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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“Work has been ongoing. My predecessor commissioned and funded a report that academics have taken forward. I have only just received the report. My officials have been working with colleagues in other jurisdictions to learn from their experiences, and further stakeholder engagement will be needed as we move forward.”
“I do not have timescales for that yet. There is another process, of getting more evidence and of consultation, to go through. Ultimately, I cannot give a timescale, because it will need to be agreed by the Executive and then by the Assembly. That is not something that I am able to give a definitive timescale for at this point.”
“Yes. The Member is absolutely right to highlight that. We clearly need to protect people from coercive, abusive and humiliating practices, but that must not be at the expense of freedom of expression, freedom of belief, freedom of religion or freedom of speech. That is why it is so important that we have a proper definition of conversion therapy. That is what has tripped people up in the past and led to unintended consequences, and it is why there have been a number of problems in other legislatures that have tried to get legislation through on it — they have also had to grapple with some of those rights issues — so it is important that we get it right.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I have received the report. I have started to read it but I have not made my way through it yet. It will be an important part of our overall evidence base but by no means all that we need, so I look forward to taking evidence from a number of sectors so that we can take the legislation forward.”
“A ban on so-called conversion therapy will require legislation to be agreed by the Executive and passed by the House. There are no definitive timescales for that.”
“I beg to introduce the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Bill [NIA 04/22-27], which is a Bill to make provision about the extension of pensions automatic enrolment to jobholders under the age of 22; to make provision about the lower qualifying earnings threshold for automatic enrolment; and for connected purposes.”
“I beg to introduce the Defective Premises Bill [NIA 03/22-27], which is a Bill to amend the law as to liability for defects in the state of dwellings; and for connected purposes.”
“As I have always said, we need to explore a number of models, especially with FTC, which has so often been underutilised in the past. Co-ownership is another way in which we can use FTC to achieve that. I am sure that the Member will not mind if I do not go into the detail of how much FTC we intend to spend, because the programme will open to competition tomorrow, and it would not be wise for me to go into exact numbers. I can, however, confirm that the amount is substantial. I look forward to the competition opening and closing and to our moving forward on the issue.”
“As I said in my answer to Mrs Erskine, housing stress and housing affordability issues are not unique to urban areas. We find them in rural constituencies as well. The process that will be set out will not be limited to particular areas based on the need there. We will look at Northern Ireland as a whole. The programme will be spread out around at least two local government districts. I have set out those parameters today, but more detail on it will need to be worked out in consultation with others.”
“That is not good enough. We want to do better, and I will do all that I can to make sure that the programme moves forward in collaboration with the Housing Executive and housing associations. The real game changer for us will be the Housing Executive's ability to borrow against its assets so that we can refurbish and renovate homes and, most importantly, build new homes. I am committed to getting that done.”
“I am grateful to the Member for raising that question. It is important that people not only have homes but have the homes that are right and appropriate for them. We know that that is a struggle. I look forward to announcing some changes on making sure that people have appropriate homes, but I want the House to be clear: progressing this policy does not mean that I am stepping back whatsoever from my desire to make sure that we have more social homes in Northern Ireland. The intermediate-rent programme is one tool that will help us to deal with the crisis that we face, but we have built too few social homes over the past number of years. We need to continue to build more of them in order to give people more security. The Member will be aware of the length of time that some families in our constituency have to wait to get into a home.”
“The Member is right to highlight the lack of social homes in Northern Ireland. I support people's right to buy their own home. Those homes are not wasted; they go to people who need somewhere to live. Getting rid of the right-to-buy scheme will not deal with the issue. We need to make sure that we build more social homes in Northern Ireland. We need to continue with the social housing development programme. I will continue to lobby for more funds for that, but I will also look at innovative ways for us to increase the supply of social homes and other tenures in Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have set up a rural housing steering group, which has been established to explore the barriers to rural housing development and to develop a plan to address those barriers. Research has been commissioned, which is expected to report in the coming months, and I will be happy to share that with the Member in due course.”
“I am grateful to the Member for her question. She frequently raises with me the need to deal with social housing in rural areas. In fact, only yesterday, she was speaking to me about it. As we all know, Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a very rural constituency and is the most westerly constituency, I believe, in the United Kingdom, as the Member likes to tell me. That means that it should not be left out. Rural areas are facing housing need. All too often, the perception can wrongly be that housing is an urban problem. It is not, and there are huge demands in rural areas as well. I am committed to maintaining the viability of those rural areas through the social housing programme.”
