HC Deb 10 November 1988 vol 140 cc467-8
1. Mr. A. Cecil Walker

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many flues in houses owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive have been relined during the past five years; and what is the projection of numbers for the period up to 31 March 1990.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Richard Needham)

The chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive tells me that records exist only for the last four years, during which 11,157 flues were relined in specific upgrading programmes. A further 4,285 are expected to be relined by the end of March 1990. Other relinings are carried out in comprehensive improvement programmes, but separate figures are not available.

Mr. Walker

I thank the Minister for that reply, but he must be aware that many people have purchased their Housing Executive homes through Government encouragement. Is he aware that, unfortunately, many of those people have defective chimneys due to the flawed rubber sausage method which is used to repair defective flues? As many people are financially unable to have those defects remedied, I ask the Minister, especially in the interests of health, to agree to have those chimneys repaired, either by direct labour or by grant-aid.

Mr. Needham

As much as I should like to help the hon. Gentleman's constituents with the problems caused by their flues, the fact is that they bought the houses from the Housing Executive. If they bought the houses under conditions which were not for any particular reason made clear to them, they can of course take legal action, as I believe some already have. However, the principle of caveat emptor has to be maintained and, of course, it is really up to the purchaser to sort out the matter with the Housing Executive.

Rev. Ian Paisley

Will the hon. Gentleman keep in mind the great hardship that occurs when this alteration is carried out, as many people have had to leave their homes because of the state of their bedrooms and living-rooms? The workmanship has not been of the best standard in many instances. Will he urge the Housing Executive, when it alters the remaining flues, to ensure that proper facilities are provided while the alteration is carried out, and that compensation for the loss of furniture, carpets, curtains and facilities is paid quickly and properly?

Mr. Needham

I shall, of course, bring the hon. Gentleman's points before the chairman of the Housing Executive. I am sure he will agree that everything possible should be done to make certain that the tenants are adequately looked after while those operations are undertaken. I should say, perhaps, that the cost involved is £600 to £700. Although I realise that it is an imposition, it is still a fairly small amount of money in comparison with the value of the home.

Mr. Beggs

Will the Minister confirm that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive was responsible for the original design of the flues installed in these houses? Are thousands of houses in my constituency having flues relined because there was an inherent design fault in the original system, and are people at risk for as long as those defective flues are not repaired?

Mr. Needham

It is because the flues are defective that the Housing Executive is undertaking this programme throughout its stock—as quickly as possible. If, of course, the Housing Executive is at fault because of the design, the owners or tenants should take it up with the Housing Executive or go through the courts.