Following the appointment of Rt Hon. Sajid Javid MP as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the department will be renamed as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Housing Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Building the homes our country needs is an absolute priority for this government and so I’m delighted the Prime Minister has asked me to serve in this role.
“The name change for the department reflects this government’s renewed focus to deliver more homes and build strong communities across England.”
CIH chief executive Terrie Alafat has welcomed housing being given new prominence in a cabinet reshuffle.
“It is right that housing is given this profile and we hope this decision represents a long-term commitment to address the very serious housing issues facing the nation,” she added.
Brian Berry Chief Executive of the FMB said the inclusion of the word ‘housing’ sends a clear signal as to the importance the Government places on housing policy by the renaming of the Department and the Secretary of State’s title.
“However, actions always speak louder than words which is why it is vital that we also see continuity, application and a continued willingness to be bold where necessary in housing policy,” he continued.
“We want to see continuity in terms of building on a set of good policies to unleash the capacity of the SME house building sector set out in the Housing White Paper; application in terms of effective implementation; and a willingness to still be bold where Government intervention is still called for.”
