Colm Gildernew
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I have been working with Dungannon Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It will welcome this work, particularly in light of its concerns about vacancy and protecting the retail heart of towns such as Dungannon.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you said that there has been an improvement. However, recently, there were reports of over 1,400 patients waiting more than 28 days. How will you ensure that trusts consistently meet the targets for suspected cancer appointments in particular?”
“However, the Committee will want to examine carefully how any new or amended powers would operate in practice. Powers relating to information sharing, official warnings, directions, removal from office and disqualification can have significant, long-standing consequences for charities, trustees, staff, volunteers and, indeed, public confi…”
“<BR /> <BR />The regulations are consequential to the uprating order and provide the supporting technical changes needed to ensure that the revised benefit rates operate correctly. The regulations increase the earning limit for carer's allowance from £196 a week to £204 a week.”
“In response to those findings, Minister Hargey introduced the Charities Bill, which was enacted in 2022. The legislation put in place many of the review's priority recommendations in the limited time remaining in that mandate. The Charities (Amendment) Bill represents the next stage of that reform programme.”
“The Committee will wish to explore the implications of those changes, including for organisations operating across jurisdictions or delivering charitable activity in or from the North. Our charity sector includes a diverse range of bodies.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,397 lines we hold for Colm Gildernew, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 48.
“On my way into the Chamber this morning, I literally bumped into a leading member of the East Belfast Mission, which, in its own words, offers:”
“I take the opportunity to, once again, raise the existential crisis that is facing our community and voluntary sector. As Members will know, 31 March 2026 will see the end of the Shared Prosperity Fund. As a result, thousands of jobs are now at risk. I remind Members that the Shared Prosperity Fund is one of the most significant levers that we have in tackling economic inactivity by providing thousands of people with the skills and training that they need to re-engage with the workforce. Not only are those services a lifeline for many vulnerable people but they support our economy by increasing growth and productivity whilst reducing our public spending on social security. <BR /> <BR />The proposed local growth fund, which is due to replace it, is wholly inadequate and will deliver devastating cuts to vital front-line services.”
“The word "revival" has been used, and that sums up well what is happening with culture at present. We should all recognise the real potential that can be found when young people find new and exciting ways of expressing their identity positively. <BR /> <BR />Irish culture and music have a unique way of bringing together communities and creating a better understanding of the shared history of all the people on this island. It is also important to recognise that the fleadh is a global phenomenon: many, many visitors from other countries will come to participate in and enjoy the event. <BR /> <BR />I look forward to attending the fleadh this year and to celebrating what, I am sure, will be a historic day for all of us in Belfast and across the island.”
“Indeed, I attended that fleadh in Derry and have attended many fleadha throughout my life. They are hugely dynamic, entertaining and enriching experiences, and I encourage everyone in the Chamber not to miss the fleadh coming to our city. <BR /> <BR />The decision to host the fleadh in Belfast reflects the growing interest in Irish culture in the North in recent years. A 227% surge in the number of students enrolling in Irish classes in Queen's University was reported recently, and last year saw record numbers of people attend Oireachtas na Samhna in Belfast. <BR /> <BR />We cannot deny the positive role that our current crop of musicians, groups and individuals have played in bringing Irish culture into the mainstream like never before, particularly to a new, young audience.”
“My colleagues have touched on the huge economic benefits that the fleadh will bring, so I will focus my remarks on its cultural significance. <BR /> <BR />Ní bheidh ann seo ach an dara huair riamh a bheidh an fhleadh sa Tuaisceart, i ndiaidh na fleidhe thar a bheith rathúil i nDoire sa bhliain 2013.”
“Gabhaim mo bhuíochas le gach duine agus le gach eagraíocht a d'oibrigh gan stad leis an ócáid sin a phleanáil.”
“It will be a brilliant showcase for our rich music and culture, as well as a significant artistic and social event.”
“I am delighted to take part in the debate. I was absolutely delighted when Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann announced that Belfast would host this year's Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. It is a monumental achievement and a huge cultural and economic boost not only to Belfast but to places across the North, as other Members pointed out. <BR /> <BR />Mar Ghaeilgeoir, agus mar bhall de Chomhaltas Thír Eoghain, is maith a thuigim an tionchar cultúrtha a imríonn ár dteanga agus ár gceol ar gach duine a ghlacann leo.”
