§ 5. Mr. Bairdasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make it obligatory on private firms carrying out work of demolition or reconstruction to seek the advice of a qualified person employed by the local authority before carrying out such work.
§ Mr. BevinsMy right hon. Friend has no power to take action on the lines suggested, but if the hon. Member will let me have details of the particular problems he has in mind I will gladly consider them.
§ Mr. BairdIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in a recent case at Wolverhampton where reconstruction has been carried out a woman shopper was killed and that if competent, qualified opinion had been taken before the reconstruction took place this would not have happened? This sort of thing is happening all over the country at the present time.
Mr. BeviesThe fact is that my right hon. Friend has no power at present to require a demolition contractor to seek the advice of a local authority. By and large, the safety of workmen is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour. I am, however, quite prepared to discuss this matter with my right hon. Friend.