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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increasing the ways in which public funding may be obtained under the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme, particularly with regard to (1) the number of additional new homes that could be built, (2) the speed of delivery of new homes, and (3) the ability of housing associations to innovate and deliver new products.

In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced a £1.4 billion expansion of the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme (SOAHP) 2016-21 and a relaxation of restrictions on tenure. This will help us deliver a further 40,000 housing starts by 2021 and as part of the largest housing programme by any government since the 1970’s. The expanded and more flexible programme will allow providers to have the agility to more quickly and effectively respond with the right products to local needs and markets.