Debate contribution: Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Spring Supplementary Estimates 2023-24 and Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Estimates: Vote On Account 2024-25
Debate contribution by Mr Brian Kingston on .
- MLA
- Mr Brian Kingston
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 9 April 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Spring Supplementary Estimates 2023-24 and Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Estimates: Vote On Account 2024-25
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4481931
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I will carry on and speak as a member of the Communities Committee. I recognise that this is a largely procedural debate regarding the finances in the last financial quarter, but it provides an opportunity to make some important points and highlight needs. During my time on the Committee, we have been receiving briefings, catching up on matters and hearing regularly about the consequences of an inadequate departmental budget and the financial pressures that have resulted from that. For example, as many Members are aware, staff employed in neighbourhood renewal partnerships did not hear until 27 March whether their funding would continue into the new financial year. That was, literally, with a few days to go until the new financial year. They have now been given a three-month contract and await a full departmental budget being set. They did not know that until there were only a few days to go, and they have only a three-month contract. They were told that they would get a two-year contract in the last financial year but the second year of that was to be confirmed, so it was not really a two-year budget at all. Also, I am advised that there was no pay increase last year. For the two previous years, the increase was just 2%, so it did not keep up with inflation, and for the 11 years before that there was no increase at all. I am hearing concerns that some staff may be being paid below the minimum wage based on their actual working hours. Those are staff who are working in many of our most disadvantaged communities. They are trying to promote neighbourhood regeneration, deliver community services, promote community development and capacity building and run advice services. There is concern that those neighbourhood renewal partnerships are losing staff. The situation is demoralising: people are looking to other sectors where they can get paid and have more job security. That is a need that we will continue to highlight on the Committee and with the Minister.
It is widely recognised that the rate of new social housing completion is not keeping pace with housing need. The Department has committed to building around 1,500 new social houses this year, but, at the same time, the Housing Executive's stock is declining by around 500 properties each year due to the right-to-buy scheme. The Housing Executive's stock is now around 83,000. It was once much greater than that — it was once close to double that number. We also know that reliance on temporary accommodation continues to grow year-on-year. It greatly increased during COVID, and it has not declined since. That is another key need that must be addressed. We also heard about the number of vacancies that are in the Department. A number of issues have contributed to that, but, certainly, finance is one that has resulted in the high level of vacancies, particularly in public-facing services. We have been told, however, that progress is now being made. We will continue to highlight the financial needs of the Department in responding to those societal needs, particularly for services that support low-income households. The DUP is leading the charge at Westminster for a funding package for Northern Ireland that will be based on the recognised level of need here in the same way that such a package was provided for Wales. Our interim party leader, Gavin Robinson, has been spearheading that campaign, and we will be unrelenting in demanding a needs-based Budget for Northern Ireland.
584 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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