Support for House Builders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:32 pm on 24 April 2018.

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Photo of Hefin David Hefin David Labour 1:32, 24 April 2018

My concern is that the house building industry is dominated by a very small number of very large firms, which effectively creates a cartel, keeps prices artificially high, and prevents the mass building of affordable homes that are needed, because it's not in the interest to meet demand in the long term because that will cause prices to fall. The answer, I think, is an expanded housing market, in which small, locally based businesses who are sensitive to the needs of their communities are able to thrive and grow, and I intend to hold a cross-party group later this year to explore how we can do more of that. But I'd like to know what more the Welsh Government can do to develop that ambition and to grow that small business house building base.