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Housing to dominate Brown agenda Housing to dominate Brown agenda
(about 5 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.
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. His spokesman denied Tory claims that his plans for building thousands of new, "more affordable", homes would destroy the green belt.
The consultation document Mr Brown will put before MPs will include plans for wide ranging constitutional reform. Mr Brown will also detail 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 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.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 beltGreen 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 programme. The 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 homeGOVERNMENT 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. Mr Brown told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he would look at ideas to make home ownership easier, such as 20-year fixed-rate mortgages and more shared-equity schemes.
The Conservatives said Ms Blears' appearance before the committee had "raised the prospect of the government systematically concreting over the green belt". He added: "We've got to make houses more affordable."
Mr Brown said there was a need to "make the system of house-buying more flexible" for first-time buyers and people moving home.
More properties had to be built, particularly on "brownfield land", he said, adding: "This is a new and urgent challenge that we've got to meet by the public and private sectors working better together."
Mr Brown's spokesman denied claims that much of the countryside would be lost after Communities Minister Hazel Blears said house building took "priority" over environmental concerns.
She told the local government select committee she could not give "categoric assurances" about redrawing the green belt.
The Conservatives said this had "raised the prospect of the government systematically concreting over" protected land.
They also suggested she had given "the green light to green belt destruction on a massive scale".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."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 But Mr Brown's spokesman said the government could "give assurances" that all land currently classed as green belt would remain so under new plans to increase housing.
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. He said the prime minister was "not proposing any changes to the robust terms" of the current green belt land provision.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.