HC Deb 27 January 1977 vol 924 cc773-5W
Mr. Carson

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the outcome of police investigations ordered by him last year into the leakage of official documents from the Northern Ireland Department of Housing (now Environment) and the Housing Executive; and if any charges are pending in relation to this matter.

that it is not possible, without disproportionate use of resources, to provide an estimate of the number of farms eligible for assistance.

Mr. Mason

As a result of their investigations the police furnished a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland on the basis of which the Director directed "No Prosecution". There are no charges pending.

Mr. Carson

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance was made available to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive after December 1974 to allow the work to continue at Moyard and Whiterock.

Mr. Carter

Between December 1974 and March 1975 inclusive the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's rehabilitation schemes at Moyard and Whiterock in Belfast were undertaken as part of the Executive's wider repairs ad maintenance programmes. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning did not provide any specific assistance related directly to these schemes, although it ultimately met an overall deficit which arose out of the inadequacy of the Executive's rent, grant and subsidy income to cover its full operating costs, including repairs and maintenance costs. From April 1975 the Department recouped 100 per cent. of the expenditure incurred on certain approved rehabilitation schemes, including Moyard—with Turf Lodge and Springhill—to an amount of £2,223,500 from 1st April 1975 to 24th November 1976. Expenditure on the Whiterock scheme continues to be carried as part of the repairs and maintenance budget of the Executive.

Mr. Carson

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the advice given to the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office in December 1974 to January 1975, by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, about its financial resources to continue rehabilitation projects at Moyard and Whiterock; and what action he took.

Mr. Carter

No formal advice was given to the Minister of State on this subject by the Housing Executive. He was, however, approached during this period by public representatives who were concerned about the paying off of men because the Executive's allocation for those schemes in its repairs and maintenance budget for the then current financial year was virtually exhausted. In the course of subsequent discussions between officers of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning and of the Executive, the Department urged the Executive to consider using underspending elsewhere in the housing programme to make it possible to continue work on these schemes for the remainder of the financial year.