“The Member is right to raise the importance of the issue. It is absolutely the case that I want to be in a position to be able to go further forward than the 300 intermediate-rent homes that I outlined today. It will be prudent to test the concept beforehand, but we will have an evaluation of the scheme, which will determine whether it can go forward in future — I believe that it can — and, importantly, the best way for it to go forward, with learning from what has taken place before.”
“I need to work with the Department for Infrastructure, and it needs to deliver to make sure that we have the waste water capacity and the right planning laws in place so that we can build homes in Northern Ireland more easily than we have done in the past. We need to make sure that planning law matches up to where it needs to be. We need to have collaboration with councils on development plans and to make sure that we have enough land. We need to make sure that we can build more social housing, more for the private rented sector and more for homeowners to buy. This is another tool in our toolbox, and I am delighted to bring it forward today.”
“Absolutely. Those are all important tools for dealing with the housing crisis that we find ourselves in. FTC will be used here, and it is used in the co-ownership model, and I am pleased that I have been able to increase the co-ownership limit since I came into office. It is absolutely the case that we will need to fight this battle on all fronts and not just in one Department. It will require a genuinely cross-departmental, collaborative approach. <BR /> <BR />I need to work with colleagues in the Department of Finance to make sure that I have the funding for the social development housing programme.”
“Yes, this model has been tested elsewhere. It has been utilised in GB for over a decade. It has worked and has been successful, and that is why we are bringing it in here. I believe that we will have similar success, but it will still be prudent to take the pilot approach in order to make sure that it works in our market and for our needs and demands here. I look forward to its being as successful as it has been elsewhere so that we can expand and grow and, hopefully, contribute to dealing with the housing crisis that we find ourselves in. I emphasise again to Members that this is one tool, and we have to fight this battle on all fronts.”
“One of the key points about the intermediate-rent model is that the homes are not just at but above minimum standards. It is important that that is the case. We know what a difference a good home can make to people as they start out in life. For children and young people, having a good quality home — not just the fact that they have a home, but that they have a good quality home — makes all the difference to their education and health outcomes. It will be a requirement that the homes meet the minimum standards, but we want them to go beyond those standards.”
“The households that can benefit from an intermediate-rent tenancy include those that are not yet ready for or are struggling to save towards home ownership; those who are living in the private rented sector but are struggling to pay their rent; and those with lower points who are waiting to rent a social home and who may benefit from a more affordable alternative to private renting while they wait for an allocation. As I said, those who spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs will be prioritised. Those are the parameters within which we intend to operate, but they will be subject to discussions as we move forward.”
“To the Member's last question, no, this will not be subject to the right-to-buy scheme, because a private operator will be coming in and using FTC. Once the 25-year period is over, it will be up to the operator to decide what it is doing with its properties, but that will not be in the time period within which the arrangement has been made. <BR /> <BR />Intermediate-rent homes can be delivered in any location across Northern Ireland, but I believe that they will be particularly effective in areas of high rental cost and high demand. The operator will agree the delivery locations with my officials. They will be based on identified need, prevailing market conditions and viability. The competition will also mandate provision in at least two local government districts, in the first phase.”
“This is different from allocation of social homes and fills a different gap in the market. It will help, however, by taking additional pressure off people who might otherwise be trying to get homes. Social homes will be taken away from that list, so it will relieve pressure, and, of course, there will be different criteria. That will be put in place so that it can go to those who need it most. The operator will look at the areas of highest rent, the areas where the need is greatest and the areas with the people who can benefit most. Over 28,000 households are paying out over 30% of their income for rent. Those are the families that we are trying to help.”
“Work is going on with Executive colleagues and the Treasury to get us to that point.”
“I am always happy to agree with Mr Brett. It is absolutely right for us to seek to ensure the best use of the properties that we currently have. Part of that will be addressed in the housing supply strategy that I intend to bring forward. The Member is also right to highlight the importance of the Housing Executive being in a position to build homes again. We need more social housing in Northern Ireland and for housing associations to continue the work that they are doing. We also need the Housing Executive to be in a position in which it can borrow against its assets and build more homes and, importantly, refurbish its existing stock. I do not want to see more Housing Executive homes getting to such a state of disrepair that people cannot live in them. That is why it is important that the rules are changed.”
