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Housing

The hon. Gentleman is making a valid point. Is it not reinforced by the contrast between the extremely vague and weak evidence given on the Department’s behalf, and the very clear evidence on cost given by the Council of Mortgage Lenders? It specifically advised that buyers will still have to commission and pay for valuations and associated surveys, particularly if the loan-to-value ratio of the mortgage is more than 80 per cent.—that will affect four in five first-time buyers—and if the property is a flat. So that is specific evidence against HIPs, and there has been nothing from the Government to rebut it.