Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

New Homes

Monday 16 October 2023 · 4 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 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department announced 10 billion of investment in housing supply since the start of the current Parliament.
  • Ministers committed to pushing through essential changes to nutrient neutrality rules.
  • The Government is investing 11.5 billion in the latest affordable homes programme to provide new homes across the country.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Andrew Lewer Con
Housing
Context

The MP is concerned about the number of new homes being built and seeks information on steps taken to increase this.

Question

What steps he is taking to help increase the number of new homes. The MP wants details on specific actions to boost housing supply, particularly regarding investment in affordable homes programmes.

Answer from Michael Gove

We have announced £10 billion of investment in housing supply since the start of this Parliament, and we are also investing £11.5 billion in the latest affordable homes programme to provide thousands of new homes across the country for people to rent or buy. In July we set out our long-term plan for housing, with regeneration programmes in Cambridge, London and Leeds.

Answered
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Q2 Andrew Lewer Con
Housing Environment
Context

The MP is questioning the Labour party's actions in blocking changes to nutrient neutrality rules, which are essential for house building. The MP seeks a commitment from Ministers to push through these changes.

Question

When the Department tried to change the nutrient neutrality rules, the Labour party fell at the first hurdle, showing that it had changed since its claims to be the party of house building. It blocked that, so will Ministers commit themselves to pushing through these essential changes afresh? The MP wants a commitment from ministers to push through essential changes.

Answer from Michael Gove

Absolutely. We have just heard from the hon. Member for Luton North (Sarah Owen) a crude nimbyist appeal to the voters of Mid Bedfordshire, a week after the leader of the Labour party said he was in favour of “the builders, not the blockers”—but who could be surprised, given that, as my hon. Friend has rightly pointed out, when we put forward legislation for 100,000 new homes, Labour blocked it?

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Q3 Meg Hillier Labour (Co-op) Hackney South and Shoreditch
Housing
Context

The MP is questioning the government's failure to meet affordable housing targets. The MP seeks a commitment from the Secretary of State to provide more properly affordable social housing.

Question

For all the sound and fury from the Secretary of State, he knows that the maths does not lie and that the Government have failed on their targets. They have downgraded their affordable housing targets, and have still failed on those. When will the Secretary of State bite the bullet and provide more properly affordable social housing for people in my constituency and others who simply cannot afford to buy their own homes? The MP is questioning the government's failure to meet affordable housing targets.

Answer from Michael Gove

I withdraw the word “gangster”, Mr Speaker; I should have said “huckster”. I will tell the hon. Lady who has downgraded their social housing targets: it is the hon. Lady herself. When she was running for the deputy leadership of her party, she said that she wanted 100,000 new social homes every year. What is the target now? Zero.

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Q4 Matthew Pennycook Lab Greenwich and Woolwich
Housing
Context

The MP is concerned about the government's failure to meet affordable housing targets set for its flagship programme. The MP seeks an explanation from the Secretary of State on how to trust this Government to address the housing affordability crisis.

Question

It is essential that we boost the number of new homes built each year for private sale, but just as important is the need to significantly increase the supply of new affordable homes to buy and rent. The National Audit Office has confirmed that the Government's target for its flagship 2016 to 2023 affordable homes programme was 250,000 starts by March 2023. Can the Secretary of State explain how on earth the public can trust this Government to address the housing affordability crisis when recent figures reveal that they have failed to deliver on their share of that target outside London? The MP is questioning the government's failure to meet affordable housing targets.

Answer from Michael Gove

The significant increase in the affordable homes programme that I outlined earlier is the means for that to be done, but the difference between us is that we have a target for social and affordable homes, while Labour has none.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address how the public can trust the government to meet targets; it criticized Labour's lack of a target instead.

How: Criticising Opposition

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