“I said that, in Northern Ireland, we are looking at not 10 years but 25 years. That is much longer than the Member thought. The initiative is to help solve a problem for some people, particularly those who may be trying to get on the housing ladder but are unable to save for a deposit because of rent. In some cases, the reduction in rent, compared with that in private rented market, will hopefully give them the opportunity — those who want to — to get a deposit and purchase their own home.”
“I fully accept that it is a very difficult and complex issue for people. As I said in my statement, intermediate rent homes are one tool that we can use, but we have to address the issue on multiple fronts. This is a pilot programme. It is right and responsible that we test the initiative and see how it goes so that we make sure it works for people in Northern Ireland. It is, however, novel to here. I want to try it, and I believe that it will be successful, which will allow us to go further. It not only addresses the lack of affordable homes for people in Northern Ireland but takes the pressure off the system more widely for social housing and the private rented sector. It will help us utilise FTC, which we often hear is underutilised. All in all, this is a good announcement.”
“I expect that, once the intermediate-rent operator is in place, we could see the first intermediate-rent homes being available to rent as early as 2026. I look forward to announcing the outcome of the competition for funding before the end of the year. <BR /> <BR />The issue of housing will not fix itself, and, in light of an extremely tight budget environment, we must be prepared to do things differently and be radical in our approach. The pilot has the potential to pave the way for a new and sustainable supply of quality housing that is so desperately required for our citizens in Northern Ireland. I commend the statement to the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />Homeownership is an aspiration that is shared by many people here, but rising house prices and mortgage costs, as well as, given the high rents in the private sector, the difficulty of saving for a deposit, mean that, for a growing number, it is becoming more and more difficult. I am committed to helping those who need a bit of extra support in order to afford their own home to do so. <BR /> <BR />Intermediate rent could be a real game changer for hard-working families whose needs are simply not met by what is currently on offer. My officials will continue to look for new ways in which novel funding sources, like FTC, can be used to expand housing delivery meaningfully. <BR /> <BR />The competition to award funding to the operator will launch tomorrow and close to applications on 23 August 2024.”
“We need to focus our capital spending on delivering those much-needed social homes right across Northern Ireland, but we also need to do something for those hard-pressed people and families who cannot get or do not want a social home, and we are doing that by offering them safe, secure and affordable alternatives. The approach also serves to protect my Department's capital budget, avoiding competition with the social housing development programme. That ensures that we can deliver the social homes that we need while offering alternative affordable housing options.”
“<BR /> <BR />People need housing solutions that they know that they can rely on over time, so we are asking the intermediate-rent operator to offer the homes for at least 25 years. That long-term commitment will help intermediate-rent tenants to establish themselves in communities where they work or learn and where their children attend school. Schemes such as intermediate rent allow us to deliver even more affordable housing by leveraging private finance and using novel government funding sources. Intermediate rent will complement existing affordable housing options, including social housing. <BR /> <BR />We all recognise what we need to do now. Housing demand has, for too long, outpaced housing supply.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland intermediate-rent policy and the dwelling design standards documents were published just over a year ago. My officials have been working since then to develop a funding scheme that can help breathe life into the policy. I therefore announce that, from tomorrow, 15 May 2024, a competition for funding will launch that will see a significant award of FTC loan funding to an intermediate-rent operator. The operator will initially develop 300 homes where they are needed and manage the process of renting them to eligible lower- to moderate-income people and families. That will help increase the supply of housing generally and the supply of affordable housing for rent specifically.”
“Tenants will receive a discount of at least 20% on their rent compared with local open-market rents, and they can remain in their intermediate-rent home for longer than is the norm in the private sector. They will also receive more proactive support from their landlord when they need it, and their home must meet a high-quality standard. <BR /> <BR />Typically, those who can benefit most from an intermediate-rent home are those lower-income households that are spending more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Research has indicated that, with over 28,000 households here spending more than 30% of their income on rental costs, there is certainly space in the market for a product that can offer a more affordable solution for lower-income households.”
