Amendment to clause 36, discussed with other amendments, schedule 14 and clause 37, debated and withdrawn. Clauses 36 and 37 agreed to. Amendments to schedule 14 negatived on division (7 votes to 10, in three cases). Schedule 14 agreed to. Clause 43, discussed with new clause 10 (Review of higher rate of tax for additional dwellings), new clause 11 (Annual statement on effects of provisions of section 43), and new clause 12 (Review of higher rate of tax for additional dwellings), agreed to. Clause 44, discussed with an amendment and clause 48 stand part, agreed to. Amendment to clause 45, discussed with new clause 13 (Equality impact analysis of provisions of section 45), debated and withdrawn. Clauses 45 and 48 agreed to. Amendment to clause 49 debated and withdrawn. Clause 49 agreed to. Amendment to clause 50 debated and negatived on division (9 votes to 10). Clause 50 agreed to. Clause 51, discussed with schedule 16, new clause 8 (Review of Schedule 16 provisions on voucher circulation and distribution), and new clause 9 (Review of potential divergence of VAT treatment of vouchers), debated and agreed to. Schedule 16 agreed to. Clause 52, discussed with an amendment and schedule 17, agreed to. Amendments to schedule 17 negatived on division (9 votes to 10, in two cases). Schedule 17 agreed to. Amendment to clause 53, discussed with other amendments, and clause 54, debated and withdrawn. Clauses 53 and 54 agreed to. Amendment to clause 55 debated and withdrawn. Clauses 55 and 56 agreed to. Written evidence reported to the House.

Amendment to clause 36, discussed with other amendments, schedule 14 and clause 37, debated and withdrawn. Clauses 36 and 37 agreed to. Amendments to schedule 14 negatived on division (7 votes to 10, in three cases). Schedule 14 agreed to. Clause 43, discussed with new clause 10 (Review of higher...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether VAT was charged on the purchase of Kingsland Fire Station from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether VAT was charged on the purchase of Kingsland Fire Station from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

I. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. Clause 189 Schedule 23: air passenger duty: amendment 4. 1 p. II. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. Amendments to clause 195 and Schedule 26: categorisation of supplies and anti-forestalling charge to value added tax. 1 p. III. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. New clause 1: fuel duties: rates of duty and rebates from 1 August 2012 to 31 December 2012. 1 p. IV. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. New Schedule 1: categorisation of supplies. 3 p. V. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. New clause: face value vouchers. 2 p. VI. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. Clause 208: settled excluded property: effect of certain arrangements. 3 p. VII. Letter dated 02/07/2012 from David Gauke MP to Rachel Reeves MP regarding proposed Government amendments to the Finance Bill (report stage). 6 p.

I. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. Clause 189 Schedule 23: air passenger duty: amendment 4. 1 p. II. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. Amendments to clause 195 and Schedule 26: categorisation of supplies and anti-forestalling charge to value added tax. 1 p. III. Finance Bill 2012. Explanatory note. New clause...

I agree with my hon. Friend, but such things take time and I would not expect to see an immediate reaction. Over time, the implementation of the reform will help to instil confidence in the system. The failure of the present system is attributable to the fact that it is...

I agree with my hon. Friend, but such things take time and I would not expect to see an immediate reaction. Over time, the implementation of the reform will help to instil confidence in the system. The failure of the present system is attributable to the fact that it is...

My hon. Friend has much experience in this area, and she is right to say that it is all about improving the information available to the public. I personally believe that mandatory home condition reports would have done even more than the present package, but I hope that we will...

My hon. Friend has much experience in this area, and she is right to say that it is all about improving the information available to the public. I personally believe that mandatory home condition reports would have done even more than the present package, but I hope that we will...

I give way to the hon. Member for Windsor (Adam Afriyie).

I give way to the hon. Member for Windsor (Adam Afriyie).

Surely the hon. Gentleman acknowledges that there are some practical examples of the use of HIPs. Will he point to any occasion on which the horror stories that he identified were realised in places where HIPs have operated?

