Gordon Lyons
East Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Implementing other recommendations will require further legislation that, I trust, will come in the next mandate, but I can confirm that 60 of the recommendations have already been separately addressed by either the Department or the commission. I hope that that answers his questions.”
“Yes, I do and am happy to share those. The issue has been raised in the Chamber and through Assembly questions. My position is that we want to make it simple and straightforward for people.”
“They also introduce greater flexibility in financial reporting, allowing requirements to be tailored more appropriately, reducing burdens on smaller organisations and ensuring that the system can adapt over time through secondary legislation.”
“If they want to constitute as a Northern Ireland-only charity, they are able to do that, if they believe that that will bring certain benefits.”
“That is similar to what we are trying to do with trustees. Even though you leave your position as a trustee or your position as someone who holds an office in a charity or who has employment in the office, the commissioner will still be able to make a determination that says, "Even though you have left, we are still making this order to t…”
“I do not believe that it was. That was maybe picked up wrong. We are happy to look at and explore that, but that is the information that I have on it. Again, we will have the Committee Stage of the legislation, so we can look into that then.”
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“Yes. That is certainly the case. I witnessed that just last Friday in Larne library in our constituency. Libraries are not just a place to get books; there is so much more that can be done. I congratulate library staff on the services that they provide for people of all ages but for older people in particular.”
“Departmental economists are currently reviewing the business case and responses from Libraries NI to queries raised. <BR /> <BR />Once the approval of the business case has been secured, the progression of the project will rely on the Department securing the necessary capital funding. There is no definitive timescale for the Newtownards project, and any decision to proceed with the new library will depend on the prioritisation of capital investment in a very difficult budgetary situation. I am sure that the Member will continue to lobby me on the issue.”
“I thank the Member for inviting me to Newtownards and showing me the current state of the library. It has fantastic staff who do great work, but the building is simply not fit for purpose. Therefore, the redevelopment of Newtownards library is a key priority for Libraries NI. The present location on Regent Street forms part of a shared site with the council's Queen's Hall facility, and the agreed lease arrangements are in place for library facilities. <BR /> <BR />Libraries NI has submitted an updated business case to support the proposed redevelopment of the library, which is being considered by my Department. It would increase the library's size from 203 square meters to almost 1,500 square meters at a cost of around £9·2 million.”
“I am mindful of the importance and value of our public library network, which provides safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces for people to read, work, study and access information and services. Given the importance of our public library service to communities throughout Northern Ireland, my Department will seek to provide the fullest support it can in resource and capital funding investment.”
“Notwithstanding the budgetary constraints in 2024-25, my Department has provided Libraries NI with just over £4·7 million in capital funding to progress committed projects. The funding provided will allow Libraries NI to complete carbon retrofitting work in Killyleagh library, to complete construction of the replacement library in Fivemiletown, to progress its IT infrastructure replacement programme and to progress design work for a replacement library in Enniskillen. My Department has also provided Libraries NI with just over £31 million in resource funding for 2024-25, including a spend of £820,000 for book stock. <BR /> <BR />I am pleased to advise that my Department is progressing work on a new public libraries policy to reflect the needs, challenges and ambitions of a modern public library service.”
“Yes. I have corresponded with Executive colleagues on the matter. I am pleased that most Departments have come back with a link person for the proposed interventions under the three pillars, which are minimising the impact of poverty, minimising the risk of poverty and assisting people to exit poverty. That work will be carried out in the coming weeks, so we will be in a position to bring the draft strategy to the Executive in 2025.”
“I am certainly happy to consider that, and I am happy for other Departments to consider it as well. Some of the proposals that we will have in the anti-poverty strategy, funded with a relatively small sum, can leverage huge savings for the rest of the public sector now and in the future. Having data along those lines may be useful. We have set up that cross-departmental working group to reach agreement on the delivery of the proposed interventions, and that may be of assistance to us in that work.”
“It is about making sure that people have a home that is safe and secure to live in. That is another priority in the Programme for Government. It is about making sure that we have more and better jobs in Northern Ireland. The Member is absolutely wrong to suggest that poverty is not front and centre in everything that we are doing. It is there in black and white in front of her.”
