SDLP Social Development spokesperson Mark H Durkan has said Minister Nelson McCausland's decision to announce the evisceration of the Housing Executive by written statement, avoiding MLAs’ questions, was "an act of rank cowardice."

The Foyle MLA was speaking after the announcement that the NIHE was to lose landlord status for the 90,000 homes under its care.

He said:"It is a matter of some regret that the only thing that can be welcomed from this statement is the fact that, after months of ducking the issue, the Minister has made clear his intentions towards NIHE.

"The demolition of the Housing Executive, which is the symbol of the one great progressive move in dealing with the North's pitiful legacy of political housing, is bad enough.

"To use Welfare Reform as the smokescreen for hacking away at this body was a sign of the Minister's dual wedding to both a vicious Tory cuts agenda and a determination to re-politicising housing allocations.

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"But for the minister to announce it without the chance for MLAs to properly interrogate the decision is an act of rank cowardice.

"He must come before the chamber at the earliest opportunity to explain himself and face the wrath of those true democrats who believe in the efficient, effective allocation of social housing based on proven need.

"The statement begs many questions - questions it seems the minister would rather avoid:

"How many organisations will be designated the landlord function? How will they be selected? What are the implications for existing Housing Associations? What work if any will be done to allay the fears of NIHE staff whose morale is at an all-time low and stress at an all-time high given the inevitable impact of Welfare Reform on housing and on jobs in Housing Benefit?

"NIHE has performed a hugely important role for over 40 years and has, in the main, done so with distinction.

"However, while we agree that the organisation needed reviewed in order to improve housing delivery we fear that the minister has exploited the opportunity provided by this review to deliver a fatal blow in his ongoing vendetta against NIHE.

"Previously he has displayed not only ambivalence towards NIHE but also to their core principle of allocating housing in accordance with need.

"Newbuild figures are pathetically low and there are still major question-marks over and grubby fingerprints on the Girdwood debacle."

(CD/GK)