More than 300 people had collected applications to buy the apartments issued for sale by the Housing Authority last week, the Family Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said that hundreds visited the apartments and maisonettes during an open weekend last week and the opposition's criticism about the issue jarred with the public's positive response.

The units issued for sale were all subsidised by at least 25 per cent. Some of them had been issued for sale in other calls and a good number of couples had been interested and embarked on talks with the authority.

Unfortunately they included couples who did not continue with their relationship or who did not meet the required conditions.

The ministry said it was not true that the price being requested by the authority was the market price.

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