16Oct
HBF in call for more government action
The government should follow up its recent banking bailout with
further action to help the property industry, a conference has
heard.
Speaking at the sixth annual Housing Market Intelligence
Conference, the executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation
(HBF) Stewart Baseley said the government needed to take action to
ensure the level of mortgage lending now rises.
Another necessary move will be a further interest rate cut, he
argued.
Mr Baseley welcomed the appointment of new housing minister
Margaret Beckett - who was at the conference - as a move that could
help the industry, describing the former cabinet minister as a
"heavyweight" and "exactly the sort of person we need on board at
this time".
The minister used the event to make her maiden speech in the role,
praising the work the HBF has done in the past to help the
government establish schemes to aid first-time buyers and pledging
to listen to the ideas and concerns of its members during her
tenure.