“Otherwise, thousands of households will continue to struggle to find a safe, secure and affordable home. <BR /> <BR />To that end, I have come to the Assembly today to announce my intention to launch a competition to make available a substantial sum of money that will support the delivery of a new supply of affordable intermediate-rent homes via financial transactions capital (FTC). It is a new form of affordable housing product, and it is being introduced in Northern Ireland for the first time. It is a first step for Northern Ireland's housing sector in moving beyond the established tenures of social rental, private rental and homeownership. <BR /> <BR />Intermediate rent sits between social rentals and private rentals in cost. It offers high-quality homes, with better security and access to support services.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. At the most recent election, my colleagues and I on these Benches stood on a platform to help working families. One of the most pressing issues facing those families right across Northern Ireland right now is the affordability and availability of quality housing. This is not an issue that will be solved quickly or by any one Department or by any one intervention, but it will require consistent and collaborative action on multiple fronts. Make no mistake about it: if we do not use all the levers available to us, we risk doing what we have always done and will end up getting the same results. Without change, we will continue to struggle to match the high levels of housing need with proper supply. I am therefore determined to do more with what is available.”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I take this opportunity to apologise to the House for the delay in getting the statement to Members. Members will be aware that we are running about two or three hours ahead of schedule, with lunch and Question Time. I was not expecting to come to the House this soon, and I got the statement out as soon as I could. From my point of view, I have no issue if Members want to take extra time, but that is for the Chair to decide.”
“Families moving out causes huge problems for the community, including a damaging loss of services. Ms Sugden was right to raise the issue of homelessness. We know the instability that moving about creates in the life of a family, and for children in particular. That is why this needs to be raised. <BR /> <BR />I am committed to a genuinely ambitious and strategic programme of work that will deliver for everybody. I recognise that these issues face people across the country and that a cross-Executive approach will be required, and I am up for that. I will bring the housing supply strategy forward soon. I want to make sure that we are in a position to ensure that everyone has a safe, sustainable and affordable place to call home.”
“I will write to Executive colleagues shortly on the housing supply strategy, and I hope to have an early discussion on those issues. <BR /> <BR />I will touch on some of the comments that were made. The Member who secured the debate was right to say that this is the most pressing issue for all of us in our constituency offices. That is why we need to address it. Alan Robinson — or should I call him the Member for West-East Londonderry? — was right to highlight the point that this should not be about pitting second-home owners against those who live in the area permanently. What we need is additional supply to deal with the demand, and that is at the heart of what we are trying to do. We do not want to be in the position, as Sian Mulholland said, of people moving away.”
“The Department for the Economy has a role as well. The provision of tourist accommodation in Northern Ireland is regulated by Tourism NI, which is undertaking a review of legislation relating to the provision of tourism accommodation. That will allow it to consider the changes required to the regulatory environment in its totality to ensure sustainable growth. The Department for Infrastructure could look at the reforms that have been made in England. The Welsh Government have introduced powers for councils to charge a council tax premium of up to 300% on second homes. Obviously, that will require consideration by colleagues in the Department of Finance. As you can see, this issue will require a genuinely collaborative approach because it impacts on Departments across the Executive.”
“It is notable, however, that, in the Causeway Coast and Glens area, the proportion of homes with no usual residents is, at 13%, more than double the overall figure for Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Some of that is unavoidable. However, more holiday homes or holiday lets could distort a housing market, especially if there were a rapid change in the number of such properties. My Department and the Housing Executive are therefore carrying out research on second-home ownership to improve our understanding of what has gone on. Also, at a basic level, the local council needs to know the extent of second-home ownership to properly understand the need for new housing and to make provision for that in its local development plans. <BR /> <BR />This will, of course, require all of the Executive to work together.”
“Houses once rented to tenants are now Airbnbs, so people see houses that they could live in being used only in the summer or for a few weekends. There are housing developments where local working families feel priced out because people from outside are buying houses as holiday homes. <BR /> <BR />That is a challenging issue. There is limited data on second homes, and sometimes it is conflicting. It can, because of that, be difficult to establish the extent of second homes, their location and the impact that they may be having on local housing markets. The latest census for Northern Ireland showed that 6% of all houses had no usual residents. There is a range of possibilities for that, including that they are truly vacant; they are being renovated; they are self-catering, short-term lets; or they are second homes.”
