Boost for Housing Market...

Headlining the range of measures is a proposal to allow First-time buyers of new homes to be able to borrow up to 95% of their value backed up by a government underwritten mortgage indemnity scheme.

This means that if the newly built house is then sold for less than the outstanding mortgage the lender will be able to recover its loss.

It is envisaged that this strategy alone could help up to 100,000 people.

Other key proposals include:

- A £400m public fund to help developers "unblock" stalled housing schemes

- Increased investment in affordable housing and to raise Right to Buy discounts making them attractive to tenants across England and to replace every additional home sold under Right to Buy with a new home for Affordable Rent.

- More public sector land to be made available for building

- Planning obligations on stalled projects reviewed

- Up to £150m to help bring empty housing back into use

- Consult on "pay to stay" so households with high salaries pay market rents

Mr Cameron went on to say that it was not his aim to create "another borrowing boom" but to help the many people who could not afford huge deposits needed to buy properties.

"When first-time buyers on a good salary cannot get a reasonable mortgage, the whole market grinds to a halt," he said. "And that ricochets around the economy, affecting builders, retailers, plumbers - all the people that depend on a housing market that is moving.

"If we don't do something like this we are not going to get this vital market moving... We will restart the housing market and get Britain building again.

Sources: Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England - HM Government;  BBC News.