John
Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, responding to new statistics on the
replacement of homes sold under the right-to-buy, said:
“These
figures show only one in five council homes sold under the right-to-buy has
been replaced, despite the Conservatives promising one-for-one replacement.
“We
desperately need more genuinely affordable homes, but the Conservatives’
right-to-buy means council homes are being sold off and communities are losing
out. Too often these homes become buy-to-let investments rather than family
homes, with higher rents costing the taxpayer millions more in housing benefit.
“Labour
will invest in the biggest council house building programme in more than 30
years, and to ensure that areas can build and retain council homes for local
people we will suspend the right-to-buy, allowing councils to reinstate it only
if they can prove a plan to replace homes sold one-for-one and like-for-like.”
Ends
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