HC Deb 03 November 1976 vol 918 cc1383-4
2. Mr. Penhaligon

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the building standards applied in local authority house building.

The Minister for Housing and Construction (Mr. Reginald Freeson)

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Penhaligon

I thank the Minister for that detailed answer. Will he comment on the assertion made by some people that about £50 million a year could be saved if the standards used for building council houses were those of the NHBC instead of Parker Morris, or the alternative assertion that we could build 25,000 more houses a year for the same money?

Mr. Freeson

I do not know where those assertions are made, and I should be interested to receive more detailed submissions. I would study them with great interest. I know that schemes have been introduced by local authorities for building for sale, with our support, at different standards than Parker Morris which have resulted in savings. But they have been savings well below what has been broadly claimed for these schemes where they have been changed from Parker Morris to somewhat different standards operated in the private sector.

As for the possibility of building more homes from the same resources, although I should be interested to hear further details of the figures quoted by the hon. Gentleman, I prefer at present to press for greater efficiency on building sites. The loss of material in building site work is such that 13,000 dwellings-worth of material is being lost each year.

Mr. Skinner

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, quite apart from the principle of not lowering standards on public sector building, it would produce a strange anomaly in that we could have a situation where prospective Liberal candidates were running around these second-class housing estates playing at community politics in order to get on local councils?

Mr. Freeson

I cannot speak for the Liberal Party. On a suitable occasion I have no doubt that Liberal Party Members will speak for themselves. There is no intention on our part to reduce standards. However, there is scope for looking at greater flexibility in the use of basic standards in the public sector. That we are prepared to do and are doing.