Question
In an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper), the Minister said that there were “encouraging signs of progress”, but the truth is that the housing industry faces a bleaker and bleaker future under this Government: housing completions are at their lowest for more than a decade; planning permissions are down 31%; output is down 6%; London is at a standstill; and the Government are just 29% of the way through their target in nearly half the time allotted for it. Does the Minister agree that this broken record of failure needs urgent repair?
Answer
There is no record of failure: there has been a 15% increase in housing starts over the 12 months up to June. We will remain committed to that target. What is the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues’ answer to this problem? It is worth noting that in its recent assessment, the Office for Budget Responsibility made it clear that the changes we have made to the national planning policy framework will, on their own, “boost housebuilding significantly”, yet the Conservatives opposed them. Are they going to change their position in light of the macroeconomic challenges facing house builders across the country?29% point-scoring
Verdict: GREEN (80/100)
The minister directly rejected the question's premise, stating there is no record of failure. The reply supported this with a specific figure, a 15% rise in housing starts over the 12 months to June, and a quoted Office for Budget Responsibility assessment that the planning changes will boost housebuilding significantly. The single question point is answered clearly and directly, though the OBR wording is qualitative rather than a quantified forecast.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Minister agrees that the Government's housing record needs urgent repair. | Addressed | Direct | The minister directly rejects the premise with "There is no record of failure", and supports that position with a concrete figure (a 15% rise in housing starts over the 12 months to June) and an OBR assessment that the planning changes will "boost housebuilding significantly". |