1 Danny Beales debates involving HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Danny Beales Excerpts
Tuesday 29th October 2024

(2 days, 14 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rachel Reeves Portrait Rachel Reeves
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, and I note the number of Labour MPs we now have in Somerset and across the south-west of England. We will set out more detail in the Budget tomorrow, but our commitment to investing in home-grown energy will boost our energy security, create good jobs here in Britain and begin to reduce people’s bills, as will our programme to better insulate homes, which the previous Government failed to do.

Danny Beales Portrait Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)
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A hundred councils in England have come together to call for five key changes to unlock much-needed investment in new council homes. They will welcome the news of £500 million of additional grant and changes to the right-to-buy rules, but one issue they also raise is housing revenue account debt and finance. Will Treasury Ministers look specifically at debt allocations and how HRA debt is accounted for, to unlock much-needed investment in council homes?

Darren Jones Portrait Darren Jones
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Councils’ housing revenue accounts are a significant part of local authority finances, and it is therefore not right to exclude them from our fiscal rules, but I reassure my hon. Friend that this Government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million new homes will be delivered.