Mr. Kieron Brennan:

I accept that, absolutely. There is a whole raft of issues around vacant housing. A strategy is, I hope, to be announced shortly. One issue to which we must all have regard is economy of scale and the efficiencies involved in dealing with individual units. In some cases we must consider the advisability of dealing with individual units. By and large, the AHBs do not normally engage in the purchase of single units, except in cases of special need such as elderly or disabled people, refugees, migrants, tenant members and so on, and unless requested to do so by a local authority.