Deputies support plans for a single committee to accelerate the rate of home building, identified as the key States' objective of this political term.

There are five months to go until the end of this political term yet the supply of new build, affordable homes has failed to meet demand.

To try to address this, deputies have backed the creation of a Housing Committee.

It will become active from July and will bring together the housing functions currently carried out by Environment and Infrastructure and Employment and Social Security. Responsibility for planning decisions will stay with the Development and Planning Authority. 

Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller brought the requete, or petition, to the States in December 2024 and debate was carried over into the January sitting.

"We've got to think differently people. Stop burdening ourselves with the same bureaucracy and old time thinking. 'Oh, if you create a committee, we've got to have an expensive committee secretary, we've got to have two minute takers at £90,000.' This is old-school thinking."

During debate on the amendments to the policy letter, deputies referenced the need to deliver on house-building. The former head of Policy and Resources, deputy Peter Ferbrache, said it is something that is not happening:

"We are not giving the opportunity for people to have housing, which is something they deserve. It's an absolute entitlement in my view."

Former Treasury lead Mark Helyar said little had happened:

"We've done nothing about it, nothing. Yet the problem is a really simple one."

Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez had wanted a Housing Commission, bringing together the public and private sectors. Her amendment was defeated by 20 votes to 17.