Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Social Housing Supply

Monday 28 October 2024 · 7 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 7 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation.
  • Just over 1.3 million households are on social housing waiting lists, with nearly 14,000 in Northumberland alone.
  • The Chancellor will set out plans at the Budget to allow councils to keep 100% of the receipts generated by right-to-buy sales.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Slinger Lab Rugby
Housing
Context

The MP noted that Rugby borough council has a waiting list for social houses and is working to meet demand, but progress is slow.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to increase the supply of social housing. My constituents who need decent, affordable homes desperately need a Government who will help councils reverse this trend.

Answer from Angela Rayner

This Government are getting on with fixing the mess the Tories left behind. We will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation, and at the Budget this week the Chancellor will set out the next steps, including an additional £500 million for the existing affordable homes programme to deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specifically address Rugby's situation or progress on reversing trend.

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Q2 David Smith Lab North Northumberland
Housing
Context

The MP highlighted that over 6,000 people in Northumberland are not adequately housed and the council's own figures show a decrease in its housing stock since Conservative leadership.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that we need more social homes in the right places to support the thousands of people in North Northumberland in need of a safe and secure place to live?

Answer from Angela Rayner

I welcome my hon. Friend to his place, and he is absolutely right: it is a source of national shame that just over 1.3 million households are on social housing waiting lists. Nearly 14,000 of them are in Northumberland alone. This Government do not accept that it has to be this way; we will deliver a fairer, more sustainable right-to-buy scheme where existing social housing stock is protected to meet housing need.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address the MP's question about needing more homes in rural areas.

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Q3 Warinder Juss Lab Wolverhampton West
Housing
Context

The MP mentioned the plan to build 1.5 million homes during this Parliament, implying that it should include affordable homes for first-time buyers.

Question

What reassurance can the Secretary of State give to my constituents in Wolverhampton West that they will have access to good-quality affordable homes, particularly for first-time buyers?

Answer from Angela Rayner

Again, my hon. Friend makes an important point. We want to support councils to make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. That is why the Chancellor will set out at the Budget our plans to allow councils to keep 100% of the receipts generated by right-to-buy sales and to increase protections for newly built social homes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specifically address first-time buyers or waiting times for council houses.

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Q4 John Slinger Lab Rugby
Housing
Context

The MP reported that Rugby borough council has a waiting list for social houses, and they are working hard but only treading water.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that while that is good work, my council is ultimately able only to tread water? My constituents who need decent, affordable social homes desperately need a Government who will help councils reverse this trend.

Answer from Angela Rayner

I once got stranded in Rugby on a train, so I have visited that wonderful area before. I am in complete agreement with my hon. Friend; councils should not be losing homes through right to buy quicker than they can be replaced. It is great to hear that councillors in Rugby are working hard to meet demand.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address how to reverse the trend.

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Q5 Lee Anderson Reform Ashfield
Housing
Context

The MP mentioned a problem with nuisance tenants in Ashfield causing antisocial behaviour and crime.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that these nuisance tenants should be given one chance, and if they cannot behave themselves, they should be evicted and refused access to social housing in the future?

Answer from Angela Rayner

I agree with the hon. Member about nuisance neighbours; we do need to do something about that. That is why there are provisions, so that councils can take action on people who are nuisance neighbours. They should not be terrorising other people who are trying to live nice lives.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify what the 'provisions' are or how they will prevent future issues.

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Q6 Jessica Brown-Fuller Lib Dem Chichester
Housing
Context

The MP praised Westbourne community land trust for starting to deliver affordable homes and highlighted that communities are best placed to understand housing needs.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that communities are best placed to understand the need for housing in their area? Will she make it easier for community land trusts to acquire land and build homes quickly?

Answer from Angela Rayner

The hon. Member makes an important point, and I welcome her to her place. We want to see communities being able to build houses, and we want to ensure that those houses are safe and secure and that we work with community housing trusts and others to deliver the 1.5 million homes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address making it easier for land trusts to acquire land or build quickly.

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Q7 Ashley Fox Con Bridgwater
Housing
Context

The MP mentioned private developers in Bridgwater ready to build social homes but facing difficulties due to lack of a social landlord.

Question

What steps will the Deputy Prime Minister take to ensure that those units can be built to house local people?

Answer from Angela Rayner

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. I am aware of those concerns, and the Government will continue to work with house builders, local authorities and affordable housing providers to tackle the problem. We need to make sure that section 106 notices are adhered to and that when we have affordable and social housing on those sites, they are tenanted and people are in there.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify concrete steps or timeline for addressing the issue.

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