'No evidence' threat verification charity is wrongly influencing housing list

By David Hunter

There is 'no evidence' that an organisation which assesses paramilitary threats in Northern Ireland is using the system to push people up the housing waiting list. 

That's the findings of a criminal justice inspection report into 'Base 2' - which determines if threats from republican and loyalist groups are credible. 

Inspectors had been made aware of concerns in some parts of Northern Ireland that individuals or groups may have been awarded more points, to boost their housing chances. 

However, the independent inspection by CJI found the charity is operating 'with integrity' to deliver clear humanitarian outcomes.

The report looked at how Base 2 operated, engaged with statutory organisations including the PSNI and Housing Executive, and the steps taken to validate threats. 

They found that 'Base 2' engaged with over 60 community representatives and groups in loyalist and republican areas, to develop and maintain community contacts which could be used to determine if threats were real.

Jacqui Durkin, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, said “The Housing Executive brings together the information received from Base 2, the PSNI and its own local knowledge to help its decision makers determine a person’s re-housing priority level and if they are eligible to be awarded additional intimidation housing points."

However, during the review Inspectors were made aware of concerns in some areas of Northern Ireland, that people may have sought to misuse the threat verification process to secure intimidation housing points, and gain a higher priority status on waiting lists.

“While Inspectors found no evidence to support perceptions that Base 2 staff were working for the benefit of particular individuals or groups, I recognise the risk that the threat verification process could be misused cannot be completely removed" said the Chief Inspector.

 “However, as a result of governance arrangements in place, the records reviewed and views expressed to the Inspection Team in conjunction with the experience of the Base 2 staff, it is our view that allegations of widespread misuse of the scheme were unfounded and a systematic abuse of the public housing system was unlikely.”

 A review is currently being carried out by the Department for Communities which proposes removing intimidation points from the Housing Selection Scheme.