§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for dealing with the housing unfitness programme in each of the housing regions in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. NeedhamThis is a matter for the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who has advised me that the executive plans to deal with housing unfitness in Northern Ireland by the implementation of a new house building programme to replace unfit dwellings, a programme of improvements to acquired stock, and through the executive's renovation grants scheme which is designed to assist the improvement and repair of qualifying dwellings in the private sector. The executive's planned activity levels are subject to the availability of public finance and the executive will be consulting each district council through the medium of district plans about the programmes for meeting housing need in its area.