Peter Bone
Main Page: Peter Bone (Independent - Wellingborough)(7 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Sajid Javid
A consultation on supported housing is going on at the moment and the results will be out in due course.
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
Does the Secretary of State agree that housing demand would fall if we could reduce the third of a million people coming into this country each year?
Sajid Javid
I have looked at this issue carefully and I am not sure it makes the kind of difference my hon. Friend believes it does. Two thirds of housing demand has nothing to do with immigration; it is to do with natural population growth, particularly through people living longer, and that will have to be catered for regardless. Even if immigration was to fall to zero, we would still have a deficit of some 2 million homes and people would still be in overcrowded homes, so we would still have to keep building.