Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent yesterday hailed housing related initiatives in the Throne Speech, saying they would enable concrete action to make a significant dent in the crisis of affordable housing.

Mr. DeVent was particularly excited by duty concessions for building materials for approved housing schemes.

Effectively, public and private sector entities building affordable homes will pay no duty on their materials.

While the concession is being granted by the Finance Minister, Mr. DeVent as Housing Minister will be the one to say which schemes qualify.

The Marginal Wharf housing scheme, unveiled earlier this year, would be an example of a qualifying plan, he said when asked what the criteria would be.

?Housing that I clear will be those that fit into the social agenda, and those that will assist those most in need,? Mr. DeVent said. ?I can assure you ? those planning to build a multi-million dollar condo complex need not apply.?

As a first priority, Government will be importing a number of two, three and four bedroom manufactured homes for emergency housing.

Mr. DeVent said there were a number of such homes on the market and final selections had not yet been made.

Those in emergency housing will be moved as soon as possible to transitional housing before going on to permanent housing.

He said he was not concerned that some residents may not want emergency housing complexes in their neighbourhoods.

?The NIMBY syndrome is not one that I take too seriously because people have to be housed,? he said. ?Eventually as more people buy into the idea, that?s one of the things that will disappear.?

A housing monitoring and information system will help establish the Island?s precise housing needs, he added.

?It?s OK to just build ? which is what has been going on in the past. But we clearly need to know what to build.?

Housing was the first social issue to be tackled in yesterday?s Throne Speech.

?As a longer term strategy, the Government is increasing the housing stock and the number of rooming houses by renovating identified derelict and vacant premises,? Governor Sir John Vereker said.

?Additionally, the Government is executing a phased rehabilitation and renovation of existing housing within the responsibility of the Government quangos.?

Government also plans to abolish estate tax on a primary family home.

?Commonly referred to as the death tax this social agenda initiative will ensure that families no longer have to be concerned about their ability to retain and maintain the house they have always known as home.?