§ Mr. Clifford Forsytheasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will instruct the Housing Executive to investigate ways of providing tenants who do not wish, or cannot afford, to use the district heating system, with an electric immersion heater.
§ Mr. Chris Patten[pursuant to his reply, 15 July 1985, c. 45]: I understand from the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that the introduction of electric immersion heaters into a metered hot-water system would create practical difficulties. Moreover the voluntary disconnection of tenants from district heating systems on a wide scale would threaten the viability of the remaining schemes. The Housing Executive is however currently undertaking a programme of consultation with its tenants on the basis that its preferred option is the removal of district heating systems and their replacement with individual heating systems which may include electric immersion heaters.