To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of first-time buyers in England took out mortgages of 100 per cent. or more of the purchase price of the property in the most recent period for which figures are available. (183221)

Data on first time buyers (FTBs) using a mortgage are available from the regulated mortgage survey which is supplied to the Department by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. As the survey is a sample, data on the number of FTBs for England are unavailable; however, we can derive proportions.

For 2006, based on figures from the regulated mortgage survey, the Department estimates that 8.3 per cent. of mortgages to first-time buyers (excluding sitting tenants) in England were for 100 per cent. or more of the purchase price of the property.