My Lords, it is a real pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Griffiths, with his very moving personal story of the impact that homelessness had on him as a child. It is worth placing on record that 175,000 children today are living in temporary accommodation and going through what...

My Lords, it is a real pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Griffiths, with his very moving personal story of the impact that homelessness had on him as a child. It is worth placing on record that 175,000 children today are living in temporary accommodation and going through what...

My Lords, I intervene briefly to speak to my noble friend’s Amendment 63A, on innovation and new technology. This country has had a fine tradition of both innovation and technology in the railways, right from the beginning. We have had the finest engineers—in Victorian times, and then, in the last...

My Lords, I intervene briefly to speak to my noble friend’s Amendment 63A, on innovation and new technology. This country has had a fine tradition of both innovation and technology in the railways, right from the beginning. We have had the finest engineers—in Victorian times, and then, in the last...

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in reaching their target of building 1.5 million homes in this Parliament.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in reaching their target of building 1.5 million homes in this Parliament.

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for her reply, but only Ministers believe that the 1.5 million target is achievable; even the National Audit Office said that the chances are slim. The Prime Minister has recently decided to channel public money for housing away from housing associations and through local authorities. First, does the Minister agree that this means we will get fewer social homes, because housing associations can top up public money with private borrowing while the local authorities cannot? Will she urge him to change direction? Secondly, does she agree that many of those renting could afford a mortgage if they had some help with a deposit? Has she read today’s Financial Times, which indicates that the previous Secretary of State urged the Government, before he was sacked, to introduce a successor to Help

to Buy? Will she urge the Prime Minister to continue with that, as this will give the market the confidence it so badly needs?

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for her reply, but only Ministers believe that the 1.5 million target is achievable; even the National Audit Office said that the chances are slim. The Prime Minister has recently decided to channel public money for housing away from housing associations and through local authorities. First, does the Minister agree that this means we will get fewer social homes, because housing associations can top up public money with private borrowing while the local authorities cannot? Will she urge him to change direction? Secondly, does she agree that many of those renting could afford a mortgage if they had some help with a deposit? Has she read today’s Financial Times, which indicates that the previous Secretary of State urged the Government, before he was sacked, to introduce a successor to Help

to Buy? Will she urge the Prime Minister to continue with that, as this will give the market the confidence it so badly needs?

My Lords, I have the deepest respect for my noble friend Lord Harper, but three former Secretaries of State for Transport took a different view from the one the noble Lord has just read out. When NATS makes mistakes, the airlines pick up the tab. Last week, the airlines had...

My Lords, I have the deepest respect for my noble friend Lord Harper, but three former Secretaries of State for Transport took a different view from the one the noble Lord has just read out. When NATS makes mistakes, the airlines pick up the tab. Last week, the airlines had...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, on introducing the Bill, and I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, to her new responsibilities on the Front Bench.

At the moment, there is legislation that protects leaseholders and shared owners, but not all buildings are protected, not all leaseholders are...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, on introducing the Bill, and I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, to her new responsibilities on the Front Bench.

At the moment, there is legislation that protects leaseholders and shared owners, but not all buildings are protected, not all leaseholders are...

My Lords, the House of Lords Select Committee on Social Mobility produced a report in which we looked at the careers service. In the words of our report, we found it very patchy across the country. We also looked at the careers service in schools and found it to be enormously varied and fragmented. To what extent will this new structure deal with those issues of uneven quality of service across the country?

My Lords, the House of Lords Select Committee on Social Mobility produced a report in which we looked at the careers service. In the words of our report, we found it very patchy across the country. We also looked at the careers service in schools and found it to be enormously varied and fragmented. To what extent will this new structure deal with those issues of uneven quality of service across the country?

My Lords, Amendment 314 in my name, supported by my noble friend Lord Moylan, enters the arcane world of Treasury theology—what is and what is not public expenditure. It would require the Secretary of State to report on the impact of the Bill on public finances. This is important because...

