§ Mr. Mallonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the allocation of funds to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for capital works to existing dwellings as at 1 April 1986;
(2) what was the outturn figure for capital works carted out to existing dwellings owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as at 31 March 1987;
(3) what was the funding allocation to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for capital works to existing dwellings in the south region as at 1 April 1986;
(4) what was the outturn figure for capital works to existing dwellings in the south region of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as at 31 March 1986;
(5) what increased funding was requested by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for capital expenditure to existing dwellings at the last autumn review; and what increase was allocated;
(6) what increased funding was requested by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for the south region at the last autumn review; and what increase was allocated.
§ Mr. Needham[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1987, c. 118–19]:The Housing Executive's budget for capital works existing dwellings approved by the Department of the Environment (NI) for 1986–87 was £64 million. Additional capital receipts, savings elsewhere within the Executive's budgets and the transfer of a surplus of £1.5 million from the co-ownership scheme led the Executive to seek a number of revisions to its approved budgets in the autumn, including an increase to £68 million in the budget for work to existing dwellings. I understand from the Housing Executive that, on the basis of provisional figures, outturn for capital works to existing dwellings in 1986–87 is estimated to have been £67.9 million.
248WThe distribution of resources to its regions within agreed objectives and priorities is a matter for the Housing Executive and I shall arrange for the chairman to write to the hon. Member about the position in the south region.
§ Mr. Seamus Mallonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the period of the delay in a payment from the Masonic Housing Association to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for a housing development in Donaghadee, established by a local government audit; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if the normal accounting procedures of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive were implemented in relation to a payment from the Masonic Housing Association in respect of a housing development in Donaghadee; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Needham[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1987, c. 118–19]:A payment of £322,000 was made to the Masonic Housing Association (NI) Ltd. by the Department of the Environment (NI) on 23 March 1984 to allow the association to meet part of the cost of 20 dwellings constructed for it at Donaghadee by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, within a total contract of 40 dwellings.
I understand from the chairman of the Housing Executive that a recoverable charge was not formally raised against the association at the time in accordance with normal procedures. Payment was not, therefore, demanded by the executive and made by the association until February 1987. I also understand that the Housing Executive's procedures have now been revised to ensure that similar delays will not recur.
§ Mr. Seamus Mallonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the approved budget of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive nursery at Dundonald between 1983 and 1985;
(2) how great was the loss to public funds deriving from overspending of the approved budget during 1983 to 1985 at the Northern Ireland Housing Executive nursery at Dundonald;
(3) by how much the approved budget of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive nursery at Dundonald for 1983 to 1985 was exceeded.
§ Mr. Needham[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1987, c. 118–19]: This is a matter for The chairman of the Housing Executive, who has informed me that the Housing Executive's financial systems did not entail the setting of a specific budget for the nursery. Financial provision for planting and general landscaping services which have been provided partly by the executive's own nursery but also by private contractors is made by each region within approved capital and revenue budgets; it would not be possible without disproportionate cost to identify the costs of services provided by the nursery, which is to close at the end of May.