A small victory for the Welsh Assembly this week. They had been trying to get a Legislative Competence Order past Westminster to transfer a series of powers relating to social housing. This was lost in the sweeping up week prior to the dissolution of Parliament as the Conservative party was most unhappy with the transfer of control of Right to Buy provisions to the Assembly, apparently on the belief that there would be a suspension of Right to Buy in Wales.

The situation had not improved once the new Coalition government was installed and the Assembly was considering a referendum next year to force the transfer. Fortunately, sanity has broken out and the draft Order passed by the Assembly is to be placed before Parliament, apparently without amendment.

Precisely what the Assembly will do with its increased social housing powers is not yet clear. However, this is likely to be just a starting point. Earlier this year the Assembly held a consultation on control of the private rented sector including a plan to introduce a landlord registration scheme (something that will definitely not be happening in England) and it seems probably that they will seek further powers to implement the results of that consultation.

The intriguing possibility of a radical divergence in Housing law between England and Wales seems more and more likely.

Thanks to Shelter-Cymru for pointing this out to us. Actually that should be diolch yn fawr!

*Credit to NL for the title