BSRIA welcomes new housing minister

BSRIA has welcomed the announcement of Kit Malthouse as the new Housing Minister as part of the Prime Minister’s reshuffle to her cabinet.

He has replaced Dominic Raab after just six months and becomes the eighth housing minister since 2010. Mr Malthouse, had previously served Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions, with Mr Raab now becoming the new Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

Mr Malthouse was first elected as an MP for North West Hampshire in 2015.

Julia Evans, Chief Executive, BSRIA, said:

“On behalf of BSRIA members – we welcome Mr Malthouse into this important role. Again – we need to know that there is stability ahead for, not only our members, but also the industry at large. Indeed: this post has seen a flurry of figures, not only in the last few years, in the last few months, so a level of consistency and constancy is now needed for the times ahead.

As ever – BSRIA is calling for Mr Malthouse to continue to foster and deliver robust housing polices. And we look forward to an ongoing dialogue.

Quality is clearly key.

Only last week – BSRIA welcomed government’s announcement of a Construction Sector Deal which will halve the energy use of new buildings by 2030 through developing innovative energy and low carbon technologies driving lower cost and high quality construction techniques. BSRIA said then that time and time again that more quality housing is needed throughout the length and breadth of the UK.

And the week before with the possible creation of a mandatory Industry Ombudsman Scheme – BSRIA proposed measures to lock in quality more strongly during the construction process and before the point of purchase.

Of course BSRIA invites the minister to work closely with industry. Building houses must be considered a long game, not just leaping over the first hurdle.”

Formerly Deputy Mayor of London, Christopher (Kit) Malthouse is a chartered accountant, founding a Midlands-based finance company twenty years ago, which he now chairs. Kit is married with three children.