Your questions for Grant Shapps

It's been a few days now since we asked CoffeeHousers to put forward their questions for Grant Shapps.  We've since picked out the best, which have now been put to the shadow housing minister.  He'll get back to us at the start of next week.

Colin

"What advice do you have for the individuals who are now deep in debt, after a decade long credit bubble; especially now that the safety net of massive house price rises is not there to save them?"

David Preiser

"The people who are losing their homes due to mortgage problems can no longer afford to be home owners in the current climate, so would need to find "affordable housing". Would you authorize and fund the construction of new, "affordable housing" units to provide accommodation for these people? And what about all those who now have no chance of buying a home in the current credit climate?"

Rex Burr

"How would you, 'Get the housing market moving again' and prevent the formation of another destructive bubble?

The market is not a suitable system for housing because the supply is not free to respond to demand."

Mark Stockwell

"Grant

You have been admirably candid about the need to build more houses to tackle the housing crisis and to smooth the boom bust cycle in the market. How do you propose to overcome opposition to this from environmental campaigners, including many in your own party?"

rugfish

"Is there any problem shifting liability for Stamp Duty to the seller, increasing it to 5% and bringing MIRAS back in to get the market working again ?

The way I see it this would pay for itself."

Time Will Tell

"Why should council house tenants in Waverley (Surrey) hand over 48% of
this year's Housing Revenue Account to the Treasury - £10.8m out of £22m - and as a result cannot possibly meet the Decent Homes Standards by 2010 as required by government.
In the 2009/10 financial year, the tax on tenants rises to 51% and subsequently to 54%.
Selling a council house does lttle to help as 75% of the proceeds go to central government -aka Labour heartlands. Hackney received a £44m subsidy this year - that Waverley has three areas of severe deprivation apparently counts for nothing.
Much more social housing is a with huge priority with 3000 people on the waiting list but only c300 properties becoming available each year out of total stock of 5000 units.

It is very important that the Conservatives can give a reasoned response to a huge national problem which will inevitably get much worse.

Please - no platitudes as this crisis transcends party politics."