Letters From A Tory Daily views on British politics and the Conservative Party from a centre-right thinker who writes letters on his blog to politicians, journalists and many others.

“The impact of the scheme is accelerating.”

- Ian Austin MP, the government’s housing minister, trying to put a nice gloss on the news that just six families in England have been helped by the government’s £200m mortgage rescue scheme – up from two families in the previous month.  The initiative, launched at the start of 2009, aimed to help vulnerable families who are at risk of repossession to stay in their homes.  Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said that the time it took to access assistance was “extraordinary”. The scheme allows not-for-profit housing associations to buy homes from people struggling to pay their mortgage and then allows them to continue living there by paying “affordable rent”. The government had said the scheme – introduced across England – could help up to 6,000 households which might otherwise face repossession.