Samantha Dixon

Protecting our affordable housing stock is vital as we continue to pass through the cost of living crisis, and consider the scale of the housing crisis that confronts us. I hear this repeatedly on the doorsteps of Chester North and Neston, and I know that many Members hear the same. From larger urban centres to smaller villages and rural areas, my constituency contains the whole spectrum of housing provision. Residents have continuously voiced concerns about access to affordable housing across the constituency as a whole. In small rural towns, like Neston, younger people and those on lower incomes are being pushed out by the lack of affordability, leaving historic settlements less diverse and worse off. Neston has the potential to be a wonderful home for our younger people. It has great links with Chester, Liverpool and the Wirral, access to beautiful green spaces that are well suited to family outings and sports, and good schools and restaurants—in short, the basic building blocks needed for a fulfilling, well-rounded life. To hear stories of families who can no longer afford to live there, pushed out by a lack of affordable homes, is disheartening, and strengthens my commitment to improving the situation—a commitment that I know is shared by this Labour Government. With that in mind, I recognise the ambitions set out in the Bill introduced by the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George). The delegation of greater power to local communities who know their areas, with a depth and cultural understanding that cannot be replicated by a top-down, heavy-handed approach, is admirable. I believe that the Government understand that and, since entering office, they have begun to give the issue the attention and focus it deserves. For that reason, when I read the Bill I found that many of its proposals began to feel somewhat similar. To take one example, let us consider the Bill’s clauses that would require any housing associations seeking to dispose of homes to give preference to local community bodies. If that sounds familiar, it is because the Social Housing Bill, which has been extensively debated and will soon return to the Chamber, contains requirements for housing associations to notify registered providers in their local area when selling homes out of the regulated sector. This replication of work already undertaken or in progress continues throughout the Bill before us, touching on business rates, right to buy and measuring housing need, to mention but a few examples. I have seen the passionate and dedicated campaigning of the hon. Member for St Ives in this area, and I truly believe in his commitment to delivering for his constituents. It is clear to me that he shares my own commitment to improving access to affordable housing. However, I remain concerned that by passing the Bill into law risks duplicating work already undertaken by the Government and muddying the waters. Building more social and affordable housing is central to continuing the robust economic growth that we have seen in this country over the past two years. I believe that passing the Bill before us may create the potential for confusion and unnecessary red tape, which threatens the overall effectiveness of this Government’s house building programme.