HIGH ALUMINA CEMENT (Hansard, 20 May 1975)

The Earl of SELKIRK
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)
My Lords, I hope the House will bear with me if this Answer is a little long but this is an important Question being raised for the first time in this House. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has amended the building regulations for England and Wales so that local authorities can reject proposals for new work if high alumina cement concrete is to be used. Advice has been given through local authorities about the identification of existing buildings containing high alumina cement concrete and the appraisal of those most likely to be at risk. Similar action has been taken in Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, I must stress that a building is not necessarily dangerous because it contains high alumina cement concrete. This is particularly true of houses and flats. Research by the Building Research Establishment has recently confirmed that the risk of structural failure in floors with spans of up to five metres is small. A sub-committee of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee is considering the research results and further advice will be issued when the subcommittee has reported.

The Earl of SELKIRK
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for the Answer. Is it not correct that the use of this material has been forbidden in France and Germany for about a decade? Can the noble Baroness tell us who is responsible for giving some assurance to the public that materials put on the market are reasonably up to the purposes for which they are intended? Is it the Government, the Department of the Environment, or the local authority, or must the 1185 public take its chance with the materials with which the builder provides it?

§ Baroness BIRK
My Lords, the materials which the builder provides are usually laid down by the British Standards Codes of Practice. Until recently these codes contained recommendations on the use of high alumina cement. They are drafted by committees of experts in the light of the best professional advice at the time. So far as Germany is concerned, the use of high alumina cement was banned when some farms collapsed in 1961, but this was due to a lack of reinforcement of steel as well as to the cement. So far as France is concerned, this material has never been banned in the private sector. It was banned for a time in the public sector, but since 1971, under strict safeguards, it has been able to be used there. I would add only that as time goes on matters develop and one finds things out. However careful one is about something that is considered safe after every possible examination, an unfortunate result can occur.

The Earl of SELKIRK
My Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether the Department is dependent on the Building Research Establishment for making recommendations, and is it within the power of the Minister to forbid the use of materials should such a recommendation be made?

§ Baroness BIRK
My Lords, the Building Research Establishment looks into these matters and makes recommendations. It is then up to the Minister to decide. Circulars have been sent to local authorities and they have been advised in what circumstances this material is safe to use; for instance, in flues. At the moment a floor span of five metres is considered reasonably safe. But, as I said, we are still awaiting the report of the sub-committee, which should be available in July.