Grant Shapps named new housing minister

The Conservative MP and former shadow housing minister Grant Shapps has been named as the new minister for housing.

The Welwyn Hatfield MP, who replaces Labour MP John Healy, will be tasked with increasing the supply of new homes, including the construction of more affordable homes.

Shapps has beaten off competition from Liberal Democrat housing spokesperson Sarah Teather for the housing post.

However, unlike his Labour predecessor in the post, the new housing minister will not attend Cabinet meetings under the new administration. This has disappointed many professionals in the housing industry, as it has effectively undermined the housing minister's position and that of the property sector, at a time when the supply of new homes is failing to keep apace with demand.

Shapps will work under new communities secretary Eric Pickles, making him ultimately responsible for planning and development of new build homes.

Shapps' appointment has been largely welcomed by the housing sector.

The National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr commented: "We look forward to working closely with Mr Shapps, and his colleagues in the new coalition government, on ensuring that the nation gets the affordable housing it so desperately needs.

"Mr Shapps has demonstrated an expert knowledge of the challenges faced by our sector and understands the need to incentivise local communities to accept the building of new homes in their area.

"With record waiting lists for social homes, Dickensian levels of overcrowding in many of our cities, and a dramatic slump in house-building numbers, it's clear that the need for more affordable housing has never been greater."