All of Mr Gordon Lyons’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
The strategy is trying to do exactly that by minimising the risk of people falling into poverty, helping people deal with the impacts of poverty and, importantly, assisting people out of poverty. That is not something that we can do by ourselves. It will also take the work of the Northern Ireland Executive — not just…
Yes, there is an extensive evidence base. That changed as we moved through the process, as it was acknowledged that a lifecycle approach would have required the development of separate actions to lift children out of poverty. It is widely acknowledged that it is impossible to lift children out of poverty without…
We had completed the impact assessment on the Government's proposals, but they have now been changed. I have met Minister Timms three times in the past week. It is important that we work together on the issues. I am concerned at media reports across the UK that the changes will still result in hundreds of thousands of…
Yes, this has been a genuine co-design process and, as a result, many of the actions that the co-design group was calling for are in the strategy. Yes, we will have measurable actions and measurable targets. That will be part of the action plan.
A number of approaches were considered in developing the strategy. However, the three-pillar approach adopted by the Executive has been informed by evidence and will allow for a holistic approach that focuses most effectively on the root causes of poverty and its impacts. It will allow interventions to have an impact…
No, I do not. First, we should not use that specific example to drive policy for all of Northern Ireland. Secondly, according to our evidence, rent controls would make the situation worse as they would lead to more landlords and properties leaving the market and rents being pushed up for everybody else. Unfortunately,…
I do not think that I have ever said that we are going to draw anything out of a hat. As I have said, it will be done on the basis of a fair and transparent application process.
That will be done through a fair and transparent process. We want to see the homes built right across Northern Ireland in locations where high rental prices and high demand exist. Once the detail on delivery locations and the final funding package has been confirmed, I will update the Member on the details.
Funding will be released in early 2026. We expect construction to take around 12 months, which means that, by the end of the mandate, we will have begun work on the first 300 homes. Intermediate rent is an innovative product. Such a scheme has not been done before. We have brought it to this point, and we will deliver…
I plan to award a financial transactions capital (FTC) loan to Maple and May to support the delivery of the first 300 homes. That will be in addition to the funding that is available to support the provision of other intermediate and social housing in line with the housing supply strategy. Discussions are progressing…
The Member is right to highlight the fact that HMOs are primarily the responsibility of local councils. If, however, he has any specific examples that he would like me to look at, I am happy to do so.
We do not want to see any sort of intimidation whatsoever. I want to make sure that we have the number of homes that we need in Northern Ireland. I also want to make sure that we listen to concerns. We do not want to go to either extreme. We do not want to pretend that there is no issue with housing, but nor do we…
First, I thank the Member for the work that he has been doing in his local area. He has been on the ground talking and, importantly, listening to concerns rather than just lecturing people. We need to see more of that approach. He is right: we had the Building Successful Communities programme in place from 2012 to…
Through its community involvement and cohesion strategy, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive creates opportunities to enter dialogue, build capacity and confidence and empower communities to get the best outcomes for their neighbourhoods and to contribute to greater community cohesion. The Housing Executive's good…
I will absolutely make that case. I met the UK Government Minister on this just a couple of weeks ago. As the Member outlined, significant funding is being made available on a UK-wide basis. I certainly will make the case for that money to be ring-fenced so that we can have the full benefit of it in Northern Ireland…
The Member will be aware that the energy strategy and how we take that forward is a matter for the Minister for the Economy, but I am, of course, happy to work with her to make sure that we can deal with the issue, because it is right that we look at the options that are available to us. She is shaking her head, but…
No, that bid was not met. That is disappointing, because these are actions that we can take that will make a difference and will make sure that we make a change in people's lives. I hope that, if Members are concerned about the issue, they will lobby the Finance Minister and others to ensure that we have that funding…
Of course, it will have an impact. That is something that I have said from the start: the plan would always be flexible to take into consideration the fact that they are not issues that we deal with by ourselves and that we need to work with the UK Government and, of course, other stakeholders.
The fuel poverty strategy consultation closed on 6 March. Analysis of the responses to the consultation has been completed, and a summary will be published later this summer. Informed by the consultation, my fuel poverty strategy team is continuing to discuss and agree various aspects of the final strategy with other…
Thank you very much, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for Foyle Sinéad McLaughlin for bringing the debate to the Chamber today. I agree with nearly everything that she said, and, indeed, I agree with many of the comments made by Members around the Chamber. However, as she would probably expect, I…
I want to make it very clear, as I did at the start of my comments, that I welcome the debate, am more than happy to be held to account and want to focus on this issue. The Member certainly cannot level that accusation at us today. I am more than happy to have that discussion and make sure that we are held to account.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I begin by sincerely thanking the Opposition for tabling the motion. I am always happy for there to be a focus on the subject. It is important to me and to the people of Northern Ireland. I thank Mr Durkan for his tone today, which has been uncharacteristically conciliatory. I think…
Of course I will listen to the consultation. That is the whole point of it. I will pick up on a couple of issues that the Member raised, the first of which is targets. No, there are no targets on it, because, as I have said before, targets will come later in the action plan, and monitoring will come at that stage as…
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wish to update the Assembly on the Executive's draft anti-poverty strategy. For too long, there has been no joined-up, cross-departmental approach to tackling the problem of poverty in our society. That will soon change. I am pleased to announce that, following the Executive's agreement on a…
I beg to move The regulations are part of the annual uprating package and increase the lump sum compensation that is payable by the scheme under the Mesothelioma, etc., Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. Unlike the main benefits uprating order, there is no explicit requirement in the regulations to review the level of…