Lunchtime news June 19

The National Housing Federation has attacked yesterday’s Cave report on regulation for being too bureaucratic and short changing tenants (it wanted housing association boards clearly accountable to tenants). However, the CIH welcomed Cave’s ‘tenant-first approach’.

Ruth Kelly’s full speech at Harrogate, which includes more on the Cave review and Communities England, is now on the DCLG website.

Also at Harrogate, the key role housing plays in community cohesion was highlighted in a speech by Housing Corporation deputy chief executive Steve Douglas. And CIH president Paul Diggory called for £11.6bn for housing in the spending review and said buy-to-let tax reliefs were harming first-time buyers.

Mortgage lending reached a record £30.6bn in May – 5% up on a May 2006 – according to CML figures released this morning. However, the rate of growth was down from the 12-14% seen in the last few months.

An SNP scheme to give a £2,000 grant to first-time buyers in Scotland has been assessed as ineffective in Australia, where the idea was pioneered, reports the Herald.

The Mirror has details of 47 Labour MPs – including Ruth Kelly – with majorities smaller than the waiting list in their area.

Super-rich foreigners are using non-domiciled tax privileges to drive up house prices, reports The Independent.