Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to help ensure that people in rural communities can access affordable housing, in the context of high prices in the housing market and announcements on the abolition of affordable housing targets.

The National Planning Policy Framework already makes clear that planning policies and decisions should be responsive to local circumstances in rural areas. Our Rural Exception Sites policy allows for the development of small affordable housing sites in rural areas, with the majority of housing on these sites being available to local people in perpetuity. We published planning practice guidance in 2020 to help local authorities and developers bring more of these sites forward.

We have not made any announcements of changes to affordable housing policy.