“No. I addressed that with the Member in the Chamber when we debated child poverty in North Belfast. I will bring the draft strategy to the Executive in early 2025. I just outlined for the Member the steps that first need to be taken, because I want to make sure that there is sufficient collaboration and working with other Departments so that we have something that is effective and delivers tangible benefits to people right across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />What are the Executive doing to tackle poverty? You only have to look at our priorities. They are about healthcare, because our poor health in this country often leads to poor outcomes on poverty. It is about improving education, which is key to people getting the skills that they need to be able to flourish.”
“Addressing poverty in all its forms is a key priority for me. As poverty is a complex and multifaceted issue, my Department is engaging with officials from other Departments to develop a final anti-poverty strategy and a range of actions that will help mitigate impacts, reduce the risk of falling into poverty and support people to exit poverty. <BR /> <BR />As the development of the Executive's strategy moves forward, I will work with ministerial colleagues and their Departments to establish the priorities and commitments that are required to deliver a robust anti-poverty strategy that will positively impact and make a tangible difference to people's lives across Northern Ireland.”
“That is absolutely the case. We have seen incredible improvements in the energy efficiency of those homes compared with what went before. They were built to a very high standard, but we want to roll that out. We need to make sure that our homes are more energy-efficient, because that will save us and our constituents more in the long term. There is certainly much that we can share about the new homes that are in place, and there are certainly lessons to be learned for future retrofit programmes.”
“I am pushing it on as much as I can, and I will continue to do so, because it is a change that can be made and, ultimately, it is confirmation of what we should be able to do in comparison with what is already happening in housing associations in other parts of the UK. Not being a significant change, it would not need to go out to consultation.”
“We hope to have the Housing Executive revitalisation programme in place very soon. The way that I see it and the way that it has been presented is that we are looking for confirmation from Treasury that the borrowing powers that we seek are already in place and that we should be able to borrow. This should not actually be a change. It is not a change to the way in which the Housing Executive operates. It is not a change to its status. It is confirmation of what we believe is currently the case. A lot of work has been done with the Treasury on this. I have raised it at every opportunity with the Minister of Finance, and the deputy First Minister raised it with the Chancellor. I have raised it with the Northern Ireland Office, and I have raised it with the housing Minister in HMG.”
“I can assure the Member that, where tower blocks are coming down, it is certainly my intention and, therefore, the intention of my Department and the Housing Executive that we have new homes there as soon as possible.”
“Each of those will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Where the Executive has approval for demolition and a new build, there is a timetable setting out anticipated timescales for the rehousing of the residents, demolishment of the properties and appointment of a developer to deliver the new housing. We hope to expedite the latter so that the new-build scheme will quickly follow demolition, but elongated design scheme proposals and tender processes could cause some delay. The Housing Executive will continue to work in partnership with housing associations to transfer sites for development in line with the usual social housing development programme delivery arrangements.”
“<BR /> <BR />Re the areas affected by the loss of tower blocks, each individual business case submitted in relation to the tower block strategy sets out detailed proposals for the site in question, including a feasibility study of opportunities for new-build rehousing sites in the localities and how long they would take to develop. Whilst some of the land made vacant by demolishing tower blocks could be redeveloped, it is too early to confirm whether that would be undertaken by a housing association or the Housing Executive.”
“The Housing Executive was given approval to construct those properties in North Belfast. However, the way ahead for the Housing Executive to have a regular remit to build homes is still to be resolved. The Housing Executive already has a legislative basis designed to facilitate its borrowing. Currently, however, it is, effectively, prohibited from doing so by the budgeting treatment that is applied to it, which means that it cannot provide the same value for public money as the registered housing associations, which do not have access to borrowing. I am actively pushing for a solution whereby the Housing Executive can borrow so that it can invest in and maintain its current housing stock and be able to add to the housing supply by, once again, becoming a builder of social homes.”
“It is absolutely the case, and I think that I speak for everybody in the House when I say that there is no room for intimidation in our society. There is no justification for that sort of activity. I will certainly give whatever support is required to make sure that we deal with the issues affecting communities. This particular question is about the future of intimidation points, but, of course, I hope that we will one day be in a position where that is not an issue.”
