§ Q5. Mr. Sydney Chapmanasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of the Environment and the Department of Employment with regard to the amendment of building regulations with particular reference to the proposed legislation following the Robens Report.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. ChapmanAs provisions relating to the revision of building regulations originally intended for the new Building Bill have now been transferred to the Safety and Health at Work Bill, when will that Bill be published? There is confusion among interested parties about these very important matters. Will the remaining revised building regulations be introduced in this Session, in a new Building Bill?
§ The Prime MinisterI am afraid that I cannot give my hon. Friend the precise date of the introduction of the Bill. We have promised that it will be in this Session. Concerning the other regulations, I think that they will be included in the Bill.
§ Mr. KinnockIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is still immense carnage in the building industry, as the Chief Inspector of Factories' report will have shown him a couple of weeks ago? Does he not know that if he and his Government were not prepared to turn such a benevolent eye on labour-only sub-contracting they could do something effective about cutting the terrible rate of fatalities in the industry?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Gentleman is referring to the whole question of safety, and so on, this will be dealt with in the Bill. It will extend to a wide range of buildings—not only workplaces but other buildings.