coming weeks. It will clearly set out how the Executive will tackle the issues that impact on poverty. It is worth pointing it out that a special edition of the 'Oxford Review of Economic Policy' published in 2013 looked at the record of new Labour in tackling poverty.”
“Both are mentioned throughout the Programme for Government, and, perhaps, those on the Opposition Benches should look at it for themselves.”
“Unfortunately, we have something of a postcode lottery, as income can depend on where you live and the number as well as the type of jobs that are available locally. East Londonderry has been hit by job losses, as has everywhere in Northern Ireland during the economic downturn. That, of course, has an impact on the standard and cost of living, especially as the price of essential goods is rising. <BR /> <BR />One way to help to reduce poverty is promoting benefit uptake, and I am pleased that, between 2013 and 2015, benefit uptake has increased due to the work of the Department, with an additional £30 million generated for 9,000 people. I encourage everyone to check their entitlement to benefits. <BR /> <BR />The Executive placed tackling poverty and social exclusion at the top of their agenda.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank my colleague for raising that point. I was thinking the very same thing while we were debating the subject. <BR /> <BR />In my constituency of East Londonderry, as of August 2013, 23% of children were deemed to be living in low-income families. East Londonderry ranked fifth highest of the 18 Northern Ireland constituencies. This is, therefore, an issue that I am keen to see tackled, as I believe that no child should be left behind. <BR /> <BR />Poverty is primarily based on income levels, which are dependent on the availability of jobs, coupled with the level of skills and qualifications held by the local population, age and how healthy our population is — for example, having a disability can obviously impact on someone's ability to work and their life chances.”
“Wales comes out the worst, and Scotland does better than the rest.”
“I support the amendment. This is a very important topic, and I must speak in favourable terms on the actions of the Executive as demonstrated in the recent Programme for Government. It is worth pointing out that the signatories to the motion were members of the last Executive, so it is important to point out that the figures quoted in the motion relate to the time when their parties were in the Executive. Nevertheless, this is a very important issue that needs to be tackled, and I am confident that the Minister is committed to doing so. <BR /> <BR />The scale of poverty in Northern Ireland is much the same as it has been for in excess of 10 years. It is worth pointing it out that Northern Ireland is no worse off than England, where the majority of our nation's population live.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer so far. Minister, I have had very positive feedback on the announcements. Do you think these changes will encourage more parents to enter their kids for the exams?”
“Minister, can you update the House on your plans to ensure energy security for Northern Ireland in the future?”
“That will enable hotels to provide safe and controlled environments to hold events such as teenage discos and school formals and to help to sustain hotels' incomes during off-peak seasons and provide more jobs and a boost to the economy. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the Bill and hope that MLAs can see it through to provide a fully functional liquor licensing Bill that considers the hospitality sector and the health and well-being of our constituents.”
“Many microbreweries home-brew from very small premises, and the ability to sell at farmers' markets and festivals would allow for better business sustainability. I understand that if the breweries were big enough and had enough money they could purchase an off-sales licence to sell their liquor. However, most microbreweries are co-operatives and do not have the cash flow to facilitate that. The lack of legislation affects my constituency and the Lacada brewery in Portrush, which I visited with the First Minister in February. When Minister Givan is next in my constituency, it is somewhere that I would like to take him to show him, at first hand, the negative effects of not having relevant legislation in place. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome the proposal to allow under-18s into licensed premises, providing that alcohol is not available.”
“The craft beer industry is continually growing and is an important aspect of tourism in Northern Ireland, as it introduces something new and local to our tourists. Craft breweries have been a popular tourist aspect in the UK for a number of years, and there are also many craft brewery tours in England. I feel that we could introduce those here. However, there needs to be relevant legislation in place to allow visitors to buy the product at the end of a tour. <BR /> <BR />Breweries are not included in the 13 categories of premises that are eligible for a licence, and that prevents them from selling at source. Visitors can take tours of microbreweries and sample the produce, but, at the end of the tour, they cannot purchase what they have sampled. That is counterproductive and stunts business opportunities, job growth and tourism.”
“However, the provision will mean that late opening on the Thursday before Good Friday will be the same as the late opening available for any other weekday in the year, which is 1.00 am. We realise that that may not go as far as the licensed trade would like; however, it is a step in the right direction. It is important to consider the balance between the licensing trade and the health and well-being of our constituents. <BR /> <BR />I am disappointed that we have not yet made any provision for the inclusion of microbreweries in the Bill. However, I understand that microbreweries were not as popular when the Bill was first drafted in 2012. There are over 30 microbreweries in Northern Ireland, and they have become increasingly popular in recent years.”
“I thank the Minister for introducing the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill and welcome moving forward with our licensing laws in Northern Ireland. It is hugely important in growing our hospitality industry, and I have every confidence that we can see the Bill through to its Final Stage and full implementation. The Bill was introduced as a result of a public consultation in which over 2,500 responses were received. That shows the vast public support for change to our licensing laws. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the change to the Easter opening hours to allow later hours on the Thursday before Good Friday. Currently, premises and registered clubs with additional opening hours are allowed to stay open until midnight.”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. Minister, can you provide any examples of how Sport NI works with councils to coordinate the delivery of sports facilities?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. Minister, how do you rate the performance of BT in delivering broadband to rural areas such as Moneyleck, Aghadowey, Ringsend and Glenarm, which are all in my constituency?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I am sure that she will agree that it is not good enough that your life expectancy depends on where you live.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer and congratulate her on her new post. I look forward to seeing her at the Causeway in the near future. <BR /> <BR />Minister, across the Province, how many appointments have been cancelled by the trusts? That is a rising problem.”