“It is the responsibility of the Housing Executive and, therefore, ultimately, the Department to ensure that people have a safe place to live. I am certainly happy to raise the Member's issue with my officials to see what else we may be able to do. The Member will be aware that various programmes are in place to help people who fall into the category that she described. If there are particularly acute issues that she wants to raise, I will be happy to hear from her.”
“I certainly have engaged with those who are supported through the Housing Executive, housing associations and the different programmes that they run. It is very much the case that the outputs of the research will facilitate evidence-based decision-making, and an options appraisal will be carried out by the Housing Executive and presented to the Department. If the Member has any particular concerns that she wants to raise, I am happy to hear her views as well.”
“I absolutely agree with the need to support people in the way that the Member outlined. That is why I am waiting for the recommendations from the Housing Executive, which, obviously, has the expertise in delivering the scheme. It is absolutely right to recognise the problem and make sure that our system reflects the need for those issues to be addressed.”
“I hope that it is imminent. The Member will be aware of the report that has been commissioned and is now with the Housing Executive. I await recommendations from that and want us to be able to move on them very quickly. I assure the Member that I absolutely recognise the need for us to protect those who are at their most vulnerable. We will do everything that we can to ensure that the system reflects the need that exists.”
“Changes to the housing selection scheme are under way, including an exploration of options for the future of intimidation points. Under the current scheme, someone who leaves their home as a result of domestic abuse can be allocated points for homelessness and primary social needs points for violence or the threat of violence. I am keen to see changes to how applicants who have experienced violence are recognised in the selection scheme. I am aware that the Housing Executive is working at pace to bring forward options for consideration. I assure the Member that I will give those my consideration as a matter of urgency.”
“In its budgetary bid for 2024-25, the Housing Executive advised that a budget of £193 million would be required to deliver starts on 2,000 new social units this year. I intend to bid for additional funds in the next monitoring round to ensure that we can have new-build social housing. Importantly, I will continue to push for clarification on Housing Executive borrowing powers, because that has the potential to be a real game changer in ensuring that we not only maintain the stock that we have but build new homes.”
“It certainly is, because, as I have set out before, we want people to have not only homes to live in but warm, safe and secure homes to live in. That will be a key part of the strategy. We need to do that to meet the net zero targets, but, importantly, it benefits people, and that is why it needs to be taken forward. <BR /> <BR />I was pleased to be able to go and see the new Housing Executive properties that were built in north Belfast a few weeks ago. The energy efficiency measures in those homes, and the savings that they will make for people, are incredible. That, of course, has other benefits. In short, yes.”
“I have engaged with the Infrastructure Minister on that, and that will be reflected in the housing supply strategy, but it also needs to have the support of Executive colleagues. We need to make sure that action is taken because, if we do not, it is a serious drag on what we want to do. It does not stop all the other things, but it is a problem.”
“I will not go as far as the Member on that one. I certainly do not think that it would be an academic exercise. It is certainly an issue that we need to tackle, and it is a drag on our ability to have the homes that we need across Northern Ireland. The whole purpose of the housing supply strategy is that it recognises that there are many different issues that are holding us back and being a problem when it comes to our ability to build homes. I absolutely agree that planning and infrastructure are really important parts. We need to free that up and make sure that there is the land availability, that we can get planning for new homes and that we have the water connections, because the homes will be worthless without that.”
“Of course, it is absolutely the case that the housing supply strategy will look at all tenures, but that is not in any way meant to replace the need for sufficient funding for new-build social homes. We have seen an increase in the funding that had originally been allocated by the Executive at the start of this year, and I am pleased that we will be getting additional funding for social homes in Northern Ireland. However, it is not enough, and I will certainly continue to make the case to Executive colleagues, as I hope the Member will, about the need for continued investment. It is now a stand-alone item and objective in the Programme for Government, and that needs to be reflected in future budgetary allocations.”
“As I previously stated, I have been meeting Executive colleagues who have a key strategic remit around housing supply to garner support for full implementation. I have a couple more engagements that I would like to have with other Executive Ministers before this can be concluded, but I am finalising the strategy to bring it to the Executive very shortly. Of course, publication and implementation of the strategy will be dependent on Executive approval, and project structures remain in place to allow implementation of action planning to proceed once approval has been given.”
