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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Housing to dominate Brown agenda | Housing to dominate Brown agenda |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to make housing, education and health his priorities when he outlines his agenda to MPs later. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to make housing, education and health his priorities when he outlines his agenda to MPs later. |
| Mr Brown will break with tradition by setting out his draft Parliamentary programme before the Queen's Speech. | Mr Brown will break with tradition by setting out his draft Parliamentary programme before the Queen's Speech. |
| His spokesman has denied Tory claims his plans for building thousands of new homes would destroy the green belt. | |
| The consultation document Mr Brown will put before MPs will include plans for wide ranging constitutional reform. | The consultation document Mr Brown will put before MPs will include plans for wide ranging constitutional reform. |
| On Wednesday afternoon Mr Brown will set out his priorities for the next year and a list of bills and draft bills he is thinking of introducing in the next Parliament. | On Wednesday afternoon Mr Brown will set out his priorities for the next year and a list of bills and draft bills he is thinking of introducing in the next Parliament. |
| Measures which might be put forward include a Schools Bill to raise the school leaving age to 18, a Climate Change Bill and legislative proposals from the recent Energy and Planning White Papers. | |
| Green belt | Green belt |
| The Queen's Speech in November is normally when prime ministers outline their legislative programme. Wednesday's statement is a break with tradition, although it is not clear how much detail will be given. | The Queen's Speech in November is normally when prime ministers outline their legislative programme. Wednesday's statement is a break with tradition, although it is not clear how much detail will be given. |
| GOVERNMENT HOUSING POLICIES Housing market renewal scheme to restore sustainable communities to parts of the North and Midlands Home Information Packs being introducedAll social housing must meet the 'decent homes standard'100,000 homes in "carbon neutral" communities planned for old industrial sitesNew HomeBuy scheme enables social tenants, key workers and other first time buyers to buy share of a home | |
| Housing is expected to dominate the plans, but his spokesman denied claims that much of the green belt would be lost, after minister Hazel Blears said house building took "priority" over environmental concerns. | Housing is expected to dominate the plans, but his spokesman denied claims that much of the green belt would be lost, after minister Hazel Blears said house building took "priority" over environmental concerns. |
| The Conservatives said Ms Blears' appearance before the committee had "raised the prospect of the government systematically concreting over the green belt". | |
| They also suggested she had given "the green light to green belt destruction on a massive scale". | |
| Shadow planning minister Jacqui Lait said: "We need to build more homes. But the government should work with local communities - and must respect the wishes of local people who want to protect their green belt for current and future generations." | |
| Mr Brown says he wants to meet people's aspirations | |
| Mr Brown is expected to outline plans to build more homes, to build more council or housing association homes for rent and also to support the growth of 25-year mortgages and shared ownership schemes. | Mr Brown is expected to outline plans to build more homes, to build more council or housing association homes for rent and also to support the growth of 25-year mortgages and shared ownership schemes. |
| Affordable homes | Affordable homes |
| But the impact on green belt land was raised at a select committee hearing when Communities Secretary Ms Blears was asked about the need for more affordable housing. | But the impact on green belt land was raised at a select committee hearing when Communities Secretary Ms Blears was asked about the need for more affordable housing. |
| She told MPs more land would have to be freed up for development and the planning system would have to be used to better effect. | She told MPs more land would have to be freed up for development and the planning system would have to be used to better effect. |
| "I think we are going to have a tussle, if you like, because some people are concerned about environmental issues," she told the committee. | "I think we are going to have a tussle, if you like, because some people are concerned about environmental issues," she told the committee. |
| "But I think the priority has to be to build these homes." | "But I think the priority has to be to build these homes." |
| I fear that Gordon Brown is giving the green light to green belt destruction on a massive scale Jacqui LaitShadow planning minister | |
| She said she could not give "categoric assurances" about redrawing the green belt. | She said she could not give "categoric assurances" about redrawing the green belt. |
| And Mr Brown's official spokesman said later the government could "give assurances" that all land currently classed as green belt would remain so under new plans to increase housing. | |
| He said the prime minister "is not proposing any changes to the robust terms" of the current green belt land provision. | He said the prime minister "is not proposing any changes to the robust terms" of the current green belt land provision. |
| Housing and the wider content of Mr Brown's statement were discussed at Cabinet on Tuesday. | Housing and the wider content of Mr Brown's statement were discussed at Cabinet on Tuesday. |
| Mr Brown's official spokesman said the "over-arching theme" was meeting people's aspirations in areas like housing, education and the NHS. | Mr Brown's official spokesman said the "over-arching theme" was meeting people's aspirations in areas like housing, education and the NHS. |