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1 Mar 2004 : Column 700W—continued
Housing
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many units in the ownership of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are (a) void and (b) empty due to their state of disrepair; and how many are deemed unfit for human habitation; and if he will make a statement. [156217]
Mr. Spellar: The information is not available in the precise format requested as the Northern Ireland Housing Executive does not draw a distinction between void and empty property. Instead the Housing Executive categorises vacant properties as:
- Lettable
- Generally short-term vacancies usually in the process of being reallocated.
- Operational voids
- Generally dwellings which are deliberately being held vacant to facilitate planned improvements or open market sale.
- Long term voids
- Generally dwellings which are difficult to let due to lack of demand and includes properties blocked up to prevent vandalism, blocked up as a result of vandalism and fire damaged dwellings.
- Pending demolition
- Houses to be demolished either because they are designated surplus to requirement or to facilitate redevelopment.
The information as at January 2004 was as follows:
| Number of units | |
|---|---|
| Lettable | 55 |
| Operational | 2,650 |
| Long term | 1,280 |
| Pending demolition | 1,782 |
| Total | 5,767 |
The 2001 House Condition Survey identified an estimated 3,000 Housing Executive properties which were deemed unfit for human habitation.
The Housing Executive endeavours to balance the need for letting stock as quickly as possible against operational requirements and, under the common housing selection scheme, providing its tenants with a choice in where they wish to live.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses in the ownership of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive were (a) void and (b) empty in each of the past 12 months; what the average time was that the properties remained unallocated to tenants; and if he will make a statement. [156218]
Mr. Spellar: The Housing Executive does not draw a distinction between void and empty property. The following table sets out the number of vacant Housing Executive dwellings for the 12 month period February 2003 to January 2004.
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| Month | Lettable(12) | Operational(13) | Long term(14) | Undergoing redevelopment/ pending demolition(15) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2003 | 65 | 2,674 | 1,280 | 2,233 | 6,252 |
| March 2003 | 63 | 2,667 | 1,232 | 2,306 | 6,268 |
| April 2003 | 116 | 2,701 | 1,331 | 2,309 | 6,457 |
| May 2003 | 96 | 2,689 | 1,295 | 2,326 | 6,406 |
| June 2003 | 95 | 2,659 | 1,316 | 2,345 | 6,415 |
| July 2003 | 98 | 2,685 | 1,305 | 2,315 | 6,403 |
| August 2003 | 90 | 2,747 | 1,277 | 2,246 | 6,360 |
| September 2003 | 56 | 2,678 | 1,200 | 2,107 | 6,041 |
| October 2003 | 91 | 2,807 | 1,251 | 2,079 | 6,228 |
| November 2003 | 76 | 2,714 | 1,231 | 1,863 | 5,884 |
| December 2003 | 102 | 2,691 | 1,286 | 1,841 | 5,920 |
| January 2004 | 55 | 2,650 | 1,280 | 1,782 | 5,767 |
(12) Lettable—generally short-term vacancies usually in the process of being re-allocated.
(13) Operational voids—generally dwellings which are deliberately being held vacant to facilitate planned improvements or open market sale.
(14) Long term voids—generally dwellings which are difficult to let due to lack of demand and includes properties blocked up to prevent vandalism, blocked up as a result of vandalism and fire damaged dwellings.
(15) Pending demolition—houses to be demolished either because they are designated surplus to requirement or to facilitate redevelopment.
The information for the last 12 months regarding the time these properties remain unoccupied is not routinely kept but is complied from time to time for special exercises. This information was last complied for the 2001–02 financial year and shows the times as follows:
Lettable voids—10.8 days (95 per cent. of all lettable stock are allocated in two weeks).
As part of the management of its housing stock the Housing Executive must balance the need for letting stock as quickly as possible against operational requirements and, under the common housing selection scheme, providing its tenants with a choice in where they wish to live.
Local Management of Schools
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to revise the formula for funding Local Management of Schools. [156968]
Jane Kennedy: The current arrangements for the funding of schools are being reviewed in the context of developing a Common Funding Scheme.
New Hospitals
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) value and (b) number of new hospitals built in Northern Ireland is in the last five years for which records are available. [156958]
Angela Smith: One new hospital, the Causeway Hospital, has been built in the past five years. The Causeway Hospital was completed in 2001 at a cost of some £52 million, including equipment.
Obesity
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the percentage of (a) adults and (b) children in Northern Ireland that were obese in each of the last three years. [156117]
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Angela Smith: The 1997 Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey provides the most recent estimate of obesity in adults aged 16+. This survey found that 17 per cent. of men and 20 per cent. of women (19 per cent. overall) were obese.
There is no estimate available on obesity levels in children.
Organs Inquiry Line
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the (a) Organs Inquiry Line and (b) Relatives Reference Group will close in November 2004. [154624]
Angela Smith: The Department's Human Organs Inquiry Line was launched in November 2002 in compliance with the recommendations of the Human Organs Inquiry, which the then Minister had accepted in full. In a leaflet issued to all householders last year the public were asked to note
"that this telephone enquiry line and your opportunity to reclaim organs and tissue samples currently in storage will no longer be available after November 2004." This remains the position.
Royal Group of Hospitals and Queens University
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the disclosure of uncollated retentions on 23 January by the Royal Group of Hospitals and Queens University. [154622]
Angela Smith: In May 2003 the Department's Chief Medical Officer issued guidance to all hospitals and universities on the use of human organs and tissue, which gave specific instructions about record keeping
1 Mar 2004 : Column 703W
and archives. It has since been brought to the attention of the Department that the details of tissue blocks and slides relating to 310 cases at Queen's University and the Royal Hospitals had not been included on their main reference lists, although their existence had been disclosed. These lists are used to advise relatives whether any material has been retained from post mortem examinations.
This matter has been investigated very thoroughly and it is clear that no whole organs are involved and that no new blocks and slides have come to light that were not known about before. The problem was due to administrative error rather than any attempt to conceal information.
Details of the 310 cases have been checked against all inquiries received by both the institutions involved and the departmental telephone inquiry line. In only two cases did blocks and slides relate to families that had previously made inquiries. Both families have been advised of the additional information. The error is deeply regretted and both institutions have apologised to the families concerned for any distress caused.
New procedures have been, and continue to be, developed and the Human Tissue Bill now before Parliament includes a rigorous system of inspection and regulation. It is considered that this is an isolated episode which should not recur, but the Department has written to all hospital trusts and universities to draw their attention to this matter.
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