HIPs to stay, despite minister's doubts over the scheme

Housing minister Margaret Beckett has refused to scrap the controversial Home Information Packs (HIPs) despite doubting their effectiveness.

Giving evidence to the House of Commons local government select committee the new minister said the packs had their limitations and were not working well.

The £350 packs have come under fire for adding to the cost and bureaucracy of selling a home.

Beckett said: “I think that given their limitations they have some degree of beneficial impact but I fully accept that they’re not, perhaps, the perfect vehicle we might wish for.

“I accept they’re not working to the potential they could.

“I don’t think there’s any point in suspending the scheme.

“It’s not really something that’s going to make a big difference as to how the housing market is going.”

Beckett said there would be few savings in abolishing the scheme, which had helped some people save money, reported the Evening Standard.