To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2008, Official Report, column 906W, on stamp duties, how many homes claimed the tax relief for zero carbon homes from 1 December 2007 to date, according to HM Revenue and Customs records. (183157)

Of those transactions for which a stamp duty land tax certificate was issued in December 2007, three transactions claimed the stamp duty land tax relief for new zero-carbon homes. Figures are not yet available for 2008.

The tax relief will help stimulate the market for new highly efficient technologies in homes, both for the fabric of the building and in the use of microgeneration, and sets a gold standard for green homes.

We expect the numbers of qualifying transactions to rise as more properties eligible to claim the relief go on the market.

The Government are committed to conducting an interim review of the relief in 2010 which will examine the effectiveness of the relief in stimulating the innovation necessary to ensure that all new homes are built to a zero-carbon standard from 2016.