“<BR /> <BR />I take this opportunity to raise directly with the Minister the huge concern about his decision to reduce the housing association grant. A recent report by the Federation of Housing Associations states that the vast majority of housing schemes in places such as Belfast and Lisburn may become unviable and that that will impact heavily on the number of homes being built. It would be helpful if the Minister could share with Members the data that his Department holds that supports his assertion that the change will lead to more homes being built.”
“The motion calls on the Minister to introduce a moratorium on the house sales scheme, known as the right-to-buy scheme. Sinn Féin believes that that is a necessary step to stabilise our existing social housing stock. It is counter-intuitive to say that we must do all we can to build more social and affordable homes in order to reduce the waiting list while continuing to sell off hundreds of social homes per year under the house sales scheme. A moratorium or, better still, the outright ending of the right-to-buy scheme is now imperative if we want to get to grips with the housing crisis. The sooner that the Minister recognises that fact, the better, because the longer that he delays that decision, the worse off we will all be in the long run.”
“Homelessness prevention should be prioritised, and I look forward to working with the Minister on the issue, as I hope to introduce my homelessness prevention Bill in the Assembly in the near future.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is deeply regrettable that the British Government have decided to freeze the local housing allowance rates for the upcoming year. That decision will undoubtedly make it harder for renters on low incomes to sustain their tenancies, which will push more people into the social sector and further increase homelessness levels. The Minister will be acutely aware of the already unacceptably high numbers of people who are homeless and the extreme pressures on organisations that provide support under the Supporting People programme.”
“However, we also need to see progress on the revitalisation of the Housing Executive, which would give the Housing Executive the power to borrow against its assets and allow it to build more homes. I would appreciate the Minister giving an update on that revitalisation at some point and further detail on when he expects to publish the first action plan of the housing supply strategy. <BR /> <BR />We need to do more to protect renters from unfair rent increases. The Private Tenancies Act introduced by Deirdre Hargey during her time as Minister ushered in significant protections such as the limiting of rent increases to once a year. Now is the time to build on that by exploring other forms of rent control and learning from other jurisdictions that have successfully introduced such measures.”
“The housing supply strategy sets an ambitious target of at least 100,000 new homes over the next 15 years, with one third of those being social homes. It is absolutely vital that we start meeting that target now, or we will end up with a target that cannot be achieved in later years. We have debated many times in the Chamber the steps that need to be taken to meet the targets for social homes. I appreciate that the underfunding of the Executive by the British Government has made that a difficult task. However, I welcome the decision by the Finance Minister to prioritise social housing in recent monitoring rounds and in his draft multi-year Budget, in which he has allocated £423 million to social housing over the next four years.”
“I thank Members for tabling the motion on such a hugely important issue. The lack of housing supply has caused house prices and private rents to skyrocket in recent years. Rents have risen by over 50% in the past decade, far beyond the rate of inflation and, crucially, far beyond the growth in household incomes. In practice, that means that rents have become unaffordable for many renters, with many struggling households falling below the poverty line as a result. The situation is unsustainable. We need to see more support delivered to renters in both the immediate term and the longer term. <BR /> <BR />The root cause of the problem is the lack of housing supply, so we urgently need to see more homes being built.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“Can the First Minister confirm that Ministers are still on track to introduce the race and equality Bill as planned?”
“At the very end of the previous mandate, the Health Committee produced a legacy report — Alan was a colleague of mine on that Committee — where we identified the fact that, if we are going to provide world-class services for all of our people, we must work together better and, where we can, effectively across the island to provide those types of health services. <BR /> <BR />Finally, the reality of it is felt, as everyone has mentioned, in the impact that it is having on people. It is really desperate. I know of one case in my constituency of a mother who had to take her child to England for a post-mortem and did not even know, throughout her journey, whether she would be able to take her child's body home with her again. That is a horrendous situation to put people in, and we can do better.”
