Westminster Hall adjournment debate on council and social housing.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on council and social housing.

I will come to that point, which is wrong. Hopes are not houses. The Government might have the intention to build an increased number of houses, but the problem is now, and it is getting worse. A crisis is building, to which the only answer is to build more public...

I will come to that point, which is wrong. Hopes are not houses. The Government might have the intention to build an increased number of houses, but the problem is now, and it is getting worse. A crisis is building, to which the only answer is to build more public...

I am delighted by any building of council houses, but the figures today from Inside Housing show that public housing construction orders are down to their lowest level for many years. Any initiative that produces council housing and new building is welcome, but it is in the context of low...

I am delighted by any building of council houses, but the figures today from Inside Housing show that public housing construction orders are down to their lowest level for many years. Any initiative that produces council housing and new building is welcome, but it is in the context of low...

The hon. Gentleman is exactly right, of course. A number of calls, initiatives and gimmicks are being pursued, but there is no firm conclusion, in terms of house building.

The hon. Gentleman is exactly right, of course. A number of calls, initiatives and gimmicks are being pursued, but there is no firm conclusion, in terms of house building.

Of course I welcome the statistic that the hon. Gentleman read so brilliantly from the brief, but those are hypothetical houses not yet built, and the problem is now. The situation now is that starts are at their lowest level since 1923, and that is what we need to deal...

Of course I welcome the statistic that the hon. Gentleman read so brilliantly from the brief, but those are hypothetical houses not yet built, and the problem is now. The situation now is that starts are at their lowest level since 1923, and that is what we need to deal...

I am a grateful for that point. I am also grateful that, for a period, in Humberside, we have agreed on the issue of short-term tenancies. I hope that the measure will not be enforced by councils, but several are already making arrangements to enforce it, and others are being...

I am a grateful for that point. I am also grateful that, for a period, in Humberside, we have agreed on the issue of short-term tenancies. I hope that the measure will not be enforced by councils, but several are already making arrangements to enforce it, and others are being...

The hon. Gentleman has asked a difficult question. I do not know the answer. I take it that there was an element of financial stringency—a desire on the part of the Conservative Government to cut taxes, which meant cutting Government spending and therefore spending less on public housing for rent....

The hon. Gentleman has asked a difficult question. I do not know the answer. I take it that there was an element of financial stringency—a desire on the part of the Conservative Government to cut taxes, which meant cutting Government spending and therefore spending less on public housing for rent....

But it is the case that a failure to invest made the estates less attractive to live in. Had those estates been updated, modernised and refurbished in the way that was needed—that was certainly needed on the Orchard Park estate—they would have been more attractive places to live in. In...

But it is the case that a failure to invest made the estates less attractive to live in. Had those estates been updated, modernised and refurbished in the way that was needed—that was certainly needed on the Orchard Park estate—they would have been more attractive places to live in. In...

Absolutely. The system causes instability and damage to the estates. People cannot keep up with their payments, so houses are repossessed and sold at auction. Somebody buys those houses as a speculative venture because they are cheap; they put in any kind of tenants because there are no controls, and...

Absolutely. The system causes instability and damage to the estates. People cannot keep up with their payments, so houses are repossessed and sold at auction. Somebody buys those houses as a speculative venture because they are cheap; they put in any kind of tenants because there are no controls, and...

I give way to the right hon. Gentleman, who is a member of the council housing group, and has worked on the issue for a long time.

I give way to the right hon. Gentleman, who is a member of the council housing group, and has worked on the issue for a long time.

There are problems and abuses in any system; in the tax system, for instance, there are myriad abuses that are not being dealt with effectively. The general principle should be that tenancies should be either secure for council house tenants, or assured for residents in housing associations. It is up...

There are problems and abuses in any system; in the tax system, for instance, there are myriad abuses that are not being dealt with effectively. The general principle should be that tenancies should be either secure for council house tenants, or assured for residents in housing associations. It is up...

I do agree; I always have. Interestingly, before Grimsby council became North East Lincolnshire council, it was one of the first authorities to sell council housing to tenants. When I was in the New Zealand Labour party, we argued for years over whether state housing should be sold to tenants....

I do agree; I always have. Interestingly, before Grimsby council became North East Lincolnshire council, it was one of the first authorities to sell council housing to tenants. When I was in the New Zealand Labour party, we argued for years over whether state housing should be sold to tenants....

May I express my great pleasure at speaking under your chairmanship for the first time ever, Ms Clark, and my gratitude for being able to talk on the supply of public or council housing, and housing association or social housing. We have a crisis building up at the bottom end...

May I express my great pleasure at speaking under your chairmanship for the first time ever, Ms Clark, and my gratitude for being able to talk on the supply of public or council housing, and housing association or social housing. We have a crisis building up at the bottom end...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances he advises councils whose large scale voluntary transfer or arm's length management proposals are rejected on a tenant's ballot to hold a second ballot; what length of delay is recommended; what (a) evidence and (b) other submissions are required; and who...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances he advises councils whose large scale voluntary transfer or arm's length management proposals are rejected on a tenant's ballot to hold a second ballot; what length of delay is recommended; what (a) evidence and (b) other submissions are required; and who...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what evidence was provided to him by Sefton Council on the conduct of its tenants' ballot in August; and what assessment he made of whether such evidence justified a second ballot.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what evidence was provided to him by Sefton Council on the conduct of its tenants' ballot in August; and what assessment he made of whether such evidence justified a second ballot.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria he applies in considering the results of multiple ballots of the same tenants on a single large scale voluntary transfer of council housing; and how he intends to deal with those circumstances in Sefton in August and November.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria he applies in considering the results of multiple ballots of the same tenants on a single large scale voluntary transfer of council housing; and how he intends to deal with those circumstances in Sefton in August and November.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether (a) his Department, (b) his housing action team and (c) the Regional Housing Board was consulted by Sefton council about a second tenants' ballot on the large scale voluntary transfer proposal.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether (a) his Department, (b) his housing action team and (c) the Regional Housing Board was consulted by Sefton council about a second tenants' ballot on the large scale voluntary transfer proposal.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce rules for the conduct of tenants' ballots in housing matters to cover (a) starting dates, (b) access for opposing campaigners, (c) availability of information on addresses and (d) adjudication of disputes.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce rules for the conduct of tenants' ballots in housing matters to cover (a) starting dates, (b) access for opposing campaigners, (c) availability of information on addresses and (d) adjudication of disputes.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with Sefton council on its proposal to ballot its tenants on the large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing; and what investigations he has conducted into the conduct of the last ballot.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with Sefton council on its proposal to ballot its tenants on the large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing; and what investigations he has conducted into the conduct of the last ballot.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances, and after how long an interval local authorities are allowed to re-ballot tenants who have previously voted against a large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances, and after how long an interval local authorities are allowed to re-ballot tenants who have previously voted against a large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing.