§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present policy of his Department in regard to squatters and tenants in rent arrears when improvements are proposed for Housing Executive estates.
§ Mr. David MitchellThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but I understand from the chairman that the policy of the Housing Executive, which I support is, that where a dwelling is illegally occupied no works to improve the dwelling or its facilities will714W normally be carried out. Exceptionally, where the works are of such a nature that they must necessarily apply to a group of dwellings and the programme cannot otherwise proceed, illegally occupied dwellings may be included provided their numbers are not substantial.
Dwellings occupied by tenants in rent arrears are normally included in improvement schemes: but the Executive reserves the right to withhold improvements for debtors who have made no serious attempt to reduce substantial arrears.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will publish the total income of all Northern Ireland Housing Executive house sales both completed and not yet completed and the total discount made available to tenants;
(2) if he will publish the total income of all Northern Ireland Housing Executive house sales which have been completed to date and the estimated income from all sales not yet completed.
§ Mr. David MitchellThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I understand from the chairman that at 30 June 1982 the estimated value net of discounts of sales completed, including cases with solicitors for completion, was £92.9 million. The total estimated discount allowed to tenants was £76 million.
The estimated total value, net of discounts, of sales where offers had been accepted but solicitors had not been instructed was £10.6 million. Discounts in these cases are estimated to amount to £8.67 million.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland Housing Executive tenants have applied to purchase their homes; how many sales are not yet completed; and what are the reasons for any delays.
§ Mr. David MitchellThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but I understand from the chairman that at 16 July 1982 the position was as shown in the table below:
Numbers Applications received 35,974 Applications invalid/withdrawn 4,087 Offers made 31,442 Offers accepted 15,878 Contracts completed/or currently with Solicitors 14,257 Earlier delays caused by large numbers of applications have now largely been overcome. Only short delays are now being experienced. A few cases remain where delay occurs because of difficulties in establishing title.
I believe that the Executive have made commendable progress in house sales and have been able over the last year to speed up the processing of applications to a gratifying extent.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many empty properties were owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive at the latest date for which figures are available; if he will publish any geographical breakdown which is available; and if he will set out the figures for those properties which have been empty for more than three months in each case.
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to his reply, 27 July 1982, c. 494]: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I understand from the chairman that 715W at 31 March 1982 the Executive had 3,268 vacant properties outside redevelopment areas. The breakdown by Executive district offices was:
NIHE Number of vacant properties Number vacant over 14 weeks Ballymena 119 103 Antrim 100 52 Newtownabbey 1 70 57 Newtownabbey 2 8 2 Carrickfergus 37 36 Larne 96 88 Ballycastle 7 2 Ballymoney 6 1 Belfast 1 45 45 Belfast 2 60 59 Belfast 3 42 42 Belfast 4 162 162 Belfast 5 618 592 Belfast 6 153 147 Belfast 7 96 90 Londonderry 1 41 40 Londonderry 2 13 11 Londonderry 3 3 0 Limavady 3 2 Coleraine 84 48 Magherafelt 4 2 Strabane 12 12 Banbridge 37 31 Newry 1 107 98 Newry 2 12 3 Kilkeel 2 0 Armagh 23 15 Craigavon 989 884 Lurgan 33 16 Portadown 127 125 Bangor 2 0 Newtownards 1 6 2 Newtownards 2 8 7 Dundonald 3 2 Newtownbreda 14 14 Lisburn 16 10 Dunmurry 13 7 Poleglass 1 1 Downpatrick 17 15 Omagh 4 1 Cookstown 4 2 Dungannon 57 55 Enniskillen 14 13 Total 3,268 2,889