We shall vote against the Bill because it takes away tenants' rights, because it does not provide an effective programme for urban regeneration, because it fails fully to enfranchise leaseholders and, above all, because it fails to do anything about the Underlying Housing Crisis, of which the Government are the architect.

They have clearly lowered the actual receipt of taxes to below what the Chancellor expected and they have increased the level of expenditure through tax credits and housing benefit, which has been aggravated by the complete failure to deal with the Underlying Housing Crisis.