Housing minister hasn't had any official meetings with Cameron

19 July 2010 | By Samuel Dale

Neither the Prime Minister nor the chancellor of the exchequer have had any official contact with the housing minister since he took up his position in May, Mortgage Strategy can reveal.

The housing sector was dealt a blow in May when it emerged that Shapps would not have a seat in the Cabinet as part of the coalition government, despite his predecessor Yvette Cooper having a place in it under Labour.

A Freedom of Information request to the Department for Communities and Local Government made by Mortgage Strategy reveals that no official meetings have taken place.

A DCLG spokesman says: “There has been no correspondence on matters of departmental or government business between Shapps and the PM or the chancellor since Shapps took up his appointment.”

With no Cabinet post for Shapps, housing issues fall within the remit of Eric Pickles, secretary of state for the DCLG.

Peter Bolton-King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, says he is surprised at the lack of contact between the PM and Shapps, and thinks it would be a good idea if they spoke.

He says: “Housing issues affect many other sectors and the property market is vital to the economy. I’d have thought the role of housing minister would be an important one, and a top-level meeting would have taken place.

“Of course, in an ideal world the housing minister would be in the Cabinet.”

A spokesman for the Home Builders Federation says: “We have always said that we believe the housing minister should be in the Cabinet. We hope David Cameron can work with Shapps to deliver the commitment he made to increasing the supply of housing.”

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