CONSIDERATION OF LORDS' AMENDMENTS. (Hansard, 21 July 1887)

§ MR. HASTINGS (Worcestershire, E.)

I have to move, in page 6, line 10, to leave out— Have been examined as to such knowledge in such manner as the Local Board may from time to time direct," in order to insert "hold a Certificate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, or of the Institution of Civil Engineers, or of the Institution of Surveyors, or of such other body as the Local Government Board may from time to time approve, that he has been examined and is competent for such office. The object of the Amendment is to insure that the persons appointed by the Local Board under the Bill, and entrusted with the important duty of reporting whether sanitary requirements have been properly carried out, should be men fully competent to exercise the duties of the office. A Select Committee appointed by this House in 1882 in connection with the Sanitary Regulations Bill were strongly of opinion that the building surveyor ought to have a certificate of fitness from some Body competent to examine him and give such a certificate; and a provision was inserted in the Bill requiring him to undergo an examination, either before the Royal Institute of British Architects, or some other Public Body. The House of Lords, however, struck out that provision, and left it an open qualification, determinable by the Local Board. Now, I maintain that that is mischievous, and a principle which this House should endeavour to guard against. Certainly, as the Local Board have the patronage, something should be done to secure that the persons they appoint are fully competent to perform the duties of the office. My proposal is that the Inspectors appointed by the Local Board should obtain a certificate from one of the three chartered Bodies mentioned in my Amendment, which I now beg to move.

§ MR. F. S. POWELL (Wigan)

I hope the House will allow me to say one or two words in support of the Amendment moved by my hon. Friend. I had the pleasure of sharing with him the labours of the Committee to which he has referred; and I can bear testimony to the extreme care with which every point was investigated. But no point received more care and attention than this. The question is one of the utmost importance. The Inspectors to be appointed under the Bill are intrusted with powers of an extraordinary character. They have much greater powers than are given to the Local Authorities in ordinary cases. They have power to examine buildings during successive stages of their construction; and if they are incompetent to discharge the duties of the office, very great hardship may be inflicted upon those who are engaged in building transactions, to the injury of the community at large if unwholesome buildings are sanctioned. What is wanted is a certificate from some Public Body that the persons employed are properly qualified for this important position. The Amendment of my hon. Friend is entirely in harmony with our general policy that those who occupy the position of Inspectors should undergo some test as to their abilities. There is no hard, cast-iron qualification laid down, but one of an extremely elastic character, because the Local Board, from time to time, will have power to alter and amend it in order to guard the interests of those who are engaged in building operations, and, on the other hand, to secure that the interests of the community are made equally safe. It is in order that there may be some such security that my hon. Friend and myself respectfully submit this Amendment to the House: