HC Deb 12 December 1979 vol 975 cc1297-8
15. Mr. Michael Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the persons and organisations who have submitted evidence to him in connection with his review of the building regulations.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

We have received comments from a wide variety of people and organisations. If my hon. Friend wishes, I shall place a list in the Library, excluding, of course, those private individuals who wrote in confidence.

Mr. Brown

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Can he give the House some indication as to when we can expect some liberalising of the building regulations because many industrialists in particular find that building regulations are a gross inconvenience in relation to the future development of their industries?

Mr. Finsberg

I hope that it will not be too long. What I can tell my hon. Friend is that, although a variety of comments have been received, all agree that building control needs substantial change.

Mr. Rost

Will my hon. Friend give an assurance that the minimum standards of thermal insulation will be uprated rather than removed?

Mr. Finsberg

All I can say to my hon. Friend is that we recognise that energy conservation is a vitally important issue, for which provision will be made.