The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) will be outlining its policy priorities to Government this week, designed to support the troubled housing sector through the credit crunch and beyond.

CIH President, Paul Diggory, will announce a series of policy ideas for debate at CIH's Annual Conference and Exhibition in Harrogate, which is attended by over 6,500 delegates and visitors from the UK and oversees, and will include a keynote speech from Housing Minister Caroline Flint.

Like many in the sector, CIH is concerned about the rising number of home repossession orders as a result of the credit crunch; the potential collapse of the construction industry and its supply chain; and how we reduce the impact on climate change from the country's existing housing stock. The Government's plans to link housing to unemployment and worklessness is also a sensitive issue that needs vigorous debate over the coming months.

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Mr Diggory said: "In the short-term, CIH and its members feel strongly that now is the time to introduce a mortgage rescue scheme to support households at risk of repossession. Supporting people into some form of low cost home ownership remains important, but establishing some stability in the housing market during this difficult economic climate would make best use of public money.

"There is also strong support from housing professionals that the debate on tackling climate change is meaningless unless something is done to address our existing housing stock, which accounts for 27% of the nation's total CO2 emissions - a truly staggering figure. It was the CIH who called for the decent homes programme in the 1990's to address a £19 billion backlog of council house repairs. It was a truly daunting challenge, but through working together we have helped to transform the lives of millions of people. We can do the same by establishing a green homes target, which has the capacity to leave an even bigger legacy for the nation."

(CD/JM)