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I thank the Minister for the work that he is doing on the anti-poverty strategy. He was the Minister who brought forward a strategy for consultation — I did not see too many others doing so. Has any impact assessment been carried out on Labour's changes, as proposed in the Green Paper, and how they may impact on…
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.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. The Minister will know that the lifestyle framework is intended to provide coherent life stage-specific support from early age to old age, but, as he will also know, stakeholders argue that the draft strategy has diluted its ambition. Will the Minister outline whether…
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,…
We have seen the cost of housing on the north coast reaching astronomical levels due to the Open, with the cost of a week's stay in the thousands. That is driving people out of homes and making housing unaffordable. Does the Minister agree that that is further evidence of the need for rent controls and rent reductions?
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.
Minister, will you clarify whether you believe that being drawn out of a hat is an appropriate method of allocating future intermediate rent properties?
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.
Given that it is a new and innovative product, how will the Department ensure that the homes that are built will match need and be built where they are most needed?
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 thank the Minister for that update. Indeed, we received a briefing on the intermediate rent scheme at the Committee recently. In areas of higher rents, it particularly benefits lower-income households that do not have points for social housing. Can the Minister advise the House of when we can expect those homes to…
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.
I understand that a previous law change has allowed landlords to split houses into three, which, in turn, in Ballymena, has allowed a number of HMOs to fall by the wayside, because they no longer fall into the category of a HMO. Minister, what steps will you take to tighten the law and to ensure that councils are…
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…
Earlier today, I received an email from a constituent whom I will not name. He said that, on Friday evening, a group of people knocked on his front door to enquire as to whether he would support an upcoming protest about housing for local people in the area. He said politely that he would not. His wife had immigrated…
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…
I thank the Minister for his answer. I direct him to his Department's Building Successful Communities programme, which had six pilot areas, including one in the Doury Road area of my North Antrim constituency. The programme was able to bring together people from the Protestant, Catholic and Travelling communities. It…
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…
Minister, have you been or will you be making the argument in the Executive that any Barnett consequential arising from the UK Government's £13·2 billion warm homes plan to tackle fuel poverty should be ring-fenced to tackle fuel poverty here, where it is worse?
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…
Minister, with 280,000 households in Northern Ireland facing fuel poverty, one solution is to make use of surplus renewable electricity, particularly from wind. Will the Minister update and expand the energy support schemes to include an option to install technological solutions that harness surplus renewable energy…
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…