Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has insisted the 'single best investment' the UK could make is building a 'new generation of council housing'. He said: 'I think the country has to change how it thinks about housing. It is the single best investment this country could make to build a new generation of council housing. 'I would say low-carbon, because its not just about giving people houses that are cheaper to rent, it's homes that are cheaper to run as well.
'That is a real solution to the challenges that this country faces right now. If people have a good home, it's less likely that they end up in hospital.'Trevor Phillips turns to the matter of a nationwide inquiry into grooming gangs, which Labour are resistant to. Mr Burnham says: 'There has been and is an ongoing, major inquiry and there has been a substantial report into what happened in Oldham.'And as a result of that inquiry, there is a major police investigation.'But Trevor asks if there is a case for an inquiry that goes beyond an individual, local council.'Yes there is,' Mr Burnham says. He adds he did order an 'overarching review' into how his region had handled the situation within days of becoming the mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017.The mayor says they are in the 'final stage' of that inquiry