Wales appoints housing minister in cabinet reshuffle

Julie James has been appointed housing minister, after previously being climate change minister.

She was appointed by Wales’ new First Minister Vaughan Gething, who replaced the resigning Mark Drakeford.

Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, urged James to drop the country’s preoccupation with rent controls.

He said: “We are pleased to see the reinstatement of a ministerial position with a dedicated remit concerning housing and have long advocated the need for this to be a devoted role given the magnitude of challenges that lie ahead in Wales. We are also pleased to see that Julie James continues in her housing role to ensure continuity.

“However, Julie James must use this opportunity to listen to concerns from the property industry and to end the prospect of rent controls in Wales.

“The Minister must also work across government to increase housing supply by reviewing Land Transaction Tax on additional properties and support for the sector to decarbonise.

“In addition, a key priority must also include Propertymark’s long-term call for a Welsh Housing Survey to help gather better insight for evidence-based policy making going forward.”

Douglas added: “Propertymark welcomes the appointment of Julie James within the reinstated role of housing minister, and we are proactively seeking to arrange an initial meeting to help address future challenges across the housing sector in Wales.

“We are looking forward to building on our positive relationship with the minister and championing the role of property agents to the Welsh government”

Wales’s new First Minister Vaughan Gething is notable as Europe’s first Black government minister.

He said: “Today we turn a page in the book of our nation’s history — a history we write together.

“Not just because I have the honor of becoming the first Black leader in any European country, but because a generational dial has jumped too.”