Ministers under renewed pressure to drop Home Information Packs » Housing » 24dash.com

Ministers will face increased pressure to drop Home Information Packs (HIPs) next week with the publication of a critical Lords report and attempts by the Tories to kick them into touch.

The report, by the Lords Committee on the Merits of Statutory Instruments, is expected to call into question whether the controversial packs will meet Government policy objectives and draw the matter to the "special attention of the House".

It will be followed by the tabling of a motion backed by opposition MPs calling on ministers to scrap HIPs and "go back to the drawing board".

The mandatory packs, providing potential buyers with up-front information about a house and an energy performance certificate, are due to come into force in June.

They are aimed at bringing efficiency to the home-buying process and cutting the number of transactions which collapse late in the day.

But critics say they will bring little benefit to the consumer, while at the same time adding to the cost of buying a home by around £300 to £500.

In recent months a growing number of industry bodies has called for the introduction of the packs to be delayed.

Michael Gove, shadow housing minister, said the Tories would table a motion against HIPs after the Lords report had been published.

He said: "What we want is to give Parliament a chance to tell ministers to go back to the drawing board.

"Our argument is that HIPs, as they have been introduced, do not make home-buying and selling easier, but just add to the cost of bureaucracy.

"I want the Government to acknowledge that they have made a mistake and go back to the drawing board and come up with proposals which will cost less and have a much lighter touch.

"Hard-pressed home-buyers already have enough problems without being saddled with a £500 bill just because the Government will not admit that they have got it wrong."

Housing minister Ruth Kelly condemned attempts to block Home Information Packs and Energy Performance certificates.

She said: "The Tories are opposing energy performance certificates for homes and businesses, even though they have the support of green groups such as the World Wildlife Fund, Friends of the Earth and also the Energy Savings Trust.

"These measures will help home owners to apply for grants to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, save hundreds of pounds on their fuel bills and cut 25.9 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2020."

She added: "This is simply a case of true blue Tories backing the vested interests and opposing green measures which could help home owners cut their fuel bills as well as their carbon emissions."

Copyright Press Association 2007.

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