Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Social Housing Supply

Monday 2 December 2024 · 10 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Chancellor announced a one-year cash injection of 500 million into the affordable homes programme to deliver 5,000 new social and affordable homes.
  • The Government plans to bring forward Awaab's law and consult on new minimum energy efficiency and decent homes standards.
  • Consultation has taken place on changes to the national planning policy framework, including proposals for a new brownfield passport.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gregor Poynton Lab Livingston
Housing
Context

The MP is concerned about the lack of progress on increasing the supply of social and affordable homes.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to increase the supply of social housing. The last Government's affordable housing programme, which aimed for 180,000 homes, will only deliver between 110,000 and 130,000 homes.

Answer from Angela Rayner

We will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation. The Chancellor announced an immediate one-year cash injection of £500 million into the affordable homes programme to deliver 5,000 new social and affordable homes.

Answered
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Q2 Paulette Hamilton Lab Birmingham Erdington
Housing
Context

The MP is concerned about the deteriorating quality of social housing in her constituency.

Question

Many constituents are worried about the deteriorating quality of social housing. What work is being done to ensure that housing stock is maintained to high standards so tenants can live safely?

Answer from Angela Rayner

I know that housing quality has been a particular issue in my hon. Friend's constituency. We will bring forward Awaab's law, consult on minimum energy efficiency standards and a new decent homes standard, direct the Regulator of Social Housing to introduce competence and conduct standards.

Answered
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Q3 Jessica Toale Lab Bournemouth West
Housing
Context

The MP is concerned about the number of families on social housing waiting lists in her constituency.

Question

2,151 families across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are on social housing waiting lists. What steps are being taken to unlock development sites so local councils can meet their targets?

Answer from Angela Rayner

We have consulted on changes to the national planning policy framework and invited views on proposals for a new brownfield passport. We intend to publish updates on the national planning policy framework by the end of this year.

Answered
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Q4 Douglas McAllister Lab West Dunbartonshire
Housing Scotland
Context

The MP is concerned about the number of people dying while homeless in Scotland.

Question

242 people died while homeless last year in Scotland. Does the Secretary of State agree that urgent action is needed for councils to deliver more affordable social houses?

Answer from Angela Rayner

My hon. Friend is right; 242 people dying is horrendous. We face a housing crisis and we agree that a sufficient supply of affordable housing and joined-up support services are essential.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures to address the Scottish housing emergency were not detailed.

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Q5 Gregor Poynton Lab Livingston
Housing Scotland
Context

The MP is concerned about the fall in new build starts in Scotland.

Question

Scottish figures show that new builds are down 20% since 2022 and 30% for social housing. Will the SNP use its funding to properly fund the social rented sector?

Answer from Angela Rayner

My hon. Friend is right; too many families are waiting for homes. I back all brilliant work by my friend the Scottish Labour leader, and agree the choice will be stark in May 2026: a national Labour Government delivering for working people or a failing SNP Government.

Not addressed: Specifics on how to use funding were not addressed.

How: Compares Political Parties

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Q6 Roger Gale Con Herne Bay and Sandwich
Housing Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP is concerned about a large housing estate being built on prime agricultural land by Thanet district council.

Question

Labour-controlled Thanet district council seeks to build a large housing estate on prime agricultural land. Can the Secretary of State have a word with the leader?

Answer from Angela Rayner

In our national planning policy framework, we protect agricultural land and address the housing crisis everywhere.

Not addressed: Specific guidance on Thanet district council's actions was not provided.

How: Changes Subject

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Q7 Andrew George Lib Dem St Ives
Taxation Housing
Context

The MP is concerned about the disparity in taxpayer money spent on second and holiday homeowners versus social housing.

Question

Over 10 years, £500 million of taxpayers' money was given to second and holiday homeowners while only half that amount went to social housing. Surely the Government can resolve this issue?

Answer from Angela Rayner

We are taking steps through the new national planning policy framework, setting mandatory targets for local authorities and allowing them to keep right-to-buy receipts. We will ensure we get homes needed.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures addressing the disparity were not detailed.

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Q8 Ellie Chowns Green North Herefordshire
Housing Energy
Context

The affordability of housing is closely linked to the energy bills people must pay, especially in areas like North Herefordshire.

Question

I welcome the Secretary of State's warm words about improving affordable housing availability. Does she agree that the affordability of housing is closely related to the bills that people have to pay—energy bills in particular? Will she ensure that all new social housing from this stage forward is built to the highest possible standards of energy efficiency, to save people's bills?

Answer from Angela Rayner

Again, we have been looking at how we build safe, secure, energy-efficient homes that bring down people's energy bills. The previous Government saw energy bills go up really high. We are introducing Great British Energy so that we can bring bills down, and are building the homes that people desperately need.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not commit to ensuring all new social housing will be built to the highest possible energy efficiency standards.

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Q9 Shockat Adam Ind Leicester South
Housing
Context

Affordable housing in Leicester South is often provided through shared ownership and similar schemes, which are not accessible to the poorest residents.

Question

I am sure that the House agrees that affordable housing is important. However, my experience in Leicester South is that all too often it is provided in new developments, as homes for shared ownership or as similar housing products, which are out of reach for the poorest in my community. What my community really needs is more social rented houses. What is the Secretary of State doing to promote the construction of social rented homes, as opposed to other affordable housing products?

Answer from Angela Rayner

I agree with the hon. Member that we need more social homes. That is why we have been putting more into the affordable homes programme. We have made it absolutely clear that under section 106 notices, which he mentioned, homes need to be affordable; that is why we have put affordability tests in the NPPF. We want to ensure that people have those homes, and we want to build the next generation of council and social housing—and we will.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not specify concrete measures or commitments regarding increasing the construction of social rented homes.

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Q10 Paul Holmes Con Hamble Valley
Housing
Context

The National Housing Federation and Labour-run South Tyneside council, among others, have stated that the Government's target of 1.5 million new homes is unrealistic.

Question

We can see that after just five months, the Government's target of 1.5 million new homes lies in tatters. The National Housing Federation says that the Government will miss their target by 475,000 without more grant—last week the Housing Minister said the same—and now Labour-run South Tyneside council says that the plans are “wholly unrealistic”, with other Labour councils agreeing. Is it not time for the Government to admit defeat, come back with a deliverable plan and provide the sector with the certainty that it needs to deliver more social homes across the country?

Answer from Angela Rayner

The hon. Member has forgotten that his Government failed to meet their housing targets every single time. The Government are committed to building 1.5 million homes over this Parliament. Under the Tories, house building plummeted as they bowed to pressure from their Back Benchers to scrap local housing targets. We are bringing back mandatory housing targets. The Chancellor has put more money into the affordable homes programme, and we will build those homes. The hon. Member does not know my history and how I work.

Not addressed: The answer did not address whether the government would admit defeat or develop a new realistic plan for housing targets.

How: Changing Subject To Previous Government'S Failure

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