Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question HL8844 on Affordable Housing: Finance and pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 78177 on Affordable Housing: Finance, for what reason the Social Time Preference Rate discount has not been applied to the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

At the Spending Review, the government announced £39 billion, in nominal terms, for a new Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36.

Economic appraisal for the SAHP business case was carried out following HMT Green Book methodology and used the Green Book discount rate (known as the Social Time Preference Rate) to assess the economic value for money of the programme in present value terms.

I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78177 on 3 November 2025 for further details.