Lucy Frazer: I wonder whether my hon. Friend is talking about self and custom-build, about which I have had many conversations with him. He knows that we are strengthening the ability in the Bill to build such homes.
Lucy Frazer: The simple fact is that under the present system, too few local authorities have local plans, because people do not want development in their area. Through the Bill, we are seeking to ensure that communities have a say on their local plans so that those plans are passed within the 30-month time limit that we have set out in the Bill.
Lucy Frazer: Providing the right infrastructure at the right time is really important to communities. That is why, in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, we are introducing a new infrastructure levy that will more effectively deliver infrastructure such as schools, GP surgeries and roads. It will also give the ability to a local authority to collect that money earlier. We will be publishing a...
Lucy Frazer: I am pleased to hear about this successful development and look forward to seeing it. Due to the quasi-judicial role of Ministers in the planning system, I cannot comment on specific planning applications. However, as part of the new infrastructure levy, we are very committed to ensuring that the infrastructure delivery strategies, which councils will have to put together, will make it...
Lucy Frazer: There are currently no plans to further extend or replace Help to Buy, but all options to increase home ownership are kept under review. Our other schemes, including shared ownership, the mortgage guarantee scheme and First Homes, which have been trialled in my hon. Friend’s constituency, continue to support first-time buyers.
Lucy Frazer: We do not currently have plans to do so, but we will keep that under review. Since 2010, more than 819,000 households have been helped to purchase a home through Government-backed schemes. That includes how we cut stamp duty land tax, and extended the mortgage guarantee for a further year to maintain the availability of mortgages to buyers with only a 5% deposit.
Lucy Frazer: The hon. Member raises a very important point about how we help people to buy homes and get on the housing ladder. We have an £11.5 billion fund to help build affordable homes. She also mentions social housing. Since 1980, through the right to buy scheme, 2 million social housing tenants now own their own home, and we continue to develop schemes to secure people’s home ownership.
Lucy Frazer: On 28 December, we announced an historic devolution deal between the Government and the local authorities of Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham. A new Mayor for the north-east will ensure that local priorities are at the heart of decision making and will provide £1.4 billion to level up the area over the next 30 years. We have...
Lucy Frazer: My hon. Friend has a great deal of experience on this issue in his area, as well as having raised it nationally. I was very pleased to discuss it with him and the relevant Minister in the Department of Health and Social Care today. It is important that all the necessary infrastructure for a housing development is built, whether in relation to education or GP surgeries. The infrastructure levy...
Lucy Frazer: The hon. Member will know that the Government are already taking steps to help people with the cost of living. We have already taken steps to help people with their energy bills. I know that she will know, because she is a shadow Minister on top of her game, that the Chancellor met banks at the end of last year and put in place a package of measures to ensure that bankers are helping people...
Lucy Frazer: From 1980, this Government have delivered 2 million social homes. This Government have a proven track record: the period since 2020-21 has seen the third highest annual rate of additional homes built in the last 30 years. This Government have provided people with £37 billion-worth of support. This Government are on people’s side, helping them through this difficult time as well as when...
Lucy Frazer: As my hon. Friend has said, the Government are reviewing it.
Lucy Frazer: The right hon. Member will know that the Government have brought forward legislation on the Northern Ireland protocol, recognising that it is not working at the moment.
Lucy Frazer: That is a very interesting point. I am sure a Minister will take that up and consider it with the hon. Member.
Lucy Frazer: The Government have an £11.5-billion fund to ensure that we have affordable housing.
Lucy Frazer: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects do not get approved without Development Consent Orders (DCOs).
Lucy Frazer: We are already working closely with the Planning Advisory Service and several local authorities to understand how local authorities currently engage with the Nationally Significant Infrastructure regime and are considering ways to improve outcomes. As part of our work to make improvements to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, we have established the Innovation &...
Lucy Frazer: The powers we are taking through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will enable us to create a more consistent, streamlined and digitally enabled approach to planning applications. This will be proportionate to the scale and nature of the development proposed. When utilised with existing powers, this will enable us to create an end to end system which is faster and more accessible to...
Lucy Frazer: Since 2010, we have delivered over 632,600 new affordable homes, including over 441,612 affordable homes for rent, of which over 162,800 homes for social rent.
Lucy Frazer: The Government is committed to helping first time buyers to get on the housing ladder. Over 819,000 households have been helped to purchase a home since Spring 2010 through Government backed schemes including First Homes, Shared Ownership and the Lifetime ISA.