“The Member has highlighted her area, and there are particular challenges there, especially with temporary accommodation. As I have said on every issue since I have come into post, as a result of the constrained budgetary environment that we are operating in, we need to make sure that every pound that we spend goes as far as possible. Naturally, that means that, where there are areas of high demand, that might be reflected. Where there are areas of high demand, you will see a higher rental cost, so that is where it will be most effective. As I just said to Deborah Erskine, it will not always be possible to get that value for money where there is a smaller affordability gap.”
“It is no surprise to anyone in the House that the Member has spoken up for her constituency. As I said to Mr Durkan, schemes can be delivered in any location, and I would like to see them delivered right across Northern Ireland. There will be some constraints placed on our doing that, of course. There will be areas where, because of the high rental cost and high demand, the scheme will be more effective. It will not be possible to reflect that and make sure that it works in all different areas because, sometimes, the affordability gap will be very small between social rents and private rents. It is certainly my intention to make sure that this impacts where it is most needed. I hope that this will only be a pilot and that it can be expanded as time goes on.”
“It is certainly our intention to make sure that intermediate housing schemes are available across Northern Ireland. Schemes will not be limited to any one particular area. That falls in with what the Department is trying to do, which is to increase shared housing across Northern Ireland.”
“Intermediate rent funding will be awarded on the basis of whom the highest scoring applicant is. There will be an intensive period of due diligence done on the applicant and the applicant's proposals. Legal arrangements will then be required. As to who will benefit from the scheme, I do not intend or want to limit that to any one part of Northern Ireland. It is another tool that we have for dealing with the housing crisis that we face. Much of it is yet to be determined.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question. I begin by welcoming him to this place. It is good to have another former member of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council here. There are quite a few of us, and the Member is very welcome. <BR /> <BR />For me, it is important that we progress with the intermediate rent option as an alternative. The Member rightly highlights the need for greater supply all round, however, and that is what I intend to achieve. How I intend to do it will be outlined in the housing supply strategy. We have a housing issue in Northern Ireland, and I want to make sure that we tackle it. The most effective way in which we can do so is by making sure that there is greater housing supply across all tenures.”
“The competition for funding, which closed at the end of August, attracted interest from a range of organisations. My officials are now assessing the applications received. By the end of this year, I expect to be able to make the outcome public and to move on to the next stages and towards awarding funding.”
“First, I am committed to progressing the provisions of the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, because that is what was passed by the House. Also, of course, it is not always like for like. Scotland has the ban that the Member mentioned, but with a very different framework in some cases. There are so many exemptions to it that, essentially, no-fault evictions still exist. As I said previously, I am open to conversations with colleagues on that. I absolutely want to ensure that we protect tenants. That is why we are driving forward the reforms that we see. I am always happy to review the legislation to ensure that it is fit for purpose.”
“The Member will have already seen my commitment to that through, as she rightly mentioned, the increase in funding that I have provided this year for not only the Supporting People programme but the voluntary and community sector. I want to ensure that we protect those budgets and the organisations that do such good work, including, importantly, preventative work. If we were starting from scratch, we would ensure that we spend far more on the preventative measures than we currently do. I have shown my commitment to ensure that we deal with the issue, and I look forward to our making more progress on that. That is certainly my intention. I want to see that delivered.”
“I want to see those issues addressed as well, because, as we are all aware, it is very, very expensive to build new homes in Northern Ireland. We should make the most use that we can of the buildings and homes that we already have.”
“First, I am happy to hear from the Member whether he has any independent research that he has commissioned on rent controls that shows something different from the independent research that my Department has commissioned on the subject. I look forward to seeing that from him. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right to raise the issue of empty properties. That has been a concern of mine from before I came into this post. I have engaged in conversations with the Housing Executive and housing associations to make sure that we do everything that we can about void properties in Northern Ireland. However, the Member will be aware, because we have discussed this, of the number of properties that lie empty for the long term and the number of properties that do not seem to have anyone maintaining or looking after them.”
