All Party Parliamentary Group for Housing in the North Returns for 2022
The APPG for Housing in the North, the forum for Parliamentarians to discuss and advance housing and related policy issues, met this month to launch a new work programme for 2022/3.
2021 had proved to be a productive year for the group with a string of Ministerial engagements. The APPG was joined in both January and May by the Minister for Housing where priorities including PRS standards, affordable housing, Local Authority capacity, and Net Zero were discussed. The Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility also provided a keynote address at the APPG’s first joint-event held in collaboration with the APPG for Housing and Social Mobility exploring the barriers to scaling up the retrofit supply chain and embedding good green jobs at the local level.
Building on this work, it was announced that the forthcoming year’s meetings would look at ensuring housing investment, and housing providers, can contribute fully to the Government’s Levelling Up agenda. As attendees were told at the outset; whether it’s restoring local pride and community agency, improving housing quality, ensuring communities can access excellent public services, or boosting living standards, a high quality and affordable housing offer will be central to success.
It was noted that the APPG for Housing in the North could take much from the recent publication from the long-trailed Levelling Up White Paper. The White Paper has reflected back much of the APPG’s work and priorities in recent years; an acknowledgement that the importance of housing goes beyond availability, and having a decent home is fundamental to individual and collective wellbeing, that raising and enforcing standards in the Private Rented Sector is a particular challenge, and that the resources of Homes England could be reorientated towards supporting area regeneration. The task for the APPG and stakeholders in the North, was to ensure the agenda has the longevity needed to deliver.
Against a back drop energy insecurity and price volatility, a range of stakeholders were brought together to discuss the cost of living crisis and work being undertaken by Northern Housing Consortium members to support communities in the short term, and improve the energy efficiency of homes across the North to protect people in the long term. Contributions were made by National Energy Action, North Star Housing Group, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Liverpool City Council, Burnley Borough Council, and Cosy Homes in Lancashire.
A post-event-meeting pack, detailing key points and discussion, can be accessed here:
