Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Social Rented Housing

Monday 22 January 2024 · 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 0 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Labour Member Samantha Dixon asked the Secretary of State for steps being taken to increase social rented housing provision.
  • The Secretary of State mentioned an 11.5 billion affordable homes programme aimed at delivering thousands of homes for rent and to buy.
  • Therese Coffey raised concerns about Flagship selling houses to second-home owners in her constituency, suggesting that such actions are a scandal.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Samantha Dixon Lab Chester North and Neston
Housing
Context

Local authorities have faced resource reductions for the past 14 years, affecting their ability to invest in affordable social housing. The questioner emphasizes the need for certainty and stability.

Question

What steps he is taking to increase the provision of social rented housing? Local authorities have been stripped of resources for the past 14 years, and even Conservative Members agree with that. Does the Secretary of State recognise that local authorities and housing associations need certainty and stability over time, so that they have the confidence and security to invest in affordable social and council housing stock, rather than the Conservatives' last-minute, unplanned changes that wreak chaos and instability?

Answer from Michael Gove

Our £11.5 billion affordable homes programme will deliver thousands of affordable homes for rent and to buy right across the country. The levelling-up White Paper also committed us to increasing the supply of social rented homes, and a large number of the new homes delivered through our affordable homes programme will be for social rent.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked specifically about long-term certainty and stability, which was not directly addressed. Instead, the response focused on current programmes without addressing their impact on local authority resources or housing association stability.

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Q2 Samantha Dixon Lab Chester North and Neston
Housing
Context

The questioner highlights the pressures on local authorities due to resource reductions over a decade, emphasizing the need for certainty in funding and stability.

Question

Does the Secretary of State recognise that local authorities and housing associations need certainty and stability over time, so that they have the confidence and security to invest in affordable social and council housing stock, rather than the Conservatives' last-minute, unplanned changes that wreak chaos and instability?

Answer from Michael Gove

I certainly agree that housing associations do fantastic work in providing homes for social rent as well as shared ownership homes, and we work in partnership with them. We are aware of the many pressures they are under. The hon. Lady says that they need certainty and stability, but that is why it would be so damaging if there were a Labour Government with their £28 billion black hole, which would mean either more borrowing or tax increases, and higher interest rates for those aspiring to get on the housing ladder.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked specifically about long-term certainty and stability, which was not directly addressed. Instead, the response focused on potential consequences of a Labour government without addressing local authority resources or housing association stability.

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Q3 Therese Coffey Con
Housing
Context

A constituency issue where a local housing association, Flagship, is accused of selling houses intended for social rent to second-home owners without offering them first to the local council. The questioner seeks assurance that such actions do not undermine the original purpose.

Question

In my constituency of Suffolk Coastal, Flagship is selling houses to second-home owners. That is a scandal. It tries to suggest that it is because it cannot repair them economically, but it is not offering them first of all, to the local council. There are restrictions and covenants that could be put in place if these were council houses, but they are not; they are housing association homes. I would love to meet my right hon. Friend to discuss this matter further to make sure that the housing that was originally given to the housing associations stays for local people.

Answer from Michael Gove

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for raising that issue. She represents one of the most beautiful constituencies in the United Kingdom and does so with great skill. It is because it is such a beautiful constituency that demand for housing is so high. The proportion of second homes in her constituency does create challenges for local people, which I would be more than happy to discuss with her at her convenience.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked about meeting to ensure the intended purpose of social housing is maintained, but the response did not commit to such a meeting and instead focused on general challenges in the constituency.

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Q4 Mike Amesbury Lab
Housing
Context

The questioner criticizes proposed fines for rough sleepers and suggests building more social housing instead. They also mention the current levels are pitiful, questioning if it is embarrassing.

Question

Rather than levying fines of £2,500 on the most vulnerable people sleeping rough, as is proposed in the Criminal Justice Bill, will the Minister commit to building a new generation of social housing? The current levels are pitiful and are an embarrassment, are they not, Secretary of State?

Answer from Michael Gove

No, absolutely not. Our record on building social homes is significantly better than that of the last Labour Government. It is under our Administration that local authorities have been given the chance to take 100% of the receipts from right to buy and to reinvest them in social housing. It is this Government, spending £11.5 billion through the affordable homes programme, who are capable of delivering social homes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked for a specific commitment to building more social housing, but the response compared current efforts with past Labour governments without directly committing to new actions or addressing the proposed fines for rough sleepers.

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