Dianne Abbott highlights the plight of Hackney's homebuyers............

MP's got to debate a possible extension to the stamp duty 'holiday'. A serious cyber attack on Hackney Council's computer systems has meant that our local authority has has to suspend many departments including local searches which are crucial to every property purchase. In the debate   Dianne Abbott MP (Labour): She called for an extension because of a particular “disaster” which happened in her constituency of Hackney, namely a cyber attack which led to huge delays in council services including the provision of search information from the planning department.

As a result the council cannot provide the necessary information required by mortgage lenders, and will not be able to do so for some considerable time to come.

Abbott said there would be no fiscal consequences to the government and buyers in Hackney should be given their own specific stamp duty holiday extension. We applaude Dianne Abbott for highlighting this issue, which for many months has now hindered every local property purchase adding un-needed stress on families who's only aim is to move house.