Oral Answers to Questions

Lilian Greenwood Excerpts

Thursday 10th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) (Lab)]

7. What his policy is on the provision of shorthold tenancies by local authorities and housing associations.

[The Minister for Housing (Grant Shapps)]

As our draft manifesto makes clear, we will respect the tenures of social tenants. The vast majority of social tenants have a very secure degree of tenancy.

[Lilian Greenwood]

Why did the Conservative manifesto commit only to “respect” the rights of social tenants, not to protect them, as the Minister has previously stated?

[Grant Shapps]

I made it pretty clear that we intend to protect the rights of social tenants. [Interruption.] They are already protected, as Members well know. It is important to say that there are a record 1.8 million families languishing on the waiting list—a number that nearly doubled during the 13 years in which Labour was in power. It is important that we respect those rights to tenure as well.