AN MP is hoping to attract investment in housing stock following a minister's visit.

Stockton South MP Dari Taylor accompanied Lord Charles Falconer, the Housing and Planning Minister, during a trip to Teesside on Monday.

He began his visit at the Robert Atkinson Centre, in Thornaby, before touring the Mandale, Allensway, Holmes and Middlefield estates.

The minister went on to meet residents in the Portrack area, which is a pilot for the Warm Zones initiative to make heating affordable, then to the Ragworth estate.

Ms Taylor's aim in inviting Lord Falconer was to persuade him to invest in Stockton's housing stock and support Stockton Borough Council in its creation of a housing management company.

She said: "We had a question and answer session with Charles and the officers and it was very clear that he was impressed with all he had seen.

"He was searching in his questions about how Stockton could deliver. I feel reasonably confident of his support and will be writing to Charles asking him to look at the detail that Stockton presents to him.

"I'm hopeful that he will give us £52m and allow Stockton to run a company."