§ 25. Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations were held between the Department of the Environment and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive about the internal rationalisation proposals and subsequently about the reduction of the regional offices from six to four which is proposed to take effect from 1992.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyI understand that the rationalisation proposals will ensure that the services provided by district offices, which are the normal point of contact for the executive's clients, will be fully maintained and the operation of additional sub-district offices is being considered as a means of bringing services even closer to them.
The Department of the Environment has not yet been formally consulted about the proposals currently being developed by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. We know that the executive is considering such a reduction as part of an organisational review for the new decade and has consulted the Northern Ireland housing council, district councils, voluntary housing bodies and the Northern Ireland public service alliance. The Department encourages the executive to improve its organisation to provide its services in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.