My Lords, Amendment 314 in my name, supported by my noble friend Lord Moylan, enters the arcane world of Treasury theology—what is and what is not public expenditure. It would require the Secretary of State to report on the impact of the Bill on public finances. This is important because...

My Lords, I have added my name to five amendments in this group. I am the lead name on Amendment 31, which would require the Secretary of State to issue directions to promote fair competition, and on Amendment 48, to which my noble friend referred. It has the same objective...

My Lords, I have added my name to five amendments in this group. I am the lead name on Amendment 31, which would require the Secretary of State to issue directions to promote fair competition, and on Amendment 48, to which my noble friend referred. It has the same objective...

My Lords, I intervene briefly to support my noble friend Lord Moylan’s amendments on this. In many ways, this debate is similar in its nature to the one we have just had, in that it relates to how the GBR relates to an independent sector. In the previous debate, it...

My Lords, I intervene briefly to support my noble friend Lord Moylan’s amendments on this. In many ways, this debate is similar in its nature to the one we have just had, in that it relates to how the GBR relates to an independent sector. In the previous debate, it...

I understand that we will be having a separate debate on this, but is the Minister able to give the assurance that I asked for that the abstraction rates will not be changed?

I understand that we will be having a separate debate on this, but is the Minister able to give the assurance that I asked for that the abstraction rates will not be changed?

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Ravensdale, who reminded the committee of the importance of data. I join him and others in complimenting the noble Baroness on her chairmanship. Her earlier career gave her unparalleled skills in interrogation.

While welcoming much of the Government’s response,...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Ravensdale, who reminded the committee of the importance of data. I join him and others in complimenting the noble Baroness on her chairmanship. Her earlier career gave her unparalleled skills in interrogation.

While welcoming much of the Government’s response,...

My Lords, if I may intervene very briefly to follow up on what the noble Baroness has just said about shared ownership, the Minister will recall that the Government suffered a very significant defeat—by some 86 votes. It was the first defeat of the Burnham Administration, on the Monday before...

My Lords, if I may intervene very briefly to follow up on what the noble Baroness has just said about shared ownership, the Minister will recall that the Government suffered a very significant defeat—by some 86 votes. It was the first defeat of the Burnham Administration, on the Monday before...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proportion of private renters spending more than 30 per cent of their income on housing costs; and how this proportion compares with previous years.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proportion of private renters spending more than 30 per cent of their income on housing costs; and how this proportion compares with previous years.

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of local authorities which have increased enforcement action against landlords in the private rented sector in each of the last five years; and what assessment they have made of the resources available to local authorities for enforcement.

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of local authorities which have increased enforcement action against landlords in the private rented sector in each of the last five years; and what assessment they have made of the resources available to local authorities for enforcement.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average age at which first-time buyers purchase a home in England; and what assessment they have made of the impact of housing affordability on younger households.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average age at which first-time buyers purchase a home in England; and what assessment they have made of the impact of housing affordability on younger households.

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of planning consents for residential development which have expired without construction beginning in each of the last five years; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for non-delivery.

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of planning consents for residential development which have expired without construction beginning in each of the last five years; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for non-delivery.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether current housebuilding rates are delivering the correct balance of market, affordable, and social, housing required to meet household need.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether current housebuilding rates are delivering the correct balance of market, affordable, and social, housing required to meet household need.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between local housing allowance rates and the availability of affordable accommodation in the private rental sector.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between local housing allowance rates and the availability of affordable accommodation in the private rental sector.

Moved by

Lord Young of Cookham

23: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause—

“Shared ownership homes: buybacks, affordability and stock retention

(1) The Secretary of State must ensure that arrangements are in place under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, or any successor programme, to support the acquisition or buyback of shared...

Moved by

Lord Young of Cookham

23: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause—

“Shared ownership homes: buybacks, affordability and stock retention

(1) The Secretary of State must ensure that arrangements are in place under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, or any successor programme, to support the acquisition or buyback of shared...