Lunchtime news July 2

A London branch of the Mears Group is under investigation by the Housing Corporation after a BBC investigation uncovered evidence that suggested the branch was falsely signing off repairs when they were incomplete.

An alliance of homelessness charities in Ireland is seeking a meeting with environment, heritage and local government minister John Gormley to push for more action in meeting pre-election pledges to end homelessness by the 2010 general election.

The Jersey Homeless Outreach Group says the number of islanders sleeping rough fell from 84 to 50 last year. The group says the people are spending an average of six days sleeping rough, though one person spent more than 100 nights sleeping outdoors.

Both the Mail and the Telegraph are up in arms over government figures that show 200,000 social homes in the UK – five per cent of the total – were given to immigrants last year.

The Daily Telegraph’s affordability index, calculated by Lombard Street Research, claims that house prices are now the most overvalued for 15 years. The index, which compares prices and mortgage costs with incomes, has dropped by 7 per cent over the past 12 months.