In brief
Parliament should be allowed to keep an eye on how home information packs (HIPs) are working out as they are phased in, says the House of Lords Merits Committee. The call comes after Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly announced a last minute U-turn on the implementation of HIPs: they will now be introduced in three phases starting with sales of four-bedroom homes from 1 August. Each implementation phase will be activated by a commencement order, an instrument not subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. The committee says this is unacceptable and it has recommended that Parliament be kept informed and allowed to debate progress.
