Spending Review 2025

Amanda Martin Excerpts

Wednesday 11th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)]

I thank the Chancellor for listening to me on behalf of Portsmouth residents with her commitments in today’s review to investing in building British in our defence sector, backing our SMEs, investing in our country’s security, our Royal Navy base and our NHS, and investing in the education of young people and our public services. A really important issue for my constituents is housing. With the £39 billion affordable housing pot and local growth funding targeted to reach hundreds of communities, under Labour there is now a real chance of addressing the housing need in Portsmouth. How can I work with the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that this ambitious investment is wholeheartedly embraced by my Lib Dem council, so that it is as ambitious for Portsmouth as we are, and so that we finally see action and much-needed homes for the people of Pompey?

[Rachel Reeves]

I think the whole House would pay tribute to the people of Portsmouth and their commitment to our country’s defence. On affordable housing, through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the planning reforms we have already announced, we are enabling the building of these homes. Through the £39 billon announced today, we are putting in money so that we can build social and affordable homes. It is disappointing that the Liberal Democrats do not back our planning and infrastructure reforms, because unless everyone backs those, it will be very hard to get Britain building again and to build the 1.5 million homes that people in Portsmouth and the rest of our country desperately need.