"Today's proposals do not address the core problem, which is the collapse in mortgage availability. [They are] little more than a political sticking-plaster."

Roger Humber, National Federation of Builders

"The stamp-duty proposals will not make one iota of difference. If there are no competitive mortgages available then knocking a maximum of £1,750 off a purchase is a complete and utter waste of time."

Michael White, property lawyer at London-based Dawsons LLP

"The package of measures shows the Government is listening and taking all the steps that it can. However, they will still be dwarfed by the scale of the housing crisis. The package will only really help about 15,000 people, but with 45,000 set to be repossessed this year, hundreds of thousands priced out of the market and millions stuck on the council house waiting list, the help doesn't go far enough."

Adam Sampson, chief executive of housing charity Shelter

"The Government's plan to help 10,000 first-time buyers is a drop in the ocean - even in today's quiet housing market, around 19,000 people are buying their first home every month. The scheme is going to make no difference to over 95 per cent of first-time buyers."

Nicholas Leeming, director of propertyfinder.com

"While any initiative is welcome, this move doesn't go far enough in terms of the starting threshold and it is getting close to the £250,000 threshold. It is questionable whether it will incentivise buyers who wouldn't have entered the market anyway."

Council of Mortgage Lenders spokeswoman Sue Anderson

"This is active government at its best. It will increase the supply of social housing, help those threatened by repossession and provide a real boost to low- and middleincome first-time buyers."

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber

"The only good thing about the announcement is that it has cleared the air."

Ray Boulger, senior technical manager at John Charcol