Following the renaming of the DCLG to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in the Government’s latest cabinet reshuffle, Dominic Raab has been appointed as the new Housing Minister.
Mark Farmer, CEO of Cast and author of a government-commissioned review into the construction industry, commented: “A new year and a new housing minister. At a time when the housing crisis continues to be a political hot potato, strong ministerial capability and maintaining continuity will be extremely important factors. The housing brief is incredibly complex and any new minister will need to pick up the intricacies of the challenges very quickly, as well as immediately engaging the wider industry.
“Sajid Javid’s continued role as Secretary of State with overarching responsibility for housing will help ensure the links to last year’s Housing White Paper commitments remain. However, it is critical that Dominic Raab gets up to speed quickly with a series of interconnected construction and housing sector challenges, and that through the Secretary of State, he leverages the new Cabinet level profile that housing has now assumed.”
Rural housing specialist Hastoe Housing Association has also responded to the appointment of Dominic Raab as Housing Minister. Chief Executive Sue Chalkley said: “I welcome Dominic Raab to the world of housing. I look forward to working with him to increase substantially the number of affordable houses in rural areas.
“I pay tribute to the work of his predecessor, Alok Sharma, for his tenure as Housing Minister. He really listened to the social housing sector and made some very positive announcements, including £2bn funding for social rented properties, a long-term rent formula for the social sector and a strong focus on design quality for new homes.
“I hope the new Minister can continue in the same vein and continue to put housing top of the Government’s domestic agenda. From the new Green Paper on social housing to reducing homelessness, I want to ensure that the rural voice is heard loud and clear.”
Terrie Alafat CBE, Chief Executive of CIH, added: “We congratulate Dominic Raab on becoming the new housing minister and we look forward to working with him.
“We hope that the very valuable work Alok Sharma has been doing, including his work travelling around the country to consult with tenants, continues. Given the very serious housing challenges our nation faces we also now hope for continuity in this crucial role.”
