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Housing to dominate Brown agenda Housing to dominate Brown agenda
(30 minutes later)
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to make housing, education and health his priorities when he outlines his agenda to MPs. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to put housing, health, and education at the heart of his parliamentary programme for the next year.
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 plans to MPs months ahead of the Queen's Speech.
His spokesman denied Tory claims that his plans for building thousands of new, "more affordable", homes would destroy the green belt. He told the BBC he wanted to make homes "more affordable" and to put an end to "armchair government", by consulting people on his legislative programme.
Mr Brown will also detail plans for wide-ranging constitutional reform. But the Tories said his house-building proposals would damage the green belt.
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. Mr Brown is to 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 at about 1230 BST.
'More power'
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 belt The Queen's Speech in November is normally when prime ministers outline their programme. The statement, a break with tradition, is also expected to include the constitutional reform plans he outlined last week.
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
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. Mr Brown told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Parliament "should have far more power" and be able to discuss his plans in advance.
He also promised region-by-region public consultations, saying: "We are in a new world. People have a right to be consulted and involved. Therefore you have got to be outward looking.
"That's different from what people call 'sofa government' or what people call 'armchair government'. This is going out listening to the people."
'Flexible'
On housing, Mr Brown said he would look at ideas to make home ownership easier, such as 20-year fixed-rate mortgages and more shared-equity schemes.
He added: "We've got to make houses more affordable."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. 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." More properties had to be built, particularly on "brownfield land", Mr Brown 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. On Tuesday, Communities Minister Hazel Blears said house building took "priority" over environmental concerns.
Green belt threat
She told the local government select committee she could not give "categoric assurances" about redrawing the green belt.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.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."
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.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.
He said the prime minister was "not proposing any changes to the robust terms" of the current green belt land provision.He said the prime minister was "not proposing any changes to the robust terms" of the current green belt land provision.