Persimmon has seen its enquiry levels rise by around a quarter following the government's announcement of its Help to Buy initiative.<br> <br> Reporting on its progress since the start of 2013, the housebuilder said that until mid-March its enquiry levels were around 24% ahead of the equivalent period in 2012. After the Budget, this rose to around 30%.<br> <br> Persimmon's visitor numbers and reservations also increased over the two weeks following the government's announcements, it said. Since the start of 2013, the company's rate of weekly private sales climbed 4% against the equivalent 15 week period in 2012.<br> <br> In line with other housebuilders, Bellway reported a leap of 47.5% in its pre-tax profit over the six months to January 2013. It said that its northern areas had seen a recovery, with demand staying strongest in the south.