Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
The remaining actions that I will deliver in the current mandate are the introduction of longer notice to quit periods, the amendment of landlord registration regulations to make the scheme a more meaningful tool in raising property standards and consideration of the best way forward in respect of minimum energy…
I agree. We have not only a Programme for Government commitment but, importantly, a housing supply strategy in which Executive colleagues have pledged to work together to identify the issues that impact on supply so that we can target those and make sure that we have more homes, including more social homes. It is only…
The social housing development programme is one of the areas in the Programme for Government with an actual target. Does the Minister agree therefore that there is, in fact, an onus on the Executive to prioritise capital to it?
Absolutely, we are ready to go. It is always the case that we have a plan. It is about getting the funding in place. I have full confidence in the team, the housing associations and the work through the Housing Executive to make sure that, when additional capital funding is made available, we are ready to go. That is…
Should more capital funding come through the spending review, as the Minister mentioned, is his Department ready to go, and what number of homes could it deliver with additional funding?
I do not have that information with me, but I am happy to provide that to the Member to see whether an evaluation has been done. Nothing comes to mind at the moment.
Will the Minister confirm whether, under the social housing development programme, he has undertaken an evaluation of the outcomes of the shared housing programme?
Over-55s accommodation is a key part of the social homes that are offered through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and other housing associations. Modelling is done and demand is counted, and actions flow from that. The Member is absolutely right to raise the issue: we need more social homes across all the…
An issue that we get all the time in my constituency is older people who want to downsize but say that there is no availability of specific accommodation for the over-55s. Will the Minister outline the plans he and his Department have either to build or to repurpose specific over-55s accommodation?
At the start of last year, I had the budget in place to build 400 social home new starts. We ended up with over 1,500, so we do not judge the success of the Executive on where we are at the beginning of the year. Additional money will become available. We have the spending review later this week as well, and I am…
I thank the Minister for his precise and concise answer. The allocation that he has made, further to the allocation that he received from the Finance Minister, shows that the Executive will fall not just short, but far short, of their target for social home starts by the end of the mandate. Will he confirm, on the…
I am not sure what the Member means, because, of course, they go onto a list and are allocated a place. On the wider issue of immigration, I have visited many primary schools where there are children from all over the globe. Many of those children are from families contributing positively to Northern Ireland; of…
I advise the Member that, certainly from my viewpoint, it is basic and logical. The provision of public services has two aspects: supply and demand. We need to do much more to ensure that the supply of GPs, health services and houses can be increased to meet demand. However, increased demand inevitably means…
I thank the Member for his follow-up question. Look, I do not live in a world of wishes and lullabies; I live in reality, and that reality is that we need to get agreement on the future of the site. I believe that we have agreement on around 95% of the site for sport, community, nature and economic development. That…
I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer. We have heard it before. It goes round and round, and we never get anywhere. We are tired of inaction, platitudes and words. We need action. Sensitivities cannot continue to be an excuse for doing absolutely nothing. Is there the political will in her party to see the…
I thank the Member for his question. I echo what I said on that occasion: I want to see the site moved forward. As I said, that can happen only in a space where we work with people with regard to the sensitivities — genuine sensitivities — and hurt about things that happened on that site. As I have indicated, I do not…
I thank the Member for her question. This is not about calling out just one side. I appeal to the Member to make sure that, in calling out such behaviour, she calls out all sides. There are activities by criminal organisations and by dissident republicans; there is glorification of the terrorism of the past; and there…
I thank the deputy First Minister. Loyalist paramilitaries are behind many disgraceful attacks such as the ones that I mentioned. Does the deputy First Minister agree that it is entirely unacceptable in 2025 that loyalist paramilitary groups still exist, intimidating families and exerting control over communities?…
I thank the Member for her question. There is no space for sectarianism in our society. Whether it comes from thugs who threaten others, from people who attempt to intimidate or from bands, singers or whoever else who are trying to put across messages that are clearly deeply sectarian, it is wrong, and we need to call…
Absolutely. We hope not only that we will get additional funds but that the funding will cover a number of years. As part of that, I will make the case for additional funds for policing. Those are absolutely necessary. The PSNI needs to be given the funds that it requires to fulfil what it needs to do, which is to…
I thank the Member for his important question. Confidence in policing and justice is hugely important, but it is also important that policing and justice get the support that they need in order to do what they need to do. We have heard clearly from the Chief Constable the pressures that the PSNI is under. We need to…
I thank the Member for his question. People's cultural traditions and identities should be respected across the piece. The Member may not like that tradition, but he does not have to. He does, however, have to respect the fact that there is difference in identities and that people have pride in their long-running…