New housing minister rejects call to build more council homes » Housing » 24dash.com

New Housing Minister Margaret Beckett today rejected calls for the Government to embark on a new programme of council house building.

While Gordon Brown committed billions of pounds to bail out banks, hundreds of thousands of children had to live in unsuitable housing, MPs heard.

But Mrs Beckett said extra accommodation did not have to just be provided in the form of council houses and expressed "reluctance" to see the scrapping of the right to buy, championed by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

The Government had a "substantial long-term programme" to provide decent accommodation for those who needed it, she added.

At Commons question time Liberal Democrat Bob Russell (Colchester) condemned 25 years of "housing failure" by successive governments who had refused to build extra council houses.

And Labour former minister Denis MacShane (Rotherham) suggested the "sacred cow" of right to buy should be considered for the "sacrificial block".

Mr Russell said: "Hundreds of thousands of children are living in accommodation which is deemed to be unsuitable for them and their families.

"That is a direct result of 25 years of housing failure policies by successive governments who have refused to allow council houses to be built.

"If the Government can find billions to bail out bankers, why can't it find sufficient money to build the family council houses for those hundreds of thousands of children who are inadequately housed?"

Mrs Beckett replied: "I understand and sympathise with your concern for families who have been brought up in inadequate homes.

"But it is not the case that it all has to be met through council housing, we will be happy to see a greater expansion and provision by councils, but there are many other bodies who have been providing social and other housing.

"Of course the Government has had a substantial long-term programme for decent homes in whatever sector they are found."

Labour's Kelvin Hopkins (Luton N) asked: "Will you give serious consideration to stopping the sales of council houses for good in Luton?"

Mrs Beckett told him: "I certainly would be reluctant to say that we would stop the sale of council houses."

After welcoming Mrs Beckett to her new post, Mr MacShane said: "Can I invite you to see whether the absolute sacred cow of the right to buy might now need some revisiting.

"We are in the business of burying Thatcherism, perhaps that is one sacred cow that might be considered for the sacrificial block."

Mrs Beckett replied: "I would rather tackle the problem by making sure that we provide more homes than removing the right to buy."