Welsh parties seek legal powers
The two leading parties in Wales want to see legislative powers over housing devolved to the country.
Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, who currently run the Welsh Assembly Government in a coalition, agree Wales should have greater control over housing.
A request for wide-ranging legislative powers – called a legislative competence order – recently failed as it was not considered by Parliament before it closed for the general election.
This was because the order did not have cross-party support as the Conservatives objected to the control this would give the assembly over the right to buy.
In its manifesto Welsh Labour says: ‘To fulfil our ambition of building 6,500 new homes and revitalising the social housing sector in Wales, we will re-introduce the housing LCO, which the Tories have blocked at Westminster.’
Plaid Cymru’s manifesto states: ‘Plaid Cymru believes that primary legislation relating to housing should now be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, bringing decision making closer to the people.’
Welsh Labour also pledges to reduce the pressure on housing by ensuring only those who are British citizens and permanent residents – based on a points-based system – will be entitled to benefits and social housing.
It says this will save the taxpayer ‘hundreds of millions each year’.
Plaid Cymru is looking for a change in the way social housing is financed and for the assembly to have greater powers over housing.
In its manifesto it says: ‘Plaid Cymru calls for changes to the way that social housing is financed so that Treasury rules on borrowing no longer stand in the way of local authorities that want to build and maintain new social housing.
‘We believe that housing associations and local authorities should work on a level playing field.’
The party also says it is committed to bringing empty properties back into use and calls for an immediate cut in VAT to 5 per cent on all home maintenance, repairs and improvements.
Its manifesto adds: ‘Plaid Cymru understands the difficulties that first-time buyers face in getting onto the first rung of the housing ladder.
‘To address this, Plaid calls for a moratorium on stamp duty for first-time buyers.’
Plaid Cymru also wants a greater voice in Westminster on housing-related issues that are not devolved.
The Welsh Conservatives’ manifesto says the party would allow a referendum on greater legislative powers for the assembly, but it does not explicitly say it wants to push for increased powers over housing.
The manifesto says the Tories want to create a ‘property-owning democracy’ and pledges to raise the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 for first-time buyers. It also promises support for shared equity schemes, affordable housing in rural areas, and local planning reform.
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