“I am delighted to join the debate. It is a really important topic and one that I have raised with the Minister, including during my time as Chair of the Health Committee. During that time, I visited the children's hospital in Crumlin, where the issue was raised with me. Staff there pointed out the fact that, to staff a full and proper rota, allowing people to have training opportunities, weekends and time with families and to cover emergencies, you need a minimum of four consultants. In their assessment, to justify that type of rota, you need a population of approximately seven million. They were making the point that they do not have that in the Twenty-six Counties and we clearly do not have it in the North but, together, we would have that.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. This is crucial not only to stabilisation but to any efforts to shift left and transform. <BR /> <BR />Given the difficulties, which have been acknowledged across the system, of recruiting GPs in rural areas, particularly rural border areas, can you commit to a clear timeline for full implementation? Can you also commit to prioritising the roll-out of those MDTs to the areas where they are needed most?”
“I think the deputy First Minister for the statement. I note that the Minister has advised that the Executive plan to set their first multi-year Budget in over a decade, providing Departments with the certainty needed to plan on a longer-term strategic basis and creating the conditions to drive improvements in public services and provide better support to our creative and artistic sector. Notwithstanding the damage done by years of austerity and sustained underfunding by the British Government, does the deputy First Minister agree that our collective focus must now be on developing the multi-year Budget that she referenced so that Departments can plan more strategically?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, I acknowledge and welcome your earlier comments about the value that sport brings to our communities. Can the Minister outline the proposals for supporting our local sporting organisations with improved facilities?”
“Éacht atá ann sin, agus cuirfidh an ócáid chéanna borradh ollmhór faoin chultúr agus faoin gheilleagar, ní hé amháin i mBéal Feirste ach ar fud an Tuaiscirt. Mar Ghaeilgeoir agus mar bhall de Chomhaltas Thír Eoghain, is maith a thuigim an tionchar cultúrtha a imríonn ár dteanga agus ár gceol ar gach duine a ghlacann leo. Cuirfear an ceol agus an cultúr saibhir s’againn i lár an aonaigh de thairbhe an Fhleadh a bheith ag teacht go Béal Feirste, agus beidh sí ina hócáid shuntasach ealaíne agus shóisialta chomh maith. Níl an bhliain úr ach ina tús. Tá am go leor ann go fóill le bheith ag freastal ar rang, le huirlis a fhoghlaim agus le suim a chur sa stair shaibhir againn. Ná fágtar síos siar san athbheochan sibh — bígí linn agus bainaigí sult as ár gcultúr.”
“For anyone who wants to use a headset: I will speak as Gaeilige. <BR /> <BR />Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh Gareth Wilson anseo agus guím athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh go léir. Bíonn deis againn ag tús na bliana ár machnamh a dhéanamh ar an am atá thart, agus rud is tábhachtaí ná sin, ar an am atá romhainn agus bheith ag pleanáil don todhchaí mar chuid de na rúin againn don athbhliain. Is iomaí sprioc shuntasach a bhain na Gaeil amach an bhliain seo caite: ceapadh Coimisinéir Teanga; ghlac Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste beartas nua teanga; bhí Oireachtas na Samhna den scoth i mBéal Feirste; agus gheall Catherine Connolly go ndéanfaí teanga oibre Áras an Uachtaráin den Ghaeilge. <BR /> <BR />D’fhógair Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann anuraidh go mbeadh Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann ag Béal Feirste i mbliana.”
“, as this is the last debate of the session, I wish all my colleagues and you a very happy, peaceful and reflective Christmas. Nollaig shona daoibh.”
“As we await the final draft of the strategy, I strongly urge the Minister to consider the many voices that are calling for a change of approach and to come back with a strengthened anti-poverty strategy that will make a real difference in eradicating poverty once and for all, wherever it occurs across the North. <BR /> <BR />With your indulgence, a LeasCheann Comhairle”
“While the publication of the strategy is indeed welcome — it was long overdue — the strategy falls short of what is needed and, as a result, has been criticised by anti-poverty experts, including some who helped to co-design the strategy. <BR /> <BR />Alan Chambers's point about working people is really important. We need to be careful and understand that there is no clear or easy divide between people who are on benefits and people who are working. Many of our people who are working — our working poor — are dependent on benefits as well, so it is not a question of some people who get up in the morning and are struggling and other people who do not. It is much more complicated than that, to be honest.”
