§ Mr. HowardTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress of the Barker review of the issues affecting housing supply in the UK; what recent discussions he has had with Kate Barker; when he expects to receive the(a) interim report and (b) final report; and if he will publish (i) the reports and (ii) all the inquiry findings. [134393]
§ Ruth KellyThe Barker review was commissioned by the Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister as an independent review. As set out in its terms of reference, the review has undertaken to deliver its interim report this autumn, around the time of the pre-Budget report. The final report will be delivered in spring 2004. Both reports will be publicly available, and make clear the findings of the review.
During the course of the review, Kate Barker has undertaken a range of meetings with interested parties from both the public and private sector, including the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister. The review also invited submissions from relevant organisations and has received over 120 responses. These responses, and the review's terms of reference, are available online at www.barkerreview.org.uk.