“I also wish the Minister well as he takes up his new role, and I welcome his announcement on the Coleraine library. What actions have the Department and the Housing Executive taken to ensure the better management of the allocation of bungalows?”
“I thank the Minister for that answer. He pre-empted my supplementary question: I was going to ask him whether he could be definitive about a start date for the Portrush scheme and whether he could guarantee it would be finished in time for the Open Championship.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, how can you guarantee that those penalties will be used to the maximum when someone is found guilty of committing such a crime?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I heard the answer you gave to the Chairman of the Committee, but I still cannot help think that this is a warning to us that this is the start of the privatisation of the Housing Executive.”
“I thank the junior Minister for her answer. What are the funding arrangements for T:BUC for 2016-17?”
“Minister, it sounds as if it does not have very much support in the area, if only 17 pupils are going to it at the minute. Will you break that number down and tell us how much it costs per pupil to have that school in Dungiven, compared with a school in, say, Limavady?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. Minister, can you put a timescale on when this scheme will be rolled out? Have you reconsidered the number of years from when teachers have finished college so that others can apply for it as well?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, I do not know whether you have the figures with you, but can you give a specific breakdown of how many groups applied from East Londonderry? Will you give us a flavour of the support that the groups got?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer and congratulate him on his elevation to the Front Bench. What investment is being made in Housing Executive properties in East Londonderry?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. How does he prevent teachers who avail themselves of this scheme at the age of 55 from going back in again and subbing, blocking up the system from the other end?”
“I congratulate the First Minister on what I feel will be the first of many Question Times. Will she give us some detail on what actions have been taken to tackle poverty overall?”
“Will the Minister confirm to the House that the spend across local council areas will reflect what was anticipated to transfer to each council under the reform of local government?”
“I thank the junior Minister for her answer. Will the junior Minister give a guarantee to the House today that by extending the strategy it will not be diluted in any shape, form or fashion?”
“Minister, what impact, if any, will abolishing the board have on front-line services?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you recently called in the application of the Cam Burn wind farm, which is causing a bit of a breeze in my constituency. You issued a notice of an opinion to approve, which is at odds with the views of the local council. What happens next with that application?”
“Could a portion of this site be used for a new site for Mill Strand Integrated Primary School? It is in desperate need of a site in that area, and there is no green space at all apart from that site.”
“While technical, it is essential in allowing statutory bodies to secure outstanding loans in respect of repairs and improvements to private-sector housing stock. I therefore fully support this part of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />To conclude, I fully endorse the Bill in its entirety and commend it to the House. The first two parts are vital in tackling dereliction and the causes of antisocial behaviour in communities across Northern Ireland, which I fully endorse. Together, we must tackle these issues in order to protect responsible tenants and landlords.”
“I would like to see the legislation extended or afforded in some way to private landlords and property management agencies; otherwise we risk seeing the problem of antisocial behaviour moving into the private sector, with such tenants subjecting communities to their antisocial and socially disruptive behaviour that threatens the cohesion of communities and disturbs private life. <BR /> <BR />While everyone needs somewhere to live, it must be made clear that such behaviour will not be tolerated. It is therefore up to statutory partners, including the PSNI and the justice system at large, to enforce the law in respect of antisocial behaviour, taking a zero-tolerance position to the issue. <BR /> <BR />Part 3 is on loans and properties.”
“As housing associations become the main vehicle for providing quality affordable homes in Northern Ireland, they are, in effect, a statutory partner. It is therefore essential that we are afforded the information in order to allow them to take appropriate and proportionate action against tenants who are guilty of antisocial behaviour. <BR /> <BR />Those tenants who are guilty of antisocial behaviour are difficult to deal with and should, within the law, be brought to account for their actions, which cause others so much stress and annoyance.”
“I hope that this aspect will go some way to alleviate the problems of housing stress and empty homes. <BR /> <BR />Part 2 deals with antisocial behaviour. I believe that the part of the Bill that relates to information sharing between statutory and non-statutory partners, such as housing associations, goes a long way to tackle the problem of tenants who subject others to antisocial behaviour. Antisocial behaviour is wrong. I believe that permitting statutory bodies to share information regarding bad tenants will allow housing associations, which are becoming more prominent, to deal with those who have no respect for their neighbours or for anyone else for that matter. At present, statutory bodies are restricted in and how and with whom they can share information due to data protection.”
“Houses become rundown, subject to vandalism and attract antisocial behaviour. While this aspect of the Bill is not the all-in-one cure for such problems associated with empty homes, it will most certainly help statutory bodies and agencies to work together more effectively to see that empty premises are secured at minimum expense to the taxpayer through the sharing of relevant landlords' details and utilised in order to address the needs of the community, be it through homing a family or individual who is in need of a new home. <BR /> <BR />Suitable accommodation is becoming harder to find, and with pressure on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and associated housing associations to identify suitable accommodation for those in need, we can see housing waiting lists reduced and needs met. An occupied home is better than an empty home.”
“I rise to support the Bill in its current form and welcome its contents, which I feel will provide lasting benefits not only for statutory and non-statutory partners in the provision of housing but for the communities that are blighted by empty homes and antisocial behaviour directed by tenants. <BR /> <BR />Part 1 deals with empty homes. We have discussed at length in this House the impact of empty commercial premises on high streets over the course of many years, especially with the economic downturn. We are all too aware of the impact that empty premises have on any city or town, especially if they fall into disrepair. I therefore wholeheartedly welcome the Bill in this respect, as, unfortunately, the experience of empty houses in many housing estates is that they become a problem for all concerned.”
“I do not want the Minister to apologise for supporting the grass-roots and legacy programme. I encourage more but what I want to see is the support filtering down to the lowest level of the grass-roots community. I am not really seeing that happen at the minute, Minister.”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. How did the Department decide what to include in this framework?”