§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount owing in rent for Housing Executive houses; and what steps are being taken to reduce the amount.
§ Mr. ConcannonThe amount of rent and rates owed to the Housing Executive is estimated to be £5.2 million. Of the 30,000 tenants who are in arrears of £20 or more, about 18,000 have made voluntary arrangements to pay off arrears.
Under the arrangements for the allocation of social security payments towards arrears, 1,700 tenants are now having reductions made and, following the decisions announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 29th January 1976 to extend benefit allocation to all those in arrears, 800 cases per week are currently being referred by the Housing Executive to the benefits allocation branch 512W of the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services for possible action. In addition, allocations from the salaries and wages of 120 public sector employees who are in arrears are being made and some 1,300 tenants have been taken before the Enforcement of Judgements Office.
Wide publicity has also been given to the fact that tenants who fail to make arrangements to pay off arrears will be ineligible for rent rebates. I also understand that the Housing Executive is endeavouring to improve the contacts between its staff at local level and tenants who are in arrears.