TAXPAYER-OWNED EMPTY PROPERTIES AND HOMELESS FAMILIES

That this House notes that in response to a written parliamentary Question asking Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he would make it his policy to take possession of houses and flats on which mortgage-holders with Northern Rock and Bradford and Bingley have defaulted and allocate the properties to those on the waiting list for social housing, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury responded that these banks `are run at arm's length from the Government, on commercial principles', 27 October 2008, Official Report, column 789W; further notes that in response to a related question asking Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he would direct those banks which have received funds from the public purse not to repossess any property in cases where the motgage holder is unable to keep up payments where the property in question is the mortgage holder's home and solely-owned property, the Economic Secretary referred to the `comprehensive package of measures to ... protect ordinary savers, depositors, businesses and borrowers, and to safeguard the interests of the taxpayer', 28 October 2008, Official Report, column 888W; believes that Ministers are taking insufficient opportunities to ensure that vacated houses and flats now owned by the taxpayer through the £250 billion banking bail-out with public funds are provided to those currently homeless and on housing waiting lists, which would be a win-win policy; and demands that Ministers direct banks in receipt of taxpayers' money to make these properties available to the homeless.