Updated 1pm - Added PL reaction
The Nationalist Party’s proposals for the housing sector were presented by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil this morning.
Addressing a news conference, Dr Busuttil said a Nationalist government would embark on a social housing building programme using public-private partnerships. Such housing would be made available to people who couldn't afford to buy accommodation from the private sector.
He noted that the Labour government had not built a single apartment for social housing.
A Nationalist government would also reimburse people forced to pay an increase in rental prices under this government.
Another measure would see the Housing Authority again renting accommodation from the private sector to make this available as social housing.
A Nationalist government, Dr Busuttil said, would increase the subsidy given to people renting from the private sector and revise the rentals scheme for more people to benefit from the subsidy, which would also be increased.
He said a PN government would subsidise the interest paid on home loans. This would be done through a scheme of tax credits given pro-rata according to a couple's income.
Those ready to rent their properties to people on the social housing waiting list would not be taxed on their rental income after entering into a 10-year fixed rental agreement.
He said that a constitutional court decision had left the elderly at risk of ending up without a home. A Nationalist government would look into ways of preventing this.
People, he said, should not be able to lose their peace of mind because of the fear of ending up without a home.
A Nationalist government would also use profits made by the Lands Authority to pay those whose land was expropriated and were still waiting for compensation.
His government would retain an incentive for first-time buyers introduced by this government exempting them from tax on their first property up to the first €150,000. It would also extend this measure to divorced or separated couples.
A Nationalist government would also increase assistance to non-governmental organisations working with the homeless, reducing their water and electricity rates and increasing social and community workers services.
Mario Cutajar will be removed immediately
Asked whether a Nationalist government would replace Mario Cutajar as head of the civil service, Dr Busuttil said he would be removed immediately because his appointment was a "sleazy and partisan" one.
Electoral Commission is a smokescreen for PM
Asked whether the PN trusted the Electoral Commission and whether he would resign if the PN lost the election, Dr Busuttil said the Commission was a smokescreen for the Prime Minister so it could not be trusted.
But the only thing the Nationalist Party could do was to keep its eyes open and highlight any irregularities, he said, adding that he was confident that the electorate would "choose Malta" come voting day.
Individual Investor Programme will be retained
Asked to explain why the PN was saying it would retain Malta's cash-for-passport scheme when Dr Busuttil had come out strongly against it in the past, Dr Busuttil said that the PN had fought hard to make the scheme more stringent and would "clean up" the scheme if elected to government.
Although the PN was in favour of schemes attracting investment, it was against the sale of passports, he said. People wanting a Maltese passport would have to live in Malta for a number of years before they would be able to apply for one.
'Your proposals are already in the pipeline' - PL
Social Policy Minister Michael Farrugia subsequently said housing proposals launched this morning by Dr Busuttil were already being implemented or in the pipeline.
He pointed out that works on a €58 million social housing project for more than 600 apartments were already under way.
Furthermore, in this year's Budget the government had already doubled rent subsidies and reached an agreement with APS Bank, through which low-income families could be granted a loan without putting down a 10 per cent deposit.
Dr Farrugia added that social housing rent rates which had increased since 2013, as a result of law amendments enacted under the PN administration, were being refunded through cheque payments.
The minister was speaking at press conference alongside Planning Parliamentary Secretary Deborah Schembri.
Dr Schembri accused the PN of "irresponsible" measures, saying the pledge to give compensation for expropriated properties at one go would cost €40 million.
She added that a Labour government would increase the annual allocation for these expropriations from €7 to €11 million, to address the issue in a sustainable manner.