MPs criticise Government over Hips delay

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by Kay Murchie

Home Information Packs (Hips) were launched on August 1 to include properties with 4-bedrooms or more and rolled-out to include 3-bedroom properties on September 10. They were then extended to included all properties on December 14.

However, they have been continuously subject to heavy criticism since they were introduced.

Originally, Hips were due to be launched for all houses on June 1 but were delayed by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) which has now resulted in criticism by a select committee of MPs. The DCLG said the delay was due to a lack of trained energy assessors.

However, the committee has accused the Government of delaying the introduction of Hips for political, rather than economic reasons.

Housing minister, Iain Wright, defended the government and said they had made a deliberate decision to implement the policy gradually.

At last year’s party conference, the Conservative party announced plans to abolish Hips if they win the next election.