PMQs today: Prime Minister David Cameron forced to defend government’s record on housing
Prime Minister David Cameron came under the cosh on housing from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, forcing Cameron to defend the government's plans to help people buy and own property in the UK.
Corbyn said that Cameron's record is one of failure on housing, asking what the Prime Minister was doing to help people who suffer unrealistic house prices and uncapped rents, as well as drawing attention to the fact that council homes sold were meant to be replaced like-for-like.
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Cameron said that help to buy ISAs, tax cuts, as well as the extension of right to buy and help to buy are all helping people on the property market. "If Rosie is not earning that much money, shared ownership could make a real difference," Cameron said in reply to a question asked by Corbyn on behalf of a woman in her 20s.
He added that just one council home was built for every 170 council homes sold under Labour, while his government will ensure two homes are built in London for every one that is sold.
Yet Corbyn contested the data, arguing just one home has been built for every eight sold under Cameron's government.
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On the wider issue of the "housing crisis", Corbyn said that too few homes are being built and people are unable to afford the buy or rent properties, to which the Prime Minister repeated (his well-rehearsed speech) that there needs to be a strong economy for people to be able to own their own homes.
Labour's Nic Dakin also asked when the government is going to stand up for UK steel, but Cameron said the government has been doing just that, including taking anti-dumping measures in the EU.
"But that's not enough, we need to get behind public procurement for steel, and that's we are doing. We need to get behind reducing energy bills for steel, and that's what we're doing," he said.