§ 2. Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to restructure the board of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
§ Mr. GoodhartNo, Sir.
§ Mr. RossIs not the Minister aware that since the Housing Executive was set up it has managed to provide fewer than 5,000 new dwellings a year? Is not that a far smaller number than was provided by the former housing authorities in Northern Ireland? Would it not be wise to restructure the board of the Housing Executive so that it might more fully reflect the opinions of the electors in Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. GoodhartA majority of the members of the board of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are members of district councils. As the hon. Member knows, since the Northern Ireland Housing Executive came into existence the building programme in his constituency has been exceedingly large. Looking at the number of houses built in Londonderry and comparing it with the numbers in towns of approximately the same size in North-West England, one sees that Londonderry is about five times better off.
§ Rev. Ian PaisleyWill the Minister confirm what he said just now, which was that the majority of the board of the Housing Executive were members of district councils? Will he give the House the breakdown of the board of the Housing Executive?
§ Mr. GoodhartFive of the eight members of the present board—because there is one vacancy—are members of district councils.