Surely the hon. Gentleman acknowledges that there are some practical examples of the use of HIPs. Will he point to any occasion on which the horror stories that he identified were realised in places where HIPs have operated?

All in good time. The housing market has already been hit by a double whammy under the Government. A massive increase in stamp duty and steep rises in mortgage payments have made homes more unaffordable.

All in good time. The housing market has already been hit by a double whammy under the Government. A massive increase in stamp duty and steep rises in mortgage payments have made homes more unaffordable.

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

If I am to make progress as Mr. Deputy Speaker has asked, I hope that the hon. Gentleman will accept that I cannot take any further interventions. I do not share the apocalyptic visions of meltdown in the housing market that some of the opponents of HIPs have forecast. They...

If I am to make progress as Mr. Deputy Speaker has asked, I hope that the hon. Gentleman will accept that I cannot take any further interventions. I do not share the apocalyptic visions of meltdown in the housing market that some of the opponents of HIPs have forecast. They...

If the hon. Gentleman looks back over time, he will find that the rate of addition to the housing stock has been at about 1 per cent. every year for a very long time. If we are serious about taking quick action to improve energy efficiency, we have to tackle...

If the hon. Gentleman looks back over time, he will find that the rate of addition to the housing stock has been at about 1 per cent. every year for a very long time. If we are serious about taking quick action to improve energy efficiency, we have to tackle...

That is not correct.

That is not correct.

On occasions, this debate has been fairly rumbustious, largely due to the excellence of the opening speech by my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove). However, in the few minutes remaining, I hope that I can take a slightly different approach to the matter. I think that...

On occasions, this debate has been fairly rumbustious, largely due to the excellence of the opening speech by my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove). However, in the few minutes remaining, I hope that I can take a slightly different approach to the matter. I think that...

It makes tremendous sense for the provision of information to be the responsibility of the seller. We all know of cases where houses remain on the market for ages while prospective buyer after prospective buyer pays for the same information, discovering features that make the property undesirable or unrealistically priced....

It makes tremendous sense for the provision of information to be the responsibility of the seller. We all know of cases where houses remain on the market for ages while prospective buyer after prospective buyer pays for the same information, discovering features that make the property undesirable or unrealistically priced....

My right hon. Friend makes a very good point. Does he agree with me that the fear of losing money in such a way creates inertia in first-time buyers and would not making this change stimulate the market for them?

My right hon. Friend makes a very good point. Does he agree with me that the fear of losing money in such a way creates inertia in first-time buyers and would not making this change stimulate the market for them?

At the outset, I wish to draw attention to my declared interests, specifically as chairman of the Construction Industry Council and a director of Hometrack. As I have made clear in previous debates on this subject, I am a strong supporter, and have been for many years, of reform of...

At the outset, I wish to draw attention to my declared interests, specifically as chairman of the Construction Industry Council and a director of Hometrack. As I have made clear in previous debates on this subject, I am a strong supporter, and have been for many years, of reform of...

The hon. Gentleman is wrong. The seller puts the property on the market and commissions the EPC. If there are problems with the property, it may prompt the seller to carry out improvements, because he will know that they will give him a better chance of selling. That may help...

The hon. Gentleman is wrong. The seller puts the property on the market and commissions the EPC. If there are problems with the property, it may prompt the seller to carry out improvements, because he will know that they will give him a better chance of selling. That may help...

The hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) said that the bureaucratic burden on local authorities of the increased number of searches for house sellers would result in the housing market drying up. Given the fact that buyers currently have to get a search on houses they wish to buy...

The hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) said that the bureaucratic burden on local authorities of the increased number of searches for house sellers would result in the housing market drying up. Given the fact that buyers currently have to get a search on houses they wish to buy...

Is not the downside of that the real risk that requiring an EPC—which is a good idea, and that has always been the view of Conservative Members—up front adds to the seller’s risk of abortive costs? Those costs are likely to be passed on to the buyer, so it is...

Is not the downside of that the real risk that requiring an EPC—which is a good idea, and that has always been the view of Conservative Members—up front adds to the seller’s risk of abortive costs? Those costs are likely to be passed on to the buyer, so it is...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?