§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he is taking to combat gazumping. [12495]
§ Mr. HoonA number of Government Departments are co-operating closely to investigate the whole of the house buying process. My own Department is concentrating on the problem of gazumping with the help of the various institutions whose members provide professional services in the housing market. The various strands of work are being co-ordinated by a ministerial working group comprising Ms Hilary Armstrong, Minister for Local Government Housing, Mr. Nigel Griffiths, Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs, myself as Chairman and key officials from our Departments.