§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will bring forward legislation on housing matters which had been subject to the legislative process in the Northern Ireland Assembly prior to suspension of devolution; and if he will make a statement. [82820]
§ Mr. BrowneThe Housing Support Services Order was laid before Parliament on 15 November 2002 and it is proposed that the provisions included in the Northern Ireland Housing Bill will be laid before Parliament early in the new year.
The housing support services provisions need to be in place by April 2003 to cover a new method for funding the costs associated with providing housing support services for vulnerable people in supported accommodation. The provisions contained in the Northern Ireland Housing Bill, which will also become an Order in Council, cover a wide range of measures including provision for a discretionary grants scheme, caravan sites for travellers, a registration scheme for houses in multiple occupation; anti-social behaviour, and a variety of miscellaneous matters.