Question Time

Q: Can you confirm that the Home Information Pack policy will definitely be implemented on August 1st, and there will be no further delays that could potentially derail this much needed reform to the property market? Surish Pal, Warwick

Yvette Cooper replies:

A: Home Information Packs (HIPs) for houses with four or more bedrooms will be introduced on 1 August, as we set out in the House of Commons last month. We'll roll out the scheme to smaller properties when there are enough energy assessors nationally and regionally, taking into account the operation of HIPs so far.

The main thing in HIPs is an energy rating for the home - just like you get for a fridge or a washing machine - with advice on how to cut your carbon emissions and your fuel bills too. We want to make the whole process of buying and selling homes work better for consumers, and we desperately need to reduce carbon emissions from our homes.

Q: I became a fully qualified Home Inspector and Energy Assessor in May. While qualifying, I opted to stop work for the whole period and concentrate fully on my studies. Myself and three children lived for the period on my wife's income as a social worker. I have spent �12,000 directly on training, and this plus the money I haven't earned during that year comes to more than �30,000. Now I am 53, with no pension that would take me above the poverty line, and no use for my new skills. Who do I blame, and will people such as myself get compensation? Charles A Brown, Worcester

A: Charles, HIPs will be introduced for four-bedroom and larger houses on 1 August. As I replied to Surish, they will be rolled out to other sizes of property as quickly as possible.

In addition to this we've asked councils and housing associations to start doing energy certificates on rented homes and are working with HIP providers to provide a number of subsidised energy certificates for people who commission HIPs before 1 August. All of this should increase the work for inspectors and assessors. The department's website has further details.

Court action against energy certificates brought by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICs), and the uncertainty which led to a shortage of fully accredited energy assessors, made it impossible to start HIPs on the original date.

Q: In your new role as Housing Minister in the Cabinet, do you think you may be bold enough to revisit the brownfield/greenfield debate? It is a widely accepted fact that the best way to combat soaring house prices is to flood the market with houses, while existing homeowners who are benefiting from this dramatic rise in house prices will do everything in their power to prevent the market from being flooded. Carl Thomson, Woking, Surrey

A: I agree completely with you Carl, that we need to build more houses. We have an ageing, growing population in this country and housebuilding just hasn't been keeping pace with this for a generation.

We are now seeing more new houses built than at any time since 1990 and we have already introduced new planning rules to promote housing. However we need to go further, including plans for new eco-towns to deliver more affordable homes. I do think the priority should continue to be using vacant or derelict brownfield land but local councils need to decide the best location for new homes in their area.

Q: Clearly there should be much more affordable, accessible, sustainable and decent housing. Would you agree, however, that something should be done about the all too often extortionate rents within the private sector? Overpriced, poor-quality housing is frequently the only option for people without the means to buy or the required status to rent from social landlords. In your new job, can you see a way to doing something about this scandal? Rhiannon Parry Thompson, Chichester

A: You're right that affordability is a big challenge Rhiannon, both for people who want to buy and those who want to rent. We're clear that we need to increase the supply of new houses, including far more social housing, and this should help.

At the same time, we want to create a fairer, more sustainable private rented sector with improved standards of properties and better landlord management of properties and tenancies. We've done a lot in this area already - for example, we have taken steps to protect tenants' deposit money from unscrupulous landlords via the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, and we've raised management standards through licensing "houses in multiple occupation."

Q: It's hard to take politicians seriously when they talk about how we need more affordable housing because I've never heard politicians say they want house prices to drop to more affordable levels. Do you want house prices to remain unaffordably high? What will you do to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder? Simon, Chester

A: Many first-time buyers are having real difficulties in getting onto the housing ladder, as you say, Simon, because house prices have risen so much faster than earnings have risen. We have much higher long-term house price increases than many other countries, basically because not enough homes have been built.

I think it's hugely unfair if your chance of becoming a home owner depends on whether the "Bank of Mum and Dad" can give you a helping hand. Shared ownership schemes can help people at least get a first foot on the housing ladder, even if they can't afford full ownership. We're looking at ways to increase shared ownership housing across the country at the moment.