The housing select committee chair has pressured housing secretary Steve Reed on when the government will unveil its long-term housing and homelessness strategies.

Florence Eshalomi, chair of the housing, communities and local government committee, has written to Reed to get a firm answer. Both strategies were originally set to be published before the end of the year.

However, Reed told the committee last week that there may be a delay due to the changeover of housing ministers. Reed took up the role in September, when former incumbent Angela Rayner resigned over after admitting to underpaying stamp duty on her £800,000 second home in Hove.

Reed has been an outspoken housing secretary, previously calling on housing developers to “build, baby, build” and repledging the government’s ambition to build 1.5 million homes by the end of its term.

He yesterday said that housebuilding plans near well-connected train stations would get a “default yes”, in a bid to increase the number of homes being built.

Previously Reed said the UK could see extra new towns being built, in addition to the 12 already announced.