Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Support for First-time Buyers

Monday 7 March 2022 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister expresses keen ambition to help more people become first-time buyers.
  • Minister highlights the First Homes scheme providing a 30% discount for local people.
  • Levelling-up White Paper aims to increase the number of first-time buyers in future years.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Housing
Context

The MP noted the housing crisis and lack of affordable homes, criticising developers for prioritising profit over quality. He cited Labour's proposal to give first dibs on new homes to local people.

Question

What steps he is taking to help support first-time buyers on to the housing ladder. Conservative choices have created a housing crisis by allowing developers to maximise profit, building housing for investment rather than good-quality, safe, secure, affordable homes. However, building more homes will not in itself solve the housing crisis if those homes are bought off plan by foreign investors before local people such as my constituents can even get a look in. In order to ensure that first-time buyers are not squeezed out by foreign investors and second home owners, will the Government support Labour's proposal to allow them first dibs on new homes?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

Let me first make it clear that it is my keen ambition in this role to do everything I can to help more people on to the housing ladder. We have produced a great many schemes that help to achieve that purpose. We already have the First Homes scheme, which provides a 30% discount for local people, for whom those homes remain in perpetuity.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address whether the Government will support Labour's proposal

How: Changed Subject To Existing Schemes

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Q2 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Economy Housing
Context

The MP welcomed the record number of first-time buyers in two decades.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend join me in welcoming the fact that last year saw the highest number of first-time buyers in two decades, under this Government, and will he pledge to do everything he can to increase that number in future years?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the increase in the number of first-time buyers. We are keen to ensure that it continues, and the levelling-up White Paper will be key to delivering that for as many people as possible throughout the country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific pledge or timeline

How: General Commitment

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Q3 Richard Holden Con Basildon and Billericay
Housing
Context

The MP criticised the First Homes scheme for reducing social housing, expressing concerns about its practical impact on first-time buyers. He noted rising house prices since the scheme's consultation.

Question

The Opposition have repeatedly criticised the Government's First Homes scheme on the grounds that, by top-slicing section 106 funding, it drastically reduces the number of social and affordable rented homes that are being built, but we also have concerns that the scheme is failing in practice to help large numbers of first-time buyers across the country. Given that the new build premium is continuing to rise, and given that UK house price index data suggest that average house prices in England have increased by 18% since the scheme was first consulted on, can the Minister tell us in how many local authority areas the discount on those homes has not already been entirely eroded?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

I accept that there are a number of things that we need to do in relation to the First Homes scheme. Homes England's early delivery programme will provide a further 1,500 homes, but of course we will monitor these developments and do everything we can to help people get on to the property ladder.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific statistics or data requested

How: Promised Monitoring

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Q4 Matthew Pennycook Lab Greenwich and Woolwich
Housing
Context

The MP highlighted the significant number of new homes built in his constituency, many affordable for first-time buyers.

Question

Despite the covid pandemic, more than 800 new homes were built in my constituency last year, many of them affordable for first-time buyers. More than 800 houses were built during the previous year, and more than 800 will be built this year. Does the Minister agree that the best thing we can do for first-time buyers is ensure that all constituencies build an ample number of high-quality, affordable homes?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Having local authorities with well-developed local plans to ensure that they are ready and prepared to build the houses that their local area needs is incredibly important. The affordable homes programme that the Government have announced, with £11.5 billion-worth of investment, will help to secure that, so that we can try to deliver the 180,000 homes that that is expected to deliver.

Answered

Not addressed: null

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Q5 Andrew Bridgen Con
Housing
Context

The MP criticised developers and the housing crisis, asking if Labour's proposal for priority access to new homes would be supported.

Question

What steps he is taking to help support first-time buyers on to the housing ladder. Conservative choices have created a housing crisis by allowing developers to maximise profit, building housing for investment rather than good-quality, safe, secure, affordable homes. However, building more homes will not in itself solve the housing crisis if those homes are bought off plan by foreign investors before local people such as my constituents can even get a look in. In order to ensure that first-time buyers are not squeezed out by foreign investors and second home owners, will the Government support Labour's proposal to allow them first dibs on new homes?

Answer from Stuart Andrew

Let me first make it clear that it is my keen ambition in this role to do everything I can to help more people on to the housing ladder. We have produced a great many schemes that help to achieve that purpose. We already have the First Homes scheme, which provides a 30% discount for local people, for whom those homes remain in perpetuity.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address whether the Government will support Labour's proposal

How: Changed Subject To Existing Schemes

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How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)