Saving Gateway Bill
The Queen's Speech will introduce a Savings Bill to help homeownership and wealth ownership generally - giving eight million people on low incomes access to a national savings scheme, with each pound saved matched by a contribution from Government.

The savings scheme follows the strand of policy started with savings accounts for children i.e. encouraging asset ownership for all to help poorer households ride out shocks to their income.

It could help lower income first-time buyers overcome the deposit/stamp duty barrier.

But any help to homeownership would surely still be far outweighed by market conditions (credit crunch or poor housing affordability).

Contact: Luke Herbert e lherbert@rics.org.

Heritage Protection Bill
For the first time in 30 years there will be legislation to increase protection of our historic sites and buildings.

This will include reforms to the planning system to improve the protection of old buildings; and new rules to make it an offence to deal in cultural property illegally exported from occupied territory.

RICS welcomes the additional legislation designed to protect the nation's heritage.

Although the proposals that will make up the Bill should have a positive impact we are concerned about how they will be implemented.

The new powers outlined for English Heritage and Local Authorities must be adequately resourced and financed if they are to have the intended impact.

A clear timeframe must be put in place for the new measures to avoid the confusion that would be caused if there was a long period with the new scheme and old scheme operating in parallel.

Contact: James Rowlands e jrowlands@rics.org.

Full RICS comment
RICS' full views on the Draft Legislative Programme can be accessed from the PDF Downloads panel to the right of this page.