“<BR /> <BR />We know that certain risk factors make someone more vulnerable to falling into poverty such as having a disability, being a carer, as Alan mentioned, or being in receipt of benefits. Other factors include low-wage or precarious employment, being a lone parent, geographical location and even gender. With regard to geographical location, poverty rates are generally even higher west of the Bann. Earlier this year, the Minister — I am glad to see him in the Chamber listening to the debate — published the long-awaited anti-poverty strategy, which promises to identify and address the root causes of poverty, mitigate its worst impacts and support people to exit poverty.”
“<BR /> <BR />Over recent years, a number of economic and political factors have had a disproportionately negative impact on those on lower incomes, including Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, the disastrous Tory mini-Budget and a prolonged period of British Government austerity, with signs that the Labour Government have carried it on, as Andrew mentioned. That combination of factors has undoubtedly led to an increase in the overall level of poverty in our society, with the most recent 'Poverty and Income Inequality' report showing that roughly 18% of our population live in relative poverty while 15% live in absolute poverty. The figures for children are even more shocking, with roughly 23% of children living in relative poverty and 20% of children living in absolute poverty.”
“Right now, as we debate the issue, there are people in our communities who do not have enough food to eat, do not have enough fuel to keep themselves warm or, potentially, do not even have a roof over their heads. Imagine what it must be like to wake every morning not knowing how you will feed yourself or your children or whether you will be able to afford to turn the heating on that day. We all have a moral obligation to do everything that we can to end that intolerable situation and ensure that everyone in our society has a fair chance in life.”
“I thank Connie for bringing the issue to the Floor. Although I do not represent North Down, I will say a few words as Sinn Féin's community spokesperson, as poverty is an issue that affects every town, village and area across the North. <BR /> <BR />As Connie said, it is important to recognise that deep poverty can exist side by side and cheek by jowl with massive wealth. On a global level, inequality is a pervasive issue at present. A number of years ago, the World Bank issued a warning to the wealthy that the inequality levels were no longer sustainable and had to be addressed. That is something that we locally need to take account of as well. <BR /> <BR />It is important that, when we discuss poverty, we remember the very human suffering that poverty inflicts on people every day in all our constituencies.”
“I thank the Minister for the statement. It is a very important strategy. The incorporation of the UNCRPD is an important factor. You have dealt with some of that already, Minister. <BR /> <BR />You stated that many Departments will have a role in delivering the strategy. Who will hold those Departments to account if progress stalls, and who will report to the Assembly if commitments are not met? How will you ensure that the regional forum, which is very welcome, has real teeth and is not simply an advisory body?”
“— laethúla. Tá siad le cosaint. Tá siad le ceiliúradh.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ba é an rud a bhí Rialtas na Breataine ag iarraidh a dhéanamh i gcás Kneecap ná srian a chur ar an chead cainte; sa chás sin, féachadh le lucht cáinte chinedhíothú Iosrael in Gaza a chur ina dtost. Ach d’éirigh le Rialtas na Breataine sárú ar cheart cruinnithe lucht agóide agus chuaigh ag Rialtas na Breataine cosc a chur ar Palestine Action. Léiríonn an dá shampla sin an gá atá le cearta a choinneáil agus a chosaint. Ach ab é an Coinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine, níorbh ann do phróiseas na síochána; agus ach ab é an Coinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine níorbh fhéidir próiseas na síochána a choinneáil ag gabháil. Trí chearta uilíocha agus comhionannas a leabú sa dlí, leanann sé de bheith ag tacú leis an athmhuintearas agus leis an chobhsaíocht dhaonlathach. <BR /> <BR />Seo iad ár mbunriachtanais —”
“<BR /> <BR />Cé go leanann na díospóireachtaí sin ar aghaidh sa Bhreatain, tá sé tábhachtach againne cuimhneamh ar an méid a chumasaigh an coinbhisiún anseo agus an méid sin a chosaint. Bhí ionchorprú an choinbhinsiúin sa dlí riachtanach le cearta saoránach a chosaint agus le muinín a chothú i gComhaontú Aoine an Chéasta. Cuireadh béim ar thábhacht an choinbhinsiúin sa chomhaontú um tharraingt siar i ndiaidh an Bhreatimeachta. Is maolú ríthábhachtach lenár síocháin agus ár rathúnas a chosaint i bhfianaise pholasaí díobhálach Rialtas na Breataine é. Rinneadh ionsaithe eile ar chearta, agus tá reachtaíocht sceimhlitheoireachta na Breataine ag gabháil faoi chearta fosta.”
