Lee Rowley replaces Rachel Maclean in a return to housing minister role

Mr Rowley held the same office in Liz Truss’s government. He served as housing minister from 8 September to 26 October 2022.

 

The MP for North East Derbyshire also has experience as a government whip in the treasury and a parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

 

The appointment comes after Ms Maclean was sacked as housing minister after nine months in the role. She joined in February to replace Lucy Frazer, who served as minister of state for housing from 26 October 2022 to 7 February after taking over from Mr Rowley.

 

“Disappointed” to leave

 

Ms Maclean was minister of state at the Ministry of Justice between 7 September and 28 October 2022.

 

Writing on 13 November on X (formerly Twitter), she said: “I’ve been asked to step down from my role as housing minister. Disappointed and was looking forward to introducing the Renters Reform Bill to committee tomorrow and later the Leasehold and Freehold Bill. It has been a privilege to hold the position and I wish my successor well.

 

“I want to thank everyone in DLUHC who it has been a huge pleasure to work with as well as all those who have given their time, commitment and energy to work with me and inform policy on this vital agenda. I will never lose my passion for housing and planning.”

 

Housing secretary Michael Gove shared fellow Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch’s post on X, which said she was “very sorry” to hear Ms Maclean was leaving government.

 

Ms Badenoch said: “You were an excellent minister, always attentive to MPs and their constituents and got some very tricky legislation over the line!”

 

Speaking at the National Housing Summit 2023 in September, Ms Maclean claimed she recognised the importance of setting a rent policy that strikes the right balance between enabling providers to invest in their stock and what is affordable for tenants.

 

During her time as housing minister, she progressed the Renters (Reform) Bill and several pieces of legislation were passed, including the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, Building Safety Act and Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act.

 

On 12 October, her department introduced reforms to shared ownership rent rises, which moved from a cap on annual increases based on the Retail Price Index to the Consumer Price Index.

 

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation (NHF), thanked Ms Maclean for her work as housing minister.

 

She said on X: “Thank you Rachel for working closely with us during your time as housing minister, particularly on the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act and progressing the Renters’ Reform Bill. Wishing you all the best for the future.”

 

Welcoming Mr Rowley’s return

 

Ms Henderson added: “Congratulations Lee Rowley on your appointment as housing minister. Having worked constructively with you on building safety, the NHF and housing associations look forward to working with you again on this and other key issues for the social housing sector.”

 

The Chartered Institute of Housing also welcomed Mr Rowley’s return.

 

The housing body said on X: “Congratulations Lee Rowley on your appointment as housing minister. We look forward to working with you again.”

Nicholas Harris, chief executive of Stonewater, was pleased with the appointment of Mr Rowley, and said the housing association hoped this would bring “longevity and stability at a time when the national housing crisis continues to deepen”.

 

“With previous knowledge of the extensive housing portfolio and needs across our sector, we hope the minister will be able to ensure affordable housing provision is a main priority for the government,” he said.

 

“In his previous ministerial role covering local government and building safety, we know that Mr Rowley will have clear insight and understanding of some of the most important issues for the sector – building safety and planning reform.

 

“We look forward to working with Mr Rowley in our commitment to delivering sustainable, affordable homes for everyone across the country.”

 

Geeta Nanda, chief executive of Metropolitan Thames Valley, said: “We welcome the new housing minister, who clearly has a good understanding of the housing crisis – one of the greatest challenges of our time. The sector desperately needs stability if we are to tackle this crisis and provide the safe, secure, affordable homes our nation needs.

 

“This cannot be achieved without the housing association sector. With capital investment in housing down 63 per cent since 2010 and economic conditions and existing home investment priorities forcing many development programmes to be scaled back, now is the time for innovative, partnership working backed by sufficient investment in new homes.

 

“Investment in housing is an investment in our entire economy and society. Through working with us to tackle the housing crisis, the new housing minister will affirm his commitment to providing homes which help to build a prosperous society and give people the chance to live well.”

 

Ian Fletcher, director of policy at the British Property Federation (BPF), welcomed Mr Rowley’s appointment and wished him well.

 

“While he will have a full in-tray to deal with, not least renters’ reform, leasehold reform and a large number of planning issues, at least he is already sighted on the strategic issues facing the department and has a strong understanding of local government and the need to ensure that planning and place-making is well resourced within that,” he said.

 

“We particularly welcome his embrace of a multi-tenure approach to housing supply, which is pragmatic in recognising the contribution that sectors like build-to-rent, purpose-built student accommodation and retirement living can make. Overall, we hope that he puts his experience to maximum effect representing the views of our sector ahead of next week’s crucial Autumn Statement.”

 

“Revolving door” of housing ministers

 

However, the BPF’s chief executive and organisations including homelessness charity Shelter have criticised the “revolving door” of housing ministers.

 

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the BPF, said: “The revolving door of housing ministers has turned once more. For a sector that thrives on certainty and wants to see a long-term plan for housing, such discontinuity in personnel is a significant concern and actively undermines investment and long-term commitment across the sector.”

 

Shelter said on X: “The revolving door of housing ministers proves the government’s failure to grasp the scale and urgency of the housing emergency.

 

“Rents are rocketing, evictions are soaring, and homelessness is at a record high. The 16th housing minister since 2010 must hit the ground running.”

 

Sacked home secretary

 

Elsewhere, as part of the cabinet reshuffle, Suella Braverman was sacked as home secretary and replaced by foreign secretary James Cleverly.

 

Earlier this month, housing bodies criticised Ms Braverman’s assertion that rough-sleeping can be a “lifestyle choice”, and called on the government to urgently reconsider “punitive” proposals she had set out to ban the use of tents by homeless people.