Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking increase the provision of starter homes in Telford constituency; and if he will make a statement.

We are supporting people's aspirations to buy through a range of initiatives including Help to Buy, Right to Buy, greater funding for Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy, and our plans for starter homes. Since Spring 2010 Government-backed schemes have helped over 433,000 households to buy a home and the number of first-time buyers is at a nine-year annual high. At the last Budget, the Government announced that first-time buyers will pay zero stamp duty on the first £300,000 of any home that costs up to £500,000.

The definition of starter homes is being finalised as part of the revised draft National Planning Policy Framework, which we will be publishing shortly.