“Tabharfar an ráiteas seo as Gaeilge. Dá bhrí sin, impím ar Chomhaltaí atá gan Ghaeilge a gcluasáin a chur orthu. <BR /> <BR />Déanfar Lá Chearta an Duine a chomóradh an tseachtain seo. Is é téama an lae i mbliana "Cearta an Duine, Ár mBunriachtanais Laethúla". Tá sé seo thar a bheith ábhartha, nó sheas mé sa tSeomra tá seachtainí beaga ó shin agus labhair mé ar a thábhachtaí a bhí an Coinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine agus an ról luachmhar a d’imir sé anseo in Éirinn agus mé ag comóradh 75 bliain ó bunaíodh an coinbhinsiún. Tá páirtithe polaitíochta áirithe sa Bhreatain ag rá gur chóir an Ríocht Aontaithe a tharraingt amach as an Choinbhinsiún Eorpach um Chearta an Duine, cinneadh a rachadh go holc do gach aon duine ar an oileán seo.”
“Minister, as we all know, Sport NI has been beset with governance issues for a number of years. It is crucial that that organisation has effective and stable leadership. Will the Minister give an update on the overall governance arrangements of Sport NI and whether he plans to review them?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Traders and businesses in towns such as Dungannon will warmly welcome any support that is going into regeneration. Will you outline how what you said in your oral statement can contribute towards regeneration?”
“First Minister, you will know that recent data from the PSNI has indicated that racist crimes here are at very worrying levels. Do you agree that there can be no tolerance for racism and that we must all work together to end that scourge?”
“Tá mé cinnte go bhfuil a dhála sin ag go leor againne. Dhéanfadh oifig pasanna sa Tuaisceart freastal ar na hiarratasóirí sin agus laghdódh sí an t-ualach oibre agus an riaráiste iarratas, chomh maith le fostaíocht a sholáthar do dhaoine sa Tuaisceart. <BR /> <BR />Tá an easpa gnímh ó thaobh na Roinne Gnóthaí Eachtracha de doghlactha. Léiríonn an ráchairt atá ag fás léi ar shaoránacht Éireannach sa Tuaisceart an gá práinneach atá le hoifig pasanna a oscailt anseo. Tá sé in am ag Rialtas na hÉireann éisteacht le glaonna agus oifig pasanna Éireannacha a bhunú sa Tuaisceart gan mhoill.”
“D’fhoilsigh an Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha figiúirí lena léirítear go bhfuarthas breis agus 120,000 iarratas ar phasanna ón Tuaisceart anuraidh. Ní rud nua an líon mór iarratas sin, agus níor cheart go gcuirfeadh sé iontas ar aon duine sa Teach. <BR /> <BR />Tá gach saoránach ar an oileán seo i dteideal pas Éireannach a fháil. Ar an drochuair, ainneoin gur léir go bhfuil ráchairt ar phasanna Éireannacha, níl oifig pasanna Éireannacha sa taobh seo d’Éirinn le freastal ar an ráchairt sin. An té a mbaineann moill nó míthapa dó pas a fháil ag an bhomaite dheireanach, caithfidh sé gabháil go Baile Átha Cliath nó Corcaigh le haghaidh coinní práinneacha. Is féidir go ndéanfaidh cailleadh do phas cúrsaí an-deacair costasach, mar shampla, is féidir go gcaillfidh daoine saoire atá beartaithe acu, tionól teaghlaigh nó imeachtaí tábhachtacha eile.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Minister, the number of pubs in the North is decreasing at an alarming rate, and the surrender principle has been highlighted as a key factor in the sector's rapid decline. Many hospitality businesses will be frustrated to hear that you have decided not to introduce any reforms to the surrender principle, despite the independent review recommending changes. What advice did your officials provide to you in relation to reform of the surrender principle, and did you accept that advice?”
