Housing: New Homes Target

Baroness Williams of Trafford Excerpts

Wednesday 17th January 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Labour Benches.

[Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe (Lab)]

My Lords, last week the National Housing Federation published Let’s Fix the Housing Crisis. A key recommendation is increased grant funding to build a new generation of social housing, particularly for those 2 million children currently living in overcrowded, unaffordable or unsuitable homes in England. What plans do the Government have to increase grant funding for social housing provision to meet this urgent housing need?

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[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, shall we hear from the Liberal Democrat Benches and then from the Conservative Benches? Thank you.

[Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (LD)]

My Lords, I draw attention to my declaration in the register of interests. The noble Lord, Lord Young, is quite right to point out the need to plan for homes but there is also a need to deliver them. I am sure the Minister is aware that the major players in the delivery of category 1 modular homes have failed despite significant government investment in supporting them. With category 2 modular methods of construction, the factories are held largely by the small number of major housebuilders, yet those who build homes—the bricklayers, plumbers and electricians —are increasingly ageing and not being replaced. What will the Government do to support smaller housebuilders, which will soon have no access to the skilled trades to build homes and yet do not have access to factories to use modern methods of construction to deliver them either?

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[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, shall we hear from the Cross Benches first? Thank you.

[Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)]

My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether, in order to assist affordable housing, some thought should be given to building prefabricated houses?

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[Noble Lords]

Oh!

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, I hate to upset my noble friend, but it is the turn of the non-affiliated noble Lord.