Housing and Planning Bill
Debate between Dawn Butler and Roberta Blackman-Woods
Dr Blackman-Woods
Indeed, but I suspect that that is part of the Government’s rationale.
Labour will be supporting the Lords in their amendment 47.
Dawn Butler
The Minister was talking about amendment 47. The important principle of the Khan amendment is that if a council sells social housing, it should replace it in the same area. On starter homes, it would be really great if the Minister could confirm that starter homes in my Brent constituency will be no more than £190,000, because that would change the whole tone of this debate.
Dr Blackman-Woods
My hon. Friend has asked the Minister to make that confirmation, but I doubt that he will take her up on that offer.
Let me move on to pay to stay, another pernicious bit of the Bill. As we all know, that is a tax on tenants and a tax on aspiration and will lead to many people having to leave their homes or increase their levels of personal indebtedness. The Minister should have talked to the group of tenants from Hackney whom I met a few weeks ago. They are not high-income families. How could anyone describe as high a household income of £17,000 and £23,000 inside London; or £12,000 and £18,000 outside London?