HC Deb 22 February 1980 vol 979 cc381-3W
Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Northern Ireland Housing Executive tenants who wish to purchase their homes will be allowed family mortgages.

Mr. Goodhart

Tenants of Housing Executive dwellings who wish to purchase their homes under the Executive's house sales policy will be able to secure the conveyance of the house to themselves and up to three other members of their household providing they have been living with the tenant continuously for six months at the date of application. Any persons thus entitled to purchase will be eligible to apply for a mortgage under the Executive's home loans scheme.

Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if tenants of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive will be given the right of one successor tenancy.

Mr. Goodhart

Where any tenant of a Northern Ireland Housing Executive dwelling dies, the tenancy may pass to a surviving relative provided that the relative has resided in the dwelling for the six months prior to the death of the tenant.

Consideration is being given to including the right of one succesor tenancy in forthcoming Northern Ireland housing legislation.

Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost of converting all Northern Ireland Housing Executive dwellings in Londonderry which are heated by gas to other forms of heating; and when he expects the conversion to be completed.

Mr. Goodhart

This is a matter for the Housing Executive, but I understand from the Executive that this cost would be about £1.8 million. The timing of this work depends on the timetable for the run-down of the gas undertaking.

Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if tenants of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are allowed to take in lodgers and sublet part of their dwellings.

Mr. Goodhart

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I understand that under the terms of their tenancy agreements Northern Ireland Housing Executive tenants may take in lodgers or sub-let part of their dwellings provided they have obtained the written permission of the Executive's district manager.

Mr. W. Benyon

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is in a position to make an announcement about the capital programme of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for 1980–81 and the 1980 decision about rent levels.

Mr. Goodhart

Yes. I have indicated to the Housing Executive that £112 million at 1980–81 outturn prices will be available to it for its capital budget in 1980–81. In reaching this decision I have taken into account the serious housing position in Northern Ireland, especially in Belfast.

To assist in financing the revenue expenditure of the Housing Executive, the rents of Housing Executive houses are to be increased by an average of £1.60 per week with effect from 2 June 1980. In determining this increase account was taken of the guideline of £1.50 from 1 April and the supplementary guideline of a further 60p from the end of September for increases in council house rents in England and Wales leading to an average increase of £1.80 for England and Wales over 1980–81 as a whole.