§ 36. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether his advisory committee has yet approved the final terms of the revised and strengthened model building byelaw dealing with domestic thermal insulation; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephA new model byelaw providing for higher standards of thermal insulation of domestic buildings has been prepared in consultation with the local authority associations and the professional and trade bodies who are normally consulted in these matters. My right hon. Friend will shortly be recommending local authorities to adopt it.
§ Mr. NabarroYes, Sir, but is my hon. Friend satisfied that an optional model byelaw is adequate in these matters? Bas he not perceived that the Scots are much more enlightened and that by central government legislation in the Building (Scotland) Act they prescribe statutorily a minimum standard? Would not my hon. Friend recognise how undignified it is for me as a Sassenach to be led along by the nose by the Scots?
§ Sir K. JosephThat is a different question. The question of central regulations is still under consideration. My hon. Friend is rightly concerned with "U" values of thermal transmission coefficient, and it may interest him to know that the new model byelaws of which I spoke provide more stringent conditions than those laid down centrally in Scotland.