§ Dr. Michael Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many grants for homes insulation have been given in each year since 1978; and what estimate he has of the number of grants paid to households where one member of the household was in receipt of supplementary benefit.
§ Dr. BoysonI am informed by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which administers the home insulation grant scheme in the Province, that the number of grants paid in each year since 1 December 1978 is as follows:
Year Grants *1978–79 1,882 1979–80 11,119 1980–81 7,452 1981–82 7,267 1982–83 5,844 1983–84 4,984 1984–85 4,999 43,547 * 1 December 1978 to 31 March 1979. In 1984–85 (the only year for which a figure is available) 850 grants were paid to households of which one or more members were in receipt of supplementary benefit.
§ Dr. Michael Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the number of public sector houses which do not benefit from adequate insulation.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThis is a matter for the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who has advised me that about 47,000 Housing Executive dwellings do not have adequate roof space insulation. There are about 30,000 dwellings which could benefit by having cavity wall insulation but do not at present have such insulation.