[KF] The Welsh Assembly Government expressed disappointment over the failure of its bid to gain extra housing powers. Had the bid - a "Legislative Competence Order (LCO)" - been approved by Westminster, it would have given the Welsh Assembly powers to alter the law relating to specific areas of housing.
Among the powers requested in the LCO, the Assembly was seeking the option to suspend the Right to Buy in areas of greatest housing need, as well as place a duty on local authorities to have a gypsy traveller site in their area.
Conservative MPs in Wales and Westminster objected to the control it would give Assembly members over the right to buy and argued that the duty on local authorities to have traveller sites would go against local decision-making.
The opposition meant the application for increased legal competence could not be considered before Parliament's closure ahead of May's general election.
This is the second time that the Welsh Assembly's bid to ask Westminster for more wide-ranging powers over housing has failed.
The Welsh Assembly issued a statement in which it said:
"We are very disappointed that the Housing and Local Government LCO has not been approved in Parliament before the general election.
"It has overwhelming support from the housing sector in Wales and received positive and constructive scrutiny from the National Assembly and the Welsh Affairs Committee.
"We will seek to commence discussions as soon as possible with the new UK Government and will then consider how to move forward."
Welsh Assembly's Bid for Extra Housing Powers Fails
Powers requested included the option to suspend the Right to Buy in areas of greatest housing need.
