The Taxation of Second Homes

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:09 pm on 16 October 2018.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Labour 2:09, 16 October 2018

Well, I would hope that local councils do that anyway. We know that there are many local authorities in Wales who are building council houses. We know that in rural Wales particularly—I think Powys is the example I always use, it has probably sold half of its social housing stock from the end of the 1970s onwards. So many houses were sold and they never found their way back into the hands of people who could afford to buy them because the prices had gone up so far. So, yes, it is hugely important that there is more affordable housing—some will be rented, some not. I was with a building company last week, for example, who said to me that 70 per cent of the houses they sell are sold through Help to Buy, without which, they probably would find it difficult to sustain their current level of activity.

But it is hugely important that we're able to provide more houses across Wales, but particularly in rural Wales, where there is not as much choice in terms of house size and in terms of price. How will we do that? Well, of course, we are on target to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by the end of this Assembly term, which will make a significant contribution.