Oral Answers to Questions

Chloe Smith Excerpts

Monday 21st October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to help first-time buyers get on the housing ladder.

[Miss Chloe Smith (Norwich North) (Con)]

15. What steps he is taking to help first-time buyers get on the housing ladder.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kris Hopkins]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I agree that at the moment there is a huge media focus on London and the south-east. As a northern MP, I know that if we remove London and the south-east from the national figure of 3.8% for price rises, we get 2.1% for our part of the country, but several other parts have seen no increase at all, so we need to stick up for the Blackpools, Burnleys and Bradfords as well.

[Miss Smith]

The average earnings for my constituents working full time last year were under £23,000, so they know all about why it is right to cap benefits in order that people who work hard are not undermined by those who live off the taxpayer. Meanwhile, the average home in Norwich North sells for around £145,000. Does the Minister agree that Help to Buy can help make the dream of home ownership a reality for those people?

[Kris Hopkins]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. Since the housing crash in 2008, many families in her constituency have struggled to get on the housing ladder, and the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, in particular, helps people like those she has mentioned. The tremendous response that RBS, for instance, has had, with some 10,000 inquiries in the first four working days, demonstrates that the Government are on the side of hard-working people and will support people such as the constituents she mentioned.