§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on future plans to encourage wider home ownership.
§ Mrs. RoeThe Government's commitment to supporting the growth of owner occupation was set out in chapter 2 of the recent White Paper "Housing: The Government's Proposals" (Cm. 214). The Government will encourage the operation of a free market in buying, selling and constructing homes, and will continue to assist homebuyers through tax relief on mortgage interest. They will also encourage the development of initiatives such as shared ownership which reduce the initial cost of home ownership, and will maintain the right of council tenants to buy their homes.