HL Deb 12 May 1980 vol 409 cc89-90WA
Lord HYLTON

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the permitted capital expenditure of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive financed by borrowing from the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund (as stated in Lord Elton's written reply of 16th April 1980; col. 400) has been underspent in 1976–77 and subsequent years, and, if so, by how much; whether under- spending will in future be avoided by closer liaison with registered housing associations; and whether, in view of the cut of some 33 per cent. in its 1980–81 house buildings programme, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is eligible to borrow or receive grants from any of the various financial institutions of the EEC.

Lord ELTON

There has been no significant underspending of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's capital budget in 1976–77 and subsequent years. The executive's expenditure as compared with their approved budget has been as follows:

Financial Year Capital Budget Capital Expenditure £ million Variation
1976–77 … 106.5 106.3 −0.2
1977–78 … 105.0 104.8 −0.2
1978–79 … 98.0 95.8 −2.2
1979–80 … 87.0 88.4 ±1.4
The capital expenditure of both the Housing Executive and registered housing association is monitored closely by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland with the object of reallocating resources should any potential underspending of their budgets become apparent.

I understand that the European Regional Development Fund and the European Investment Bank do not at present make funds available for housing projects except in a limited number of cases where new public sector housing is required as an integral and essential element in a major new industrial development project.