Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Bowie Excerpts

Monday 4th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jones]

We recognise the financial pressure that Northamptonshire County Council is under and we stand ready to look at any locally led proposals from across Northamptonshire on how local government might be better restructured to transform challenges into opportunities.

[Andrew Bowie (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (Con)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that more homes are built.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid)]

In the autumn Budget, we announced further reforms and financial support to increase housing supply in England. This includes more than £15 billion of new financial support, at least £44 billion of funding to 2022-23, and reforms to ensure that more land is available for housing.

[Andrew Bowie]

I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. The work of his Department and the pledge in the Budget to build 300,000 new homes in England are very welcome, and will go some way to address growing intergenerational unfairness when it comes to getting on the housing ladder. Will he join me today in calling for the Scottish Government to match the Scottish Conservatives’ pledge to build 100,000 new homes north of the border so that young people in my constituency can have the same opportunities to buy as those in constituencies in England?

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman can now breathe.