As a familiar face to the construction industry, Lee Rowley is perfectly placed to champion the nation's small, local house builders, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB said: "It's good to see Lee Rowley take up the housing brief, following his close work with the sector during his time as Construction Minister. The Minister's first task should be to boost delivery from small, local builders across the UK, reversing their decline from building 40% of all new homes in the 1980s to just 12% today."

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Berry continued: "A simpler and faster planning system, and local authorities with the capacity to engage with small, local developers will enable them to build the high quality homes reflective of their local communities, while boosting local economies and opening up job opportunities through much needed vocational routes."