Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

New Social and Affordable Homes: Blaydon and Consett

Monday 15 June 2026 · 2 questions

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

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Liz Twist questioned the government about steps to build more social and affordable homes in Blaydon and Consett.
  • The minister stated that the previous government presided over a decline in social rented housing.
  • The government is implementing a five-step plan to deliver a decade of social and affordable housing renewal.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Context

The MP highlights a long-standing crisis in house building and social housing shortages, affecting home ownership for her constituents.

Question

For 14 years, the Conservatives presided over a house building crisis that locked a generation out of home ownership and left social housing in short supply. In Blaydon and Consett, my constituents have been calling for years for more social and affordable housing to be built. What steps are being taken by this Government to address these calls?

Answer from Matthew Pennycook

My hon. Friend is right. I would go further than she did: I think the previous Government deliberately set out to engineer the decline of social rented housing, not least through the reforms that they made to the right to buy, which we are reversing through the Social Housing Bill. As I made clear, we received ambitious bids from affordable housing providers across the country, including in the north-east. That will allow councils and housing associations to start using the grant to build at scale once again.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify how the government is going the extra mile for Blaydon and Consett specifically.

How: Blaming Previous Government

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Context

The MP notes the need for more social and affordable housing in Blaydon and Consett.

Question

What steps he is taking to build more social and affordable homes in Blaydon and Consett constituency.

Answer from Matthew Pennycook

Me again, Mr Speaker. We remain focused on implementing the five-step plan we published in July last year to deliver a decade of social and affordable housing renewal. We received incredibly ambitious bids for our £39 billion social and affordable homes programme and are in the process of assessing them with a view to a timely announcement of allocations. As Members will know, our Social Housing Bill, which will give affordable housing providers the clarity and confidence they need to build more social homes, is also making good progress in the other place.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify steps for Blaydon and Consett specifically.

How: General Statements About Plans

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Get updates like this by email