Oral Answers to Questions

Damian Hinds Excerpts

Monday 12th January 2026 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)]

1. If he will review the methodology for assessing housing affordability used to set local house building targets.

[The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Steve Reed)]

The Government are committed to building the new homes people need so that we can end the housing crisis that we inherited. The method for calculating local housing need aligns with the Government’s ambition for 1.5 million new homes over the course of this Parliament. That reflects affordability, and there are no plans to change it.

[Damian Hinds]

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for his response. The housing formula has resulted in huge increases for parts of rural England, including a doubling of the number in my East Hampshire constituency, and it should be reviewed overall. However, this question is about one specific aspect, whereby in an unintended way, the mix of housing that is being delivered might be skewed. I have written to the Secretary of State’s colleague, the Minister for Housing and Planning, and all I ask is that the Department looks at that with an open mind and considers it fully.

[Steve Reed]

I am always happy to listen to suggestions from the right hon. Gentleman and ensure that he gets a response. I reassure him that housing targets reflect the baseline of local housing stock, but I will ensure that he gets the letter he has requested.