Written question asked by David Drew (Labour) on Wednesday, 12 May 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 May 2004. It was answered by Keith Hill (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 May 2004 on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Question: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the likely impact on property prices of the introduction of home sellers' packs.

Answer: Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the likely impact on property prices of the introduction of home sellers' packs. [173871] Keith Hill: The initial view of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is that the introduction of home information packs (HIPs) is unlikely to have a significant effect on property prices. This is supported by evidence from other countries that have introduced similar measures and by a survey carried out by the UK's largest estate agency group which suggested there would be little impact on the number of properties sold if HIPs were introduced. We will continue to keep this assessment under review during our discussions with stakeholders and consumer representatives on the final contents of the HIP.

Secondary information