Mr. Graham Doyle:

I thank the Deputy for that. I am not quite sure that is what the Comptroller and Auditor General said in terms of the targets being easy to achieve. I know I am new to the Department, but I know a huge amount of effort has gone into achieving targets and, obviously, more has to be done given the nature of the situation around housing - certainly the issue on aligning the targets that are published with the actual spend categories, as the Deputy says.

I know people say this, but the chapter is genuinely useful to us. I am a chartered accountant by profession. I came into the Civil Service a number of years ago into another Department. I am very focused on the need for good performance indicators and that what gets done gets measured, and the importance of numbers as we look at what is now a really considerable spend. The Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out in his report that on social housing from, I think 2016 to 2019, the spend is about two and a half times greater. It is very important that we measure appropriately.

The chapter is largely focused on the REV, which is published each year. We have gone from about nine performance indicators in 2016 to 19 now. We are now reviewing what is there and how we can add to it. It is coming quite quickly, but in the REV that is coming out shortly we will probably have a couple of additional indicators in taking account of the report. Over the course of this year, we will look at that in greater detail with a view to the next REV having a more comprehensive set.