§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of proposals for wheelchair housing units, mobility housing units, and sheltered housing units for people under 65 years of age, respectively, which have been submitted to his Department by local authorities in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; if he will list the number of starts and completions, respectively, by each authority in each category; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 4th February 1976; Vol. 723W 904, c. 587], gave the following information:
Responsibility for the provision of housing for the disabled in the Province rests solely with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. The Executive also liaises with the area boards of the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services in an ongoing programme of adaptations to existing houses.
Information relating specifically to people under 65 years of age is not available, but the overall provision of units during the last 12 months is as follows:
Wheelchair housing units Mobility housing units Sheltered housing units Starts 7 0 0 Completions 4 0 22 I am at present looking at the arrangements for the provision of housing accommodation for the disabled in Northern Ireland with a view to ensuring that their needs are met as fully and as quickly as possible. I have already indicated that in this connection I foresee an increasing role for voluntary housing associations.