Oral Answers to Questions

Robin Walker Excerpts

Monday 14th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab)]

4. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government investment in affordable housing.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

13. What recent progress his Department has made on increasing the provision of affordable housing.

[Wes Streeting (Ilford North) (Lab)]

18. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government investment in affordable housing.

--- Later in debate ---

[Brandon Lewis]

I think the hon. Lady is referring to the maximum price for a starter home. If she looks, she will see that the average paid by first-time buyers is dramatically lower, which, along with the 20% discount we are introducing for starter homes linked to Help to Buy, makes buying a home affordable again for more people.

[Mr Walker]

In Worcester, according to city council figures, 260 new affordable homes were delivered in the last financial year, a record for any year since 1997. That record was delivered by a Conservative administration the year after a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition delivered just 76 new affordable homes. Please can the Minister advise us how he will support well led councils such as Worcester to keep delivering more affordable homes?

[Brandon Lewis]

My hon. Friend gives a good example of a good, well run local authority delivering housing for its constituents. We are determined to stand by those authorities and work with them. That is why I am delighted that the Chancellor committed a further £8 billion in the spending review to deliver 400,000 affordable homes across the country.