Tories call for end to 'damaging' Home Information Packs

Tories called today for the scrapping of Home Information Packs, warning they were already damaging a "fragile" housing market.

Spokesman Grant Shapps said sales of four and three-bedroom houses had dipped after the packs were introduced for them in August and September.

And he insisted abolishing stamp duty for first time buyers purchasing homes up to £250,000 would be a much better way of boosting the housing market.

Opening a Commons debate, Mr Shapps accused ministers of ignoring expert advice in pushing ahead with HIPs despite a delay in their introduction.

"The results are all too clear - with an already fragile housing market shaken to the core by a dramatic drop in the number of new homes being put up for sale.

"While everyone agrees home-buying should be faster and easier, isn't it time ministers admitted that the Government has forced on England and Wales a half-baked law which is clumsy, ineffective and damaging to the housing market?"

Mr Shapps said as a result of this "muddle and confusion", homebuyers simply could not trust HIPs and pledged a Tory government would end this "bureaucratic nightmare" by scrapping them.

Raising the stamp duty threshold - as announced last week at the Tory conference -  would, he said, make a "real difference" helping nine out of 10 first time buyers.

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