Bim Afolami MP, the Member of Parliament for Hitchin & Harpenden, spoke in the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday (July 12) to grill the Deputy Prime Minister – Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden – on the Government's plans to get young people onto the housing ladder. 

Mr Afolami, has been an active voice in his Party calling for a better policy offering for Millennial voters, having published a piece of research with the Onward think tank in May looking at what they termed "Missing Millennials". The MP has since called for policy changes, including proposing building new social housing in garden cities on state-owned land and re-opening and tripling the Help to Buy ISA. 

Appearing in the House of Commons, he said, "On these Benches we know as the Party of aspiration, the importance of home ownership. According to a recent estimate by Barclays Bank, it now takes an average of eight years for the average first time buyer to save for a deposit. And in parts of London and the South East, it can be longer than that. What is the Deputy Prime Minister and the Government doing in order to improve the prospects for younger people who want to own their own homes?" 

Responding the Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said, 

"Well, I know what a passionate champion of this issue, my Honourable Friend is. It is actually the case that almost 850,000 households have been helped to purchase a home since 2010. And actually, in 2021, the number of people getting onto the property ladder for the first time was at a 20 year high, thanks to initiatives such as First Homes and the Help to Buy scheme. Of course, that stands in contrast to the [Labour Party] who oversaw the lowest level of housebuilding since the 1920s." 

Speaking after his appearance in the Chamber, Bim Afolami MP said, 

"We need to do all we can to help Millennials to get on in life. The research I have been doing is clear: housing and home ownership is a key policy area where younger voters want to see progress. They want to be able to get onto the housing ladder and see their families' economic chances improve. 

"I will continue to work hard in Westminster to ensure that we develop a positive message for Millennials – and a Conservative Party who can help them to achieve their aspirations." 

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