Housing

Debate between David Hamilton and Hilary Benn

Wednesday 8th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Hilary Benn]

In Scotland and elsewhere local authorities have responsibility for building houses, but we are here to hold this Government to account, and homelessness—

[Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian) (Lab)]

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

[Hilary Benn]

Yes, of course.

[Mr Hamilton]

I would like to respond to the previous intervention and correct the record. Labour Midlothian council was building 1,000 council houses at that time, in what is the second smallest land-locked authority area, so the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) was talking absolute rubbish.

[Hilary Benn]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for putting the record straight. Perhaps I should have trusted my initial judgment and not given way to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart).