The Social Market Foundation has reacted to the Green Party manifesto, as well as specific policies – including those on social housing, transport and net zero.
The Social Market Foundation’s response is as follows.
On social housing, Niamh O Regan, Researcher said
“We welcome the Green’s plan for social housing which promises both more social housing development and retaining the existing social housing stock through ending help to buy, as previous SMF research has highlighted.
Their aim for building 150,000 social homes would mean doubling of current social housing construction – it is ambitious, but with social housing as the primary housing policy focus, it is possible. They do not describe how this would be funded, however past SMF work has suggested that fairness taxes could provide £4bn in funding every year for social housing”.
On the home energy efficiency, Niamh O Regan, Researcher said:
“The £29bn allocated for insulating homes will certainly help to minimise heat loss, from both private and social homes. However aiming for a higher EPC B rating means the funding may cover less properties than initially suspected. Funding would also need to be appropriately targeted to ensure it goes to homes with lower EPC ratings most in need, those below and EPC C, rather than being used to primarily upgrade Cs to Bs.”
“Given private renters have the poorest energy efficiency performance of any tenure, it is surprising that the manifesto does not commit to reintroducing the higher minimum EPC standard. However, the stipulation to ensure that renters can ask for a more energy efficiency home combined with providing a means for landlords to pay for improvements could provide a practical solution. SMF research on property linked finance does indicate openness to the idea, but more warming up is required.”
On transport, Gideon Salutin, Senior Researcher at SMF, said:
The Greens’ pledged investment in public transport is desperately needed. SMF research found that for every 10% increase in public transport speeds, households save over £400 per year. At a time when buses and train services are failing, and bills are mounting, central funding could turn the tide.
The Greens’ additional pledge to escalate fuel duty and eventually replace it with road pricing are policies the SMF has long supported. Fuel duty is paid primarily by richer drivers and the freeze over the last thirteen years have already cost the government over £100 billion, paid by those on the lowest incomes in a time of supposed austerity.
On electric vehicles, Gideon Salutin, Senior Researcher at SMF, said:
“Assuming the Greens’ £5bn scrappage scheme lasted through the ten years it has allocated to transitioning 30 million petrol and diesel vehicles to EVs, each driver would receive about £1700. But EVs still cost over £5000 more than petrol vehicles. While this premium would be offset over time by the energy and maintenance savings EVs offer, it’s hard to see the poorest groups making the change without serious difficulty. While sticks may be necessary to make the full transition to EVs, the Greens need to offer some carrots as well.”
Notes
- SMF will be responding to all major parties’ manifestos, and here are the SMF’s reaction to the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto and Conservative Party manifesto.
Contact
For media enquiries, please contact Impact Officer Richa Kapoor, at richa@smf.co.uk
