To ask the Minister for Communities to provide an update on how his Department will meet climate change objectives, particularly moving social homes away from home heating oil usage.

In line with the requirements of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, my Department will exercise its functions, so far as is possible to do so, in a manner that is consistent with the achievement of the emissions targets of the Act.

In relation to social homes, a review of the Decent Homes Standard is underway. Currently, the Standard requires social housing providers to ensure that homes have ‘efficient heating’ but does not specify the heating system type. If a social housing provider is updating a heating system in a property, then the provider must comply with current Building Regulations, which are the responsibility of the Department of Finance.