To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of current trends in the housing market; what steps she plans to take to implement the lifetime homes standard in current market conditions; and if she will make a statement. (219795)

The Government do not publish forecasts for house prices or house-building. The National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society, launched in February this year, stated that we would be undertaking a review of the take-up of Lifetimes Homes Standards across all sectors in 2010 in order to decide what further measures may be necessary to drive change in this area. This review will look at all relevant considerations including market conditions.

In the meantime, the up-take of Lifetime Homes Standards continues to be encouraged through our policy of making them a required element in the Code for Sustainable Homes at Level 6 from 2008, Level 4 from 2010 and Level 3 from 2013. This will have the effect of ensuring that all publicly funded housing is built to Lifetime Homes Standards from 2011.