Ms Caroline Timmons:

I thank the Deputy. I will start my replies on the issue of staying in the family home, which is a very good point. The whole of our joint policy is about ageing in place and of giving people options, where if they want to stay, they can. The Deputy is right in that some people, a small proportion, will need an option to move on. I agree with the Deputy that apartments should also be coming through the affordable housing space. A good deal of affordable housing is coming through the pipeline and some of these will definitely be apartments. Local authorities and the Land Development Agency, LDA, are all being told that it is certainly not all about one’s traditional three-bed, semi-detached house and that it is also certainly about apartments. These can be very suitable and can really work for cost rental and could be ideal for older people who are looking for somewhere which gives them security of tenure for the foreseeable future and a stabilised rent.

I do not want to give the impression that the private space is the only way in which to bring this forward but we are certainly bringing this through the affordable housing space also.

Local authorities are being encouraged to look at density and the funding available for suitably dense, apartment-driven developments in any urban areas. I hope to see that coming through.

On the affordable-----