“That is why I intend to bring forward the housing supply strategy as soon as possible.”
“Of course, there is a statutory duty on us to provide the services that the Member refers to. I would like to see much less money being spent on temporary accommodation and much more being spent on prevention because that will give us the best benefit in the longer term. That may be better for budgets, but, more importantly, it will be much better for the individuals who are most affected by homelessness. <BR /> <BR />We are in a difficult position with our temporary accommodation needs, and the Member will be aware of that. That was reflected in other jurisdictions in the BIC, and there was conversation on that. If we want to deal with the issue, more than anything else we need to make sure that there is an increased supply of housing across Northern Ireland.”
“We are nearing the point — I hope very soon — at which I will be able to take it to the Executive. I had hoped to meet two more Executive colleagues on issues that are pertinent to their Departments. I have not heard back from them yet. Regardless, it is important that we press on with the strategy. It will provide a long-term, cross-departmental framework for the actions that are required to increase supply and address the main barriers to supply here. We need to move that forward as quickly as possible, and I hope to do that in the very short term.”
“I do not remember that being discussed. I will check and come back to the Member. I cannot remember that specifically being addressed during the conversations that we had, which makes me think that it was not. I am certainly happy to provide further information on that and potential dates for the publication of the report that she referred to.”
“There are a number of regulations to be brought forward, and some already have been. The Member will be aware of the work that has already taken place on, for example, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and electrical safety checks. Other issues have still to be progressed, but those commitments have been made in legislation, and we will take them forward as soon as is practicable.”
“If planning is holding that up or if we do not have the waste water connections, that will be difficult, especially in those areas of high demand. That will form part of the housing supply strategy, but, most importantly, we need to make sure that we have an action plan in place from that strategy that means that we see real delivery on those issues for towns such as Enniskillen and others.”
“It is a key part of the housing strategy to make sure not just that we have the land and the ability to build on it with the infrastructure but that the planning is as quick and efficient as possible. To that end, in preparing the final draft of the housing supply strategy for the Executive, I have requested meetings with a number of ministerial colleagues. A couple of those colleagues have yet to take up the invitation to meet me, but I hope that that will be forthcoming. I have met the Infrastructure Minister and have raised with him the importance of ensuring that the issues are sorted out. The easiest way to deal with the housing crisis that we face is to make sure that we have the ability to build more homes.”
“The Member is right to highlight those issues. The issue of homelessness was part of our conversations, as was the importance of investing to prevent homelessness in the first place. That is certainly what I want to do. I want to make sure that we have the funding available to have temporary accommodation where it is needed. More importantly, however, we need to invest earlier and in those challenging cases as well. We need to do everything that we can to make sure that people have a safe, secure and affordable home.”
“Absolutely. As I said, one of the items in our forward work programme relates to residential net zero and retrofit. In my opinion, given the very challenging climate targets that we have, one of the best things that we can do is invest in energy efficiency measures. We need to make it cheaper for people to heat their home. That is why it is so important that this work sector goes forward with that focus on making sure that we invest so that people can save on their energy bills.”
“We have increased the property value limit for co-ownership. We have continued to provide the Supporting People programme with additional funding. We have secured additional funding for the social development housing programme. I have worked with housing authorities to make sure that we can identify void properties in order for us to take the pressure off homelessness. We have got housing as a stand-alone item in the Programme for Government, and we are bringing forward the housing supply strategy and progressing the issues in the Private Tenancies Act. We are making progress on a lot of issues. The housing supply strategy will ensure that we have collective agreement from other parties so that we can take a whole-Executive approach to dealing with the issues that the Member has raised.”
“As the Member will be aware, the housing strategy has been under development for some time. I like to think that a lot of the issues that have been talked about in the British-Irish Council housing work sector are already part of or will form part of the housing supply strategy. I heard what the Member said just a few moments ago, and I recognise the importance of ensuring that we move that forward at pace. Nevertheless, I believe that many of the actions that we can take in terms of housing supply have already been taken. <BR /> <BR />It is worthwhile outlining some of the things that the Department has been able to do since the return of devolution. We have moved forward with the intermediate rent product. We have provided more financial transactions capital for move-on accommodation.”