HC Deb 19 January 1995 vol 252 cc842-3
9. Mr. Clapham

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is taking to tackle homelessness.

Mr. Moss

The Housing Executive, having statutory responsibility for dealing with homelessness, arranges temporary and permanent accommodation throughout Northern Ireland. Its housing selection scheme gives top priority particularly to families accepted as homeless. The executive and other local bodies also provide extensive advice to those who are homeless, or who are threatened with homelessness.

Mr. Clapham

I am rather disappointed by the Minister's reply. He will be aware that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive completed only 810 units last year. He will also know that on 31 March 1994 there were 10,579 people listed as priority cases on the housing list. Shelter has estimated that there is a need to complete 2,000 housing units a year if we are to get to grips with the problem of homelessness in Northern Ireland. Does the hon. Gentleman agree with Shelter? If not, can he tell us why?

Mr. Moss

I certainly do not agree with Shelter. The executive is building fewer new homes because demand for houses has fallen. Over the past 13 years the urgent waiting list has fallen from nearly 19,000 applicants to 11,100, and executive dwellings are readily available in many parts of the Province.

In 1994–95, the executive hopes to complete 830 new homes and to re-let 10,000 existing properties.

Mr. Clifford Forsythe

All right hon. and hon. Members are most anxious that all homeless people should be properly housed; but what progress has been made in overcoming the problem of benefit fraud in connection with giro drops, for which Housing Executive dwellings are being used as cover? If those houses were brought back into the general Housing Executive scheme of things, greater numbers of houses would be available for homeless people. Will the proposed reduction in Housing Executive staff have no effect on detecting giro drops?

Mr. Moss

The Housing Executive will have total resources of about £541 million for 1995–96. I am confident that that will be sufficient to enable the executive to continue to deal effectively with homelessness and to improve housing conditions.

I agree entirely with the hon. Gentleman about fraud. It is covered by the review that I am undertaking in my Department with the DSS, to ensure that we clamp down on this unacceptable activity.