Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Kirsten Oswald and Lord Barwell
Kirsten Oswald (East Renfrewshire) (SNP)
5. What assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the level of funding available for social housing.
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
Housing is a devolved matter. In England we have committed £8 billion to deliver 400,000 much-needed affordable homes—the largest affordable housing programme for nearly 40 years. The result of the EU referendum does not change that commitment.
Kirsten Oswald
The UK has had £43 billion of European Investment Bank loans over the past eight years, whereas non-EU countries such as Norway or Switzerland have had only £1 billion. Can the Minister provide any detail on his contingency plan for the funding of social housing and infrastructure projects when that EU finding inevitably dries up?
Gavin Barwell
That obviously makes some contribution towards our delivery of affordable housing but, as I said, the Government have committed £8 billion. That will deliver starter homes, shared ownership homes and more affordable and intermediate rent housing. This is the largest programme that we have seen in more than 40 years and it will make a big contribution to tackling the housing issues that we see in our country.