Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:34 pm on 4 March 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 2:34, 4 March 2020

Of course, Minister, if we increase supply in the market sector, particularly by bringing more competition and small and medium-sized enterprises in, then we would hope to see the price of houses steady, and make them, in that way, according to classic economics, more affordable. But, I think you're right in terms of, there's a lot of confusion about affordable housing—the category—because it mixes private and public. And I just wonder whether we would be better off moving to a definition now that focuses on social housing, housing for rent. And I think it's time, as all parties in this Chamber prepare their manifestos for next year's election, to be looking at realistic but ambitious targets for social housing in the 2020s. And it's my view that we need to be building in the region of 4,000 social homes a year, or 20,000 over the term of an Assembly, in the 2020s. Do you agree?