§ Mr. Nicholsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what has been the cost to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for (a) legal fees and (b) all other costs concerned with sending contracts to arbitration since 1976;
503W(2) how many companies have been unable to fulfil contracts awarded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and have subsequently gone into voluntary liquidation since 1976;
(3) how many contracts awarded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive since 1976 and now complete (a) have final payments still not paid to the contractor and (b) are subject to arbitration;
(4) how many contracts awarded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive since 1976 have been through either arbitration or litigation and have been resolved; and what has been the extra cost to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on each contract over the agreed tender price;
(5) in how many cases companies on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive list of companies suitable to tender have gone into voluntary liquidation and some or all of the directors have then formed another company which is now on the same list, since 1976.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThese are matters for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. However, I understand from the chairman that the information is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants there were at the latest available date in Northern Ireland for Housing Executive accommodation in each council area; how many empty Housing Executive dwellings and units of accommodation there were in each area on the same date; how many of such dwellings or units of accommodation in each such area had been vacant for more than three months; and how many of the applicants have applied for accommodation in more than one council area.
§ Mr. Chris Patten[pursuant to his reply, 29 January 1985, c. 131]: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I understand from the chairman that the information is not readily available in the form requested. The information which is available is as follows:—
504W
District Council Area Number of First preference applicants on the waiting list Number of vacant properties Number vacant over 14 weeks Derry 1,360 228 177 Limavady 250 24 15 Coleraine 599 192 122 Ballymoney 266 23 17 Moyle 148 6 3 Larne 389 45 28 Ballymena 464 152 114 Magherafelt 293 14 1 Cookstown 289 5 — Strabane 373 20 15 Omagh 560 22 13 Fermanagh 524 45 27 Dungannon 472 94 44 Craigavon 1,043 886 808 Armagh 313 61 44 Newry and Moume 890 193 144 Banbridge 301 52 27 Down 561 66 40 Lisburn 1,470 60 30 Antrim 627 253 137 Newtownabbey 936 107 58
District Council Area Number of First preference applicants on the waiting list Number of vacant properties Number vacant over 14 weeks Carrickfergus 493 45 17 North Down 1,004 48 34 Ards 784 43 25 Castlereagh 1,077 29 16 Belfast 8,777 739 539 Total 24,263 3,452 2,495 Footnotes:
(a) the figures quoted are for 31 December 1984.
(b) the number of vacant properties in Redevelopment Areas has been excluded.