Kate Barker, author of the Barker review and member of the Monetary Policy Committee, has warned that the next government should not use slowing housing demand as an “excuse” not to implement her review. Speaking at the House Builders Federation's Barker one year on conference, she said: “This review was about long term trends. I hope we won’t see slowed demand used as a political excuse not to continue with Barker. The need is still there.” The conference also saw a call for radical changes to PPG3 to improve the planning process for housebuilders. John Stewart, HBF’s director of economic affairs, said the government’s review of PPG3 needs to look at making “planning responsive in terms of market signals.” HBF chairman Stewart Baseley said: “We need a more sensible PPG3 policy. The industry cannot currently work with it.”