Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

Amendments 166A, 175A and 176A are in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Whitaker. Unfortunately, she has damaged her knee and is confined to her home. She sends her apologies, and I have pleasure in speaking to the amendments on her behalf. Amendment 166A requires each regional strategy to make specific provision for meeting housing need in the region. Amendments 175A and 176A require the authorities involved in a regional strategy to consult relevant housing bodies. Had the noble Baroness, Lady Whitaker, been with us, she would have made the following remarks. The Bill will mark a major shift in regional strategy and decision-making for all regions outside London. Regional assemblies currently have responsibility for housing and planning at regional levels and oversee the development of regional spatial strategies, regional housing strategies and regional housing investment advice to Ministers. However, under the Bill, assemblies will cease to exist and these responsibilities will pass jointly to regional development agencies and local authority leaders’ forums. These bodies will be required to produce a single regional strategy that must include elements for economic development and planning, but will not include important stakeholders—housing providers and trades unions—which the forerunner regional assemblies did. There is a risk that if this wider strategy is developed without specific housing objectives and with no input from housing experts such as the Homes and Communities Agency, housing providers or other stakeholders, there will be no clear mechanism or accountability for delivering the homes which this country desperately needs. Whereas the regional assemblies specifically address wider housing objectives, such as meeting housing need through regional housing strategies, the new structure will place an overwhelming emphasis on the economy from RDAs, and on planning, transport and the economy from second-tier local authorities. Housing, however, is a key element of economic success, yet there is a real danger that the focus on housing will be lost in the transition to new regional governance arrangements. Shelter and the National Housing Federation support these amendments, pointing out that more than 4 million people are on waiting lists for social housing in England—1.6 million households, which represents around one in every 13 households in the country. The Local Government Association expects the figure to rise to 5 million by 2010. There is a desperate need to build more homes in order to meet growing needs, and this should be a priority that is reflected in the regional structure. If she had been in her place, the noble Baroness, Lady Whitaker, would have said, ““If my noble friend accepts these amendments, each regional strategy will then include specific measures to address housing need and the relevant housing organisations will be able to influence the strategy at an early stage. These changes to the Bill would surely be highly desirable””. On behalf of the noble Baroness, I beg to move.