3. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s plans to deliver affordable new homes in Islwyn? OAQ(5)0086(CC)

I thank the Member for Islwyn for her question. We are committed to increasing the number of affordable homes across Wales. We continue to invest in social rented housing and Help to Buy, and are developing innovative new schemes, in order to meet our ambitious target of 20,000 homes.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Earlier this month, you announced that the Welsh Government will invest an additional £30 million this year towards providing 20,000 affordable new homes. The Welsh Government’s affordable housing target of 10,000 additional affordable homes in the last Assembly was exceeded, with the housing supply pact between Welsh Government and Community Housing Cymru playing an important role in meeting that target. What actions can that partnership take to deliver our new ambitious targets, and how will the people of Islwyn directly benefit from this?

Of course, I’m grateful to the Member for reminding the Chamber of the success of the last term of Government. I’m very pleased to have entered, only in the last two weeks, into a new housing pact with Community Housing Cymru and the WLGA for this term of Government. It is an ambitious target of 20,000 homes, but my good friend and colleague the Cabinet Secretary for finance is helping us by announcing an additional £30 million this month to start on the build with the big 20,000 homes project, which your constituents will directly benefit from.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

Cabinet Secretary, Caerphilly council has recently granted planning permission for a development of 175 homes on derelict land at Hawtin Park industrial estate, near Blackwood. Guidelines for the development include the provision that 25 per cent should be affordable housing. Will the Cabinet Secretary join me in welcoming this increase in the supply of affordable homes in Islwyn, and what measures does he intend to take to make more derelict land available for housing in Wales?

Well, Ken Skates and I—I’m not familiar with the project the Member raises, but I’m always keen to make sure that we have a contribution of affordable homes across the length and breadth of Wales. Ken Skates and I are working on a land opportunity fund, where we can see how we can develop not only Welsh Government land, but also public sector land, and release that into the opportunity for home building in the future.