Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew (pictured) has been appointed Housing Minister in Boris Johnson’s mini reshuffle.
Andrew had previously been a Deputy Chief Whip, having taken up the post back in February 2020.
Andrew, who replaces Christopher Pincher, is the eleventh housing minister since 2010.
Andrew Shepherd, managing director at TopHat, said: “The appointment of Stuart Andrew as housing minister is certainly welcome news for the housebuilding industry.
“At the top of his agenda will be a number of pressing issues, such as the chronic shortage of housing in the UK, reforms to the planning system and decarbonising homes.
“Under Stuart Andrew, we can expect MHCLG and Homes England to remain forward thinking and innovative in their approaches, with this being vital if the government stands a chance of transforming the housebuilding industry into a more productive, greener industry.
“As it has done so for the last five or so years, the new housing minister must ensure his department continues championing modern methods of construction.”
Nick Sanderson, CEO Audley Group, ADDED: “11 in 12 years. It sounds like a made up statistic, but no, that really is the number of Housing Ministers there have been in a ridiculously short amount of time.
“Little wonder perhaps that major reform has been kicked to the curb. Mr Andrew has a real opportunity to alter that trajectory. The noise has increased in the corridors of power and now is the time to act.
“We need the Housing Minister to work with the Health Secretary and the Minister for Social Care to create holistic solutions that create the right kind of housing.
“The newly announced taskforce on housing for older people is a positive start. Create more of the right housing to take pressure of the NHS and social care. It’s simple, it doesn’t cost the government money and it simply takes vision. And a bit of stability at the top.”
