§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions in the financial year 1990–91 grant applications to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive were refused on the ground that the508W contractor proposed to carry out the work was not on the Executive's approved list of contractors; in how many cases the applicant was informed that an alternative contractor could qualify; and what was the average delay in processing claims using the new contractor.
§ Mr. NeedhamThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but the chairman has advised me that information about such cases is not collected and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since the introduction of the warranted builders scheme in August 1987 the number of refusals arising from proposed use of a non-warranted builder have been few. During the past year approximately 12 cases received exceptional approval for the use of non-warranted builders.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many applications for grant aid to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which are still under consideration, were submitted to each office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive prior to(a) 1 January 1991, (b) 1 October 1990, (c) 1 July 1991, (d) 1 April 1990 and (e) 1 January 1990, respectively;
(2) how many grant applications were referred for an occupational therapist's report by each office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, in each month since 1988.
§ Mr. NeedhamThese questions are for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but the chairman has advised me that the information sought is not recorded in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average time lapse between the referral of a grant application, by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, to an occupational therapist, and the receipt by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive of recommendations of the occupational therapist.
§ Mr. NeedhamThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but the chairman has advised me that the average response time varies by region as follows:
- Belfast—11 months (although east and south Belfast average only 2 months)
- North East—2–3 months
- West—11 months (Derry substantially longer than Omagh and Enniskillen)
- South—4–5 months
- South East—3 months
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average time lapse between receipt of an application for grant aid by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the initial house inspection by a grants officer.
§ Mr. NeedhamThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but the chairman has advised me that the average time lapse between receipt of an application and initial inspection is currently nine weeks.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for(a) intermediate grant, (b) conversion grant, (c) repair grant and (d) improvement grant, respectively, were (i) received and (ii) approved by each office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, in each month since 1988.
§ Mr. NeedhamThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but the chairman has advised me that 509W in relation to the numbers of applications received this information is not available in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Details of the numbers of applications approved have been placed in the Library.