AQW 41569/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 27/02/2026
Answered On Date: 13/03/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities, following his engagement with the Welcome Organisation and their frontline delivery of services for homeless people, to detail any plans in place to (i) update the Housing (NI) Order 1988; and (ii) add to his expected Housing Miscellaneous Bill, a statutory duty to prevent homelessness.

Answer:

My recent experience of how the Welcome Organisation deliver front line services was extremely insightful.

The Public Accounts Committee report on Homelessness, published on 26 February, recommends that my Department should work with the Housing Executive to explore options for strengthening homelessness prevention.I welcome the Committee’s Report. As per protocol I will respond to its Recommendations formally through the Assembly process.