Grant Shapps has been appointed as Housing Minister.
Shapps is well known for his clear dislike of HIPs and has not missed an opportunity to vow make it one of his highest priorities if he were to become Housing Minister to abolish HIPS within a few weeks of a Conservative Government coming to power.
Whilst the abolition of HIPs was not referred to in the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives there is no doubt about Shapps stance.
The main hurdle that now stands between the present process and the abolition of HIPs must be whether there will be sufficient space in the legislative program to do this quickly. Observers will be very interested to see whether Shapps intention for abolition is given Parliamentary priority within the Queen’s speech next week.
