Mark Prisk
Main Page: Mark Prisk (Conservative - Hertford and Stortford)(10 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Brandon Lewis
To an extent, I am having to apologise for the previous Labour Administration’s failure to deliver the sufficient number of council houses that we need. It is good to see that, under this Government, building is getting going again.
Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford and Stortford) (Con)
Despite the awful inheritance that the Minister has had to deal with, the truth at the moment is that the public sector is continuing to hoard surplus land and buildings. May I urge Ministers to look at ripping up the financial rules of Government, ensuring that we penalise the hoarding of public sector land and buildings and incentivise Whitehall and town halls to get such assets turned into real affordable homes?
Brandon Lewis
My hon. Friend makes a very good point. I know that one thing he previously worked on, and I am now working on, is to make sure that we can go forward and deliver the land, as we are doing, to deliver the houses that we so badly need in this country.