Lee Rowley has become the 16th housing minister in 13 years, replacing Rachel Maclean who was sacked as part of the Prime Minister’s wide-ranging reshuffle.
He takes up Maclean’s post at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The former minister had earlier posted that she was “disappointed” to lose her job.
Rowley was the Parliamentary under secretary of state at DLUHC, after joining the department last September.
Previously, he was Parliamentary undersecretary of state in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, a government whip and Lord Commissioner of the Treasury between September 2021 and July last year.
Maclean was due to present the next stage of the Renter’s Reform Bill in Parliament tomorrow (14 November), before she was forced to leave Rishi Sunak’s administration and return to the backbenches.
On social media, she said: “I’ve been asked to step down from my role as housing minister.
“Disappointed and was looking forward to introducing the Renter’s 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.”
Under Maclean, the responsibilities of the post covered overall housing strategy, home ownership and the homebuying process, the private rented sector, planning reform as well as tackling leasehold and freehold abuses.
Rowley is the 16th housing minister since the Conservatives entered government in 2010.
He has been the MP for North East Derbyshire since he was elected in 2017.
Market Financial Solutions chief executive Paresh Raja says: “The merry-go-round continues. We are about to welcome the 16th housing minister since 2010, and while the chopping and changing of ministerial positions has become all too common across the board in recent years, the level of turnover in this particular role is a notable concern.
“Creating clear and consistent policies – let alone delivering on them – is inevitably difficult with such frequent changes in personnel, and this impacts homeowners, buyers, renters and investors alike.
“A sense of stability is important in virtually every industry, and the property sector would certainly benefit from an extended period with a single housing minister, although this is only likely after the next general election.”
Propertymark adds that it is “frustrating” that Rowley has become the 8th housing minister since February 2020.
The estate agent’s body’s head of policy and campaigns Timothy Douglas says: “Propertymark is disappointed by Housing Minister Rachel Maclean’s departure from the Cabinet.
“This makes it difficult for any housing legislation, whether that’s the Renters Reform Bill or leasehold reform, to move forward when Housing Ministers keep coming and going.
“Maclean has engaged with the sector and understood where reform is needed.
“Propertymark needs more consistency and not change from policymakers. We will engage with Lee Rowley, to outline how Propertymark and its members play a key role in the property sector.”
Housing secretary Michael Gove, widely regarded as one of the most competent members of the Cabinet, remains in his post.
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