Ending stamp duty to fix the housing crisis

SIR – William Hague’s support for basing income and capital gains tax on age (Comment, October 31) is both morally reprehensible and politically inept.

The best way to help young adults is to abolish stamp duty and deregulate planning laws so that they can more easily own their own home. Tim Janman

MP for Thurrock (Con), 1987-92 London W6

SIR – Abolishing stamp duty, as the Adam Smith Institute proposes (report, October 30), would be a radical move – and it almost certainly won’t happen.

In a country where housing is at a premium, the last thing we need is a sudden surge of demand that could push prices up.

Abolishing stamp duty would also encourage the wealthy to acquire second homes, further reducing supply. If such a radical step were taken, these buyers would need to be excluded.

The Adam Smith Institute compares the stamp duty situation here with the system in Australia. This is unhelpful as Australia has lower house prices and a huge amount of land available to build on.

Abolishing stamp duty is simply a short-term fillip to a broken system that requires a more fundamental approach. What Britain needs is affordable housing. Rob Desbruslais

Director, Desbruslais Chartered Surveyors

Hove, East Sussex

SIR – Philip Hammond is being urged to abolish stamp duty. Perhaps he should consider a halfway house: adjusting stamp duty rates to pre-1997 levels.

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both saw stamp duty as an easy way to raise taxes. Prior to their governments, the vast majority did not view the rates as unreasonable and they did not act as a significant brake on people moving home when necessary. Chris Quinlan

Leigh, Surrey