Ruth Cadbury
Main Page: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
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Brandon Lewis
As ever, my hon. Friend makes a hugely important point. I, too, am baffled as to why any Opposition Member would want to disagree with the housing associations, with their tenants, with the people of this country, who gave us a mandate to deliver this policy, and with the 86% of people who want the opportunity to own their own home. This approach will send housing supply up—he is absolutely right about that. A key point is that for every home sold this will mean at least one extra home being built. That increases housing supply. It is simple mathematics.
Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) (Lab)
The hon. Member for Wellingborough (Mr Bone) said that the people who will buy their home will live in their home, but the evidence from the council housing right to buy shows that not to be the case, certainly not in London. What assessment has he made of how many of the homes to be sold under this policy are likely to become private rental properties—often at high rent and let to people in housing need who have no hope of owning their own home?
Brandon Lewis
When a home is sold under the current right-to-buy scheme, there are restrictions on what people can do for a period of time, and that will continue in the extended scheme. Ultimately, many years down the line, I absolutely defend the right of any homeowner to do with their home what any other homeowner can do, be it selling it or living in it, but there are protections for the first few years after purchase.