New Homes

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:28 pm on 15 May 2019.

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Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 2:28, 15 May 2019

We know that only twice since the first world war have houses been built in the numbers necessary to meet demand. Once was in 1930 when there was very little control over development; I think that was what Mohammad Asghar was asking for earlier. And the second time was in the 1950s and 1960s when we had the large-scale building of council housing, and not only large-scale building of council housing but the necessary infrastructure to go with it. I wish to stress the importance of large-scale council house building to meet housing need; I believe it's the only way we actually are going to be able to meet the needs of housing, because it's not in the best interest of private developers to build sufficient because that would depress prices, and their aim is to maximise profit. So, they wish to increase prices as much as they possibly can. That's how Redrow made just under £400 million profit last year. What is the Government doing to enable this to occur?