Social Housing Supply

Chris Vince, the Labour/Co-op MP for Harlow, asked the Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, what steps the Department is taking to increase the supply of social housing. In response, the Minister stated that the Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation. He noted that the Government has already proposed changes to the national planning policy framework to support this objective and confirmed new flexibilities to help councils and housing associations contribute more to affordable housing supply. Vince then followed up, noting that the previous government had consulted on changes to the way social housing is allocated, which were described as "unnecessary, unenforceable and unjust" by the chief executive of Shelter, and would force many people into homelessness according to the Chartered Institute of Housing. Vince asked the Minister to confirm that the current government will not be taking forward those damaging proposals. The Minister confirmed that the government has published a formal response rejecting those proposals, stating that they were deeply flawed and would fail to improve social housing allocation while costing taxpayers and increasing homelessness. The Minister reiterated that the only way to meet the demand for social rented homes is to build more of them, which is the government's intention. Conservative MP Richard Holden then intervened, questioning why the government is proposing to reduce the number of new homes in London and surrounding areas. The Minister responded that the changes to the national planning policy framework are aimed at giving London a realistic but achievable new target, as the previous government's approach had set an unrealistic and fantastical target. Other Conservative MPs, David Simmonds and Helen Morgan, also raised questions. Simmonds asked about the process behind prioritizing the removal of green belt protections over building on sites with existing planning consent. The Minister stated that the government is doing both, encouraging the release of lower-quality green belt land and supporting the development of sites with existing consent. Simmonds also asked about measures to increase local authority borrowing against the housing revenue account to enable new council housing, and the Minister outlined some steps the government is taking in this area. Morgan, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, raised the issue of long social housing waiting lists and the reduction in social housing stock, and asked the Minister to consider reforming the land compensation act to allow councils to buy land at current value rather than "hope value". The Minister acknowledged the poor record of the previous government on affordable housing, and stated that further reform of compulsory purchase orders and council powers is needed, which the government intends to consult on.