“Overall, the Committee for Communities is content with the legislative consent motion. We recognise that the changes, which are based on the evidence that was received, are beneficial to people in the North and accept that the motion is an appropriate route towards ensuring parity and timely access to pension benefits. In closing, I thank the departmental officials for assisting and advising the Committee on the LCM.”
“<BR /> <BR />Finally, the Committee noted stakeholder calls for adequate resourcing of the Pensions Ombudsman so that it is able to efficiently handle any caseload and for a comprehensive communication strategy to be developed and implemented in relation to the pensions dashboard. <BR /> <BR />The Committee queried the Department's description of the changes as being "largely beneficial" rather than entirely so. Officials clarified that the wording reflects that some measures are technical fixes that are not necessarily advantageous, but are not disadvantageous, to individuals. Having read the evidence, the Committee accepts that position.”
“Furthermore, the Association of British Insurers stressed to us that the sequencing of the reforms is crucial. It argued that the contractual override power must be implemented before the new value-for-money framework and before any UK ministerial review of market fragmentation in order to enable providers to consolidate low-value schemes first. The Committee agrees that that sequencing appears logical and efficient. <BR /> <BR />Regarding the so-called Virgin Media provision, the Committee shares ICTU's view that robust safeguards must be in place to ensure that retrospective validation does not disadvantage any member or diminish their accrued benefits.”
“<BR /> <BR />During the evidence sessions, the Committee received vital clarification on two important points. First, residents in the South of Ireland who hold UK-based pensions will receive all the benefits of the changes in the legislation. Secondly, the Department does not believe that there is any diminution of members' rights as a result of those changes. However, our stakeholders raised several important points of concern. The Committee shares those points of concern and has detailed them in its report. <BR /> <BR />The contractual override provision rightly received the most scrutiny. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions expressed valid concerns about enabling providers to vary contracts without individual consent and urged that those powers be tightly constrained with robust safeguards and independent oversight.”
“To do otherwise could create a situation in which people here in the North are treated less favourably than those in Britain, delaying their access to entirely beneficial changes. <BR /> <BR />We also note that the LCM covers only five specific measures that are deemed to be time critical. A separate Executive Bill will be progressed for the remaining provisions in the Westminster Bill. The Committee welcomed assurances from officials that proceeding with the LCM will mean operational alignment with the British implementation timeline, thereby avoiding any gaps in provision here. <BR /> <BR />I will not go into detail and summarise the provisions. The Minister has very helpfully set those out, so I will not reiterate them. I will move instead to outline the Committee's scrutiny and key considerations.”
“Having completed that work, the Committee for Communities is content to support the motion. <BR /> <BR />The Committee is strongly of the opinion that, as the Minister stated, legislation on devolved matters should originate in the Assembly. However, pensions policy, while devolved, effectively operates as a single system across Britain and the North, as Members will be aware. <BR /> <BR />The Department also advised us that the Westminster Bill is expected to be operative by spring 2026 and that it would not be practically possible for a separate Assembly parity Bill to complete its passage in time to meet that date. Therefore, in this case, the Committee accepts the Department's rationale for using an LCM.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. As Chair of the Committee for Communities, I will contribute to the debate on the legislative consent motion for the Pension Schemes Bill. <BR /> <BR />The Committee for Communities undertook its scrutiny of the LCM over the full 15 days that were afforded to the Committee under Standing Order 42A(7). We initially received a detailed briefing from departmental officials and then immediately sought written evidence from key stakeholders, including the Association of British Insurers and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). Following that scrutiny, the Committee published a comprehensive report. That has been laid in the Business Office and the Assembly Library, so all Members have the opportunity to review it.”
“I thank the Minister for the statement. Minister, the Committee has asked in writing for further information on the change, given that it was announced during recess, which was more than two weeks ago. We look forward to receiving that information. <BR /> <BR />Who will carry the financial risk that is created by the reduced grant rate? I am particularly concerned about smaller housing associations in that regard. What assessment has your Department made of its borrowing capacity under the new arrangements?”