Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to prioritise the release of surplus public land to (a) councils and (b) housing associations for affordable housing projects at discounted rates.

This government has made significant progress in respect of the release of surplus and underutilised public land for new homes.

On 27 March 2025, we announced the establishment of a new taskforce to unlock surplus public defence land for development.

On 30 July, we announced a new company, Platform 4, to kickstart the delivery of up to 40,000 new homes on surplus rail land across the UK.

While it is for individual Departments to set the prices at which they are willing to dispose of their assets, we are taking a joined-up approach and working across government to promote shared objectives, including building more social and affordable homes, and maximise broader public value.