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Tue 11 Nov 2004Stamp duty may be altered for first-time buyersThe Government is examining whether to ease the burden on first-time buyers of second-hand homes by reducing their exposure to stamp duty, senior political sources said last night.The move is being considered as part of a package of housing measures in tomorrow's Budget, which is very likely to include a significant additional funding for social housing. Such funding would be included in the package of capital spending measures that were held over from the Book of Estimates a fortnight ago.