House of Commons · Westminster Hall
03 September 2025 · 5 other contributors · 4,422 words
Opened by Clive Lewis Lab Norwich South
Responding minister: Emma Reynolds
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Clive Lewis raised concerns about living standards: east of england in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
Council homes, built sustainably, will solve the housing crisis in this country. Developers, not climate, nature or local democracy, are the block to building more houses here.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
In Norwich, wages remain below the national average. One in five workers earns less than the real living wage, and one in six is trapped in insecure work such as zero hours or agency jobs. Rents have risen by more than 20% since 2021. A quarter of private renters are handing over half or more of their income just to keep a roof over their heads.
Life expectancy can vary by up to eight years within council areas, highlighting the need to find pockets of deprivation using new tools like artificial intelligence.
Council homes overwhelmingly solve this country’s housing problems. Developers—not climate, nature or local democracy—are the block to building more houses.
16% of working-age adults in his constituency are in relative poverty, which should never be the case for working people. The Government need a strategy to address this issue but do not currently have one.
Emphasised the importance of addressing preventable factors linked to socioeconomic deprivation, noting long delays in referrals and high gynaecology waiting times. Urged for expansion of women’s health hubs.
Poverty is often more hidden than in metropolitan areas and needs similar levels of attention.
Government Response
Emma ReynoldsThe Economic Secretary to the Treasury
Government committed to raising living standards through policies including increasing national living wage, investing £0.5 billion in Best Start family service, expanding free school meals for 100,000 children by 2028-29, and providing £1 billion per year for crisis support reform. Also mentioned the pension triple lock increase of 4.1% for 1.2 million pensioners. We are introducing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to drive growth in city regions, towns, and communities. We recognise that challenges remain but we are providing long-term funding directly to communities through our plan for neighbourhoods; seven places in the east of England will receive up to £20 million each over the next 10 years. We are also driving forward devolution by establishing two new mayoral strategic authorities in Greater Essex and Norfolk and Suffolk, with inaugural mayoral elections in May next year. The Government are committed to sustainable and secure economic growth through restoring stability, investment in renewal, and prioritising long-term growth.