“That would have a catastrophic impact on communities and the tens of thousands of people who would never get a social home. The Housing Executive is a significant landlord in the scale and provision of services to its tenants. I want to make sure that it remains so for generations to come. Finding a solution that will place the Housing Executive on a sustainable financial footing is a top priority for me. <BR /> <BR />As I mentioned, the potential impact of holiday lets and second homes on local housing markets and communities is of particular interest on the north coast. People who are looking for a home are not able to find one, so it is hard for them to see houses in their communities sitting empty for most of the year.”
“<BR /> <BR />The commitment to social home delivery can be seen across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area. Between the financial years 2019 and 2024, 505 social homes were started and 361 were completed in the council area. Over the next three years and subject to budget, 463 social homes are programmed to start in the constituency as part of the social housing development programme. I also intend to take action to protect our Housing Executive so that it can continue to provide decent homes for our households and families. I recently highlighted the very real warning from the Housing Executive that, due to the current state of its houses and rental income, some of its houses might become unfit to live in. We simply cannot allow that to happen.”
“We need to protect the social homes that we have and start about 2,500 houses a year, but that is not the environment that we are operating in. <BR /> <BR />Members will be aware of the 2024-25 Budget and the Finance Minister's remarks about the demands on our finances outstripping many times over the funding that is available. However, I assure Members today that I will continue to spend most of my capital budget on the provision of social homes. As much as I want to build 35,000 more social homes over the next 15 years, I must remind Members that that will be possible only if budget is available year-on-year. I want to put that ambitious programme into place, but it is dependent on housing being prioritised in Budget allocations.”
“As I mentioned before, that strategy will aim to provide the framework for the system changes that we need, but it will deliver only if other Departments prioritise the changes in budgetary allocations that they have to make so that the whole system can deliver the homes that we need. I have been clear about the need to build more social homes. I announced to the Assembly on 9 April that, in the last financial year, across Northern Ireland, we met our target of having over 1,500 social homes started in partnership with the Housing Executive and housing associations. I am pleased that that target was met in the face of an extremely constrained budgetary environment, but I also acknowledge that 1,500 homes are not enough. We know what the evidence is telling us.”
“We must acknowledge the very challenging Budget situation and the recognition that, with increased demand on services and rising costs, there is not sufficient funding to do everything that we want. However, we need and want to be an Executive that deliver. That means focusing on what is important, and I believe that one of those things is providing homes for our people. We must deliver if we want to avoid sliding into a housing crisis like those elsewhere in the UK and in Ireland, but we have to acknowledge that the financial situation is more challenging than it has ever been. <BR /> <BR />The whole-system approach that I talk about is fundamental to the draft housing supply strategy that I am working to finalise.”
“In our cities and our towns, urban and rural, the demand for good-quality, affordable and sustainable homes continues to grow. I reiterate that housing in all places is a priority for me and needs to be a priority across the Executive. <BR /> <BR />Housing must be considered as a whole system, and there must be collective commitment and action across government alongside private, voluntary and community sector partners. I state again that the barriers to delivery that we face, such as water infrastructure capacity constraints, land availability and the planning process, will require coordinated action and investment from across the Executive, otherwise housing supply will continue to decline.”
“I thank Ms Hunter for bringing the Adjournment debate to the House, and I welcome the opportunity to respond to it. I recognise many of the issues and concerns that the Member and others raised in the debate about housing on the north coast. I also understand that there are some housing matters, including second homes and holiday homes, that are perhaps more commonly raised when we talk about places such as the north coast. However, many of the issues that are experienced are replicated throughout the country, and Ms Ferguson reminded us that the problem is not limited to any one area and that the solutions that are required to address them are the same. As Minister for housing, I spoke recently in the Assembly about the need to accept that those issues and concerns are faced not just in one constituency or one area.”
“I am happy to do that. We have an intense housing need right across Northern Ireland, so it does not make sense for homes to be lying empty. Obviously, we want people in those homes. There can also often be an antisocial element to empty homes. On Saturday, I spoke to residents in my constituency who are concerned about an empty home in their area. We should explore all options and engage with all relevant partners and Departments to ensure that empty homes can be lived in.”
“The Member will be aware of the previous empty homes strategy that was taken forward by my Department. It is fair to say that the success of that was questionable. He will be aware of the housing supply strategy that I intend to bring to the Executive soon. Empty homes will have to be considered as we look at housing supply all round.”
“I understand the importance and sensitivity of the issue. I recognise that the Member has raised this, so I will raise it with officials and ensure that her concerns and the concerns, I am sure, of many others are taken seriously.”