Home Information Pack (Amendment) Regulations 2007

My Lords, I am glad that I have a measure of agreement. Those objectives range from increasing the costs of home transactions to uncertainty about standards and whether those standards can be consistently applied. Anecdotal evidence from members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, who are in the housing business on a day-to-day basis, is not helped by the state of the housing market. Inquiries that they receive about possible new business are down by 5 per cent in the south of England and nearer to 30 per cent in the north. That is a very heavy reduction, and prices are going down at the same time. I also received the comment from RICS members—again, this is anecdotal—that home information packs had become a source of revenue for some of them. In other words, the law of unforeseen consequences applies: the client will pay more for the home information pack than it costs to produce. It seems to be said everywhere that the searches required for home information packs are inadequate for the purposes of clients’ lawyers before any purchase can be completed. The members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors are clear that, in reality, the home information pack is not a major consideration in the minds of home-buyers. It is now time to appreciate that the introduction of home information packs has been a distraction in the housing market and that we should bring them to an end. This Prayer could be the first step in that process. I beg to move. Moved, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that the regulations, laid before the House on 23 November 2007, be annulled (SI 2007/3301). 5th Report from the Merits Committee.—(Lord Dixon-Smith.)