Affordability and the Supply of Housing
Affordability and the Supply of Housing
Terms of Reference:
The Committee has resolved to carry out an inquiry into affordability and the supply of housing, with particular reference to the following issues:
The potential benefits of and scope to promote greater homeownership
The extent to which home purchase tackles social and economic inequalities and reduces poverty
The economic and social impact of current house prices
The relationship between house prices and housing supply
Other factors influencing the affordability of housing for sale including construction methods and fiscal measures
The scale of the Government’s plans to boost housing supply
The relative importance of increasing the supply of private housing as opposed to subsidised housing
How the planning system should respond to the demand for housing for sale
The scale of housing development required to influence house prices and the impact of promoting such a programme on the natural and historical environment and infrastructure provision
The regional disparities in the supply and demand for housing and how they might be tackled.
Report:
Affordability and the Supply of Housing: Report together with formal minutes, HC 703-I published on 20 June 2006
Government Response:
The Government Response to the Committee's Report on the Affordability and the Supply of Housing was published on 29th September 2006 as Cm 6912
Written Evidence:
Affordability and the Supply of Housing: Oral and Written Evidence, HC 703-II published on 20 March 2006
Oral Evidence:
16 January 2006, HC 703-iv
Witnesses: Mr Peter Dixon, Chairman, Housing Corporation and Ms Margaret Ford, Chairman,
English Partnerships; Yvette Cooper, a Member of the House, Minister for Housing and Planning, and Mr Andrew Wells, Director, Communities Plan Directorate,
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
12 December 2005, HC 703-iii
Witnesses: Keith Mitchell, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council and Chairman of South East County Leaders, Nick Skellet, Leader of Surrey County Council, and Bill Brisbane, Managing Partner, Roger Tym & Partners,
South East County Leaders Group; Dr Hugh Ellis, Planning Adviser, and Simon Bullock, Researcher,
Friends of the Earth; Ines Newman, Head of Policy, Janet Sillett, Policy Officer,
Local Government Information Unit, Adam Sampson, Director, and Patrick South, Director of Policy,
Shelter; Alan Benson, Head of Housing and Homelessness,
Greater London Authority
6 December 2005, HC 703-ii
Witnesses: Alan Clarke, Chief Executive, ONE Northeast and James A Cruddas, Head of Sustainable Communities,
the Northern Way; Steve Forrest, Strategic Advisor - Housing, Steve Gregory, Executive Director - Urban Regeneration and Colin Davis, Strategic Director - Operational Services ,Malvern Hills District Council,
West Midlands Regional Assembly; Ken Jones, Head of Housing Strategic Development,
London Borough of Barking & Dagenham; Neil Sinden, Policy Director; Henry Oliver, Head of Planning and Local Government, and Kate Gordon, Planning Officer,
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
28 November 2005, HC 703-i
Witnesses: Mr Peter Williams, Deputy Director General and Mr Bob Pannell, Head of Research and Information,
Council of Mortgage Lenders; Professor Alan Murie; Peter Lee, Senior Lecturer, and Dr Ed Ferrari, Lecturer,
Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, University of Birmingham; John Slaughter, Director of External Affairs; Paul Pedley, Executive Deputy Chairman, Redrow; Andrew Whitaker, Head of Planning,
Home Builders Federation.
Press Notices:
13/06/06
Publication of Report
11/01/06
Final Evidence Session
6/12/05
Third Evidence Session
30/11/05
Second Evidence Session
23/11/05
First Evidence Session
11/10/05
Announcement of inquiry