Oral Answers to Questions

Rosena Allin-Khan Excerpts

Monday 3rd March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

Local authorities can be clear about how grey belt should be used because we released planning policy guidance last week to give them a better sense of where it is appropriate to be released and be brought forward for development.

[Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) (Lab)]

T6. Far too many renters get a terrible deal, living in cold, mouldy substandard homes and being charged eye-watering rents by landlords. I am proud of this Government’s Renters’ Rights Bill, but while legislation is welcome, too many are still paying extortionate prices for really shoddy properties. Can the Secretary of State assure me that the Government are taking more steps to make renting affordable again?

[Matthew Pennycook]

I assure my hon. Friend of that fact, and we are also succeeding where the previous Government failed, in that we are finally abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions. The Renters’ Rights Bill will empower tenants to challenge unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases. We also need to boost supply, which is why we set the hugely ambitious milestone, as part of our plan for change, of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament.