HOUSING Minister Caroline Flint made a flying visit to Swindon during a tour of the south west to talk about affordable housing.

Stopping off in The Bungalows in Pinehurst, the minister chatted to residents and Labour colleagues about housing supply.

"I've spoken to some great people on my recent travels and have had more than a few cups of tea," she said.

"The housing issue is important to people and I wanted to speak to my Labour colleagues here today to see where they stand."

The MP said that she hopes for 40 per cent of accommodation in Swindon to be affordable housing - for purchase and rent.

Swindon Council requires developers building new houses to make 30 per cent of the properties they create affordable.

She also claimed that the Tories were not doing their best for those in need of affordable homes.

"The current administration has failed to meet its own housing targets," she said.

Earlier this year the Government announced that £12m is to be ploughed into developing more affordable housing in North Wiltshire. The Housing Corporation made the allocation back in February for between 2008 and 2011.

The funding will pay for the building of around 324 new affordable homes across the county.

Ms Flint said at the time: "We need more homes in every region - to ensure first-time buyers and families have decent affordable housing to buy or to rent.

"The money will go towards doubling the amount of affordable, sustainable homes being built over the next three years, and will increase the number of family-size and rural homes." Speaking yesterday the minister said that Labour would solve the national shortage of homes.

She said there is a real shortage of affordable homes right across the country and more and more are needed to rent as well as buy.

"The housing associations - measures put in place by Labour - are doing well and by voting Labour residents will see more affordable homes in their area."

Ms Flint's visit is the latest in a long line of ministerial drop-ins.

On Thursday anti-fraud minister James Plaskitt paid a visit to the town's job centre to inspect the work staff there do to track benefit cheats.

Minister for disabled people, Anne McGuire visited UR Cakes - an initiative which sees people with learning difficulties making and selling cakes - in Swindon recently.

And MP Ben Bradshaw popped into town last month to meet Labour councillors and local election candidates.

The south west and health minister also sought out the views of residents on the forthcoming elections.