Labour “out of touch with Kingston council tenants” – Davey

3rd April 2008

Minister makes major error over Kingston housing repairs

Kingston council tenants will be “outraged” by Labour’s complacency over their repairs, according to Kingston and Surbiton MP, Edward Davey, following an exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Liberal Democrat MP, Edward Davey, questioned the Leader of the House, Harriet Harman, at Prime Minister’s Questions, when she was standing in for the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, asking her why the Labour Government gives Kingston council tenants such a bad deal.

Yet Harriet Harman, Labour’s Deputy Leader, dismissed his complaints, saying that “in all the council estates and blocks in his constituency there have been new roofs, new windows and new lifts, and that there has been major investment in council housing since this Government came into power.”

Commenting afterwards, Edward Davey MP said:

“Labour Ministers don’t seem to know they are starving places like Kingston of the millions needed to do the basic repairs to local council houses, let alone provide new roofs, windows and lifts.

“Not only does Labour steal from Kingston council tenants 31p in every pound of rent they pay – the money needed for basic repairs – but Labour’s most senior ministers won’t even recognise how badly they have treated us.

“Labour should apologise for being so out of touch and for letting down Kingston’s council tenants so badly.”

The full text

Hansard 2 Apr 2008 : Column 766

Mr. Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton) (LD): Can the Leader of the House explain to council tenants in my constituency why the Labour Government ask them to subsidise council tenants in other parts of the country? Why is it that for every pound that a council tenant pays in rent to Kingston council, the Government take away 31p to give to other councils? The Prime Minister told the House in July last year that he would reform this unfair system; why has nothing been done?

Ms Harman: We are reviewing the way in which the housing revenue fund works, but I hope that the hon. Gentleman will join me in welcoming the fact that in all the council estates and blocks in his constituency there have been new roofs, new windows and new lifts, and that there has been major investment in council housing since this Government came into power.