§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will list the present members of the Agrément Board, giving their salaries, and stating their qualifications for membership and whom they represent.
§ Mr. MellishMembers of the Council of the Agrément Board are chosen in a personal capacity rather than as representative of any particular interest. Their collective experience, however, extends across the whole of the construction industry, and each member is a distinguished figure in the industry in his own right.
The Council membership is as follows:—
- The Rt. Hon. Lord Peddie. M.B.E., LL.D., J.P. (Chairman), Company Director.
- Dr. T. W. Parker, C.B.E., M.Sc, Ph.D., F.R.I.C., A.I.C.E. (Director), previously Deputy Director of the Building Research Station.
- Mr. L. A. Bayman, building material producer.
- Mr. O. S. Chesterton, MC. F.R.I.C.S., Reg. Archt., chartered surveying consultant.
- Mr. K. C. Evans, A.R.I.B.A., county architect.
- Mr. T. Harley Haddow, M.I.C.E., M.I. Struct. E., A.R.I.B.A., consultant architect/engineer practising in Scotland.
- Mr. A. J. Harris, C.B.E., B.Sc.(Eng.), M.I.C.E., M.I. Struct. E., M.Com.E., civil engineering consultant.
- Mr. W. S. Jones, C.B.E., F.I.O.B., building and civil engineering contractor.
The Chairman receives an honorarium of £600 per annum, the Director receives a salary of £6,000 per annum, and other Council members receive £300 per annum for attending up to 14 meetings a year plus 15 guineas for each additional day spent away from home.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what publicity is given to the annual report of the Agrément Board; to whom it is distributed; and how many copies of the 1968 Report have been sold.
§ Mr. MellishThe Agrément Board reports annually to me. A résumé of the main points of the Report for the financial year 1967–68 was issued to the technical Press in the form of a Ministry Press notice, to which a copy of the Report itself was attached. Copies of this 131W Report have been sent without charge to all the Board's Associate subscribers and to all who have asked for it.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will set out in tabular form the number of permanent staff employed by the Agrément Board in April, 1966, April, 1967, April, 1968 and at the latest convenient date, indicating in each case how many of them were professionally or technically qualified, and how many of them were executive or clerical staff.
§ Mr. MellishThe Board was incorporated in May, 1966. The information required for April, 1967, April, 1968 and as at present is as follows:—
Professionally and Technically Qualified Staff Executive and Clerical Staff April, 1967 Director Printer Company Secretary 3 Secretaries Chief Technical Officer Technical Officer Assistant Accountant April, 1968 Director Printer Assistant Director Printer's Assistant Company Secretary Type Setter Chief Technical Officer 3 secretaries 3 Technical Officers Receptionist/Typist Assistant Accountant March, 1969 Director 2 Printers Assistant Director Printer's Assistant Company Secretary Type Setter Chief Technical Officer 3 Secretaries 3 Technical Officers Receptionist/Typist Assistant Accountant Translator/Librarian 2 Clerical Assistants
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) what was the nature of the work undertaken by the Forest Products Research Laboratory on behalf of the Agrément Board; and what fee was paid by the Agrément Board for this work;
(2) how many tests were undertaken in each of the years since 1966 by the Building Research Station on new products, materials or components on behalf of the Agtément Board; and what fees were paid by the Agrément Board for those tests;
(3) what was the nature of the work undertaken by the Fire Research Station, the University of Aston, Yarsley Research Laboratories and Messrs. R. H. Harry 132W Stranger on behalf of the Agrément Board; and what fees were paid by the Agrément Board in each case.
§ Mr. MellishThe Forest Products Research Laboratory has undertaken test work for the Board on metal connectors, timber roof trusses and composite timber beams, and has advised on methods for developing tests for doors and fibre board.
The Building Research Station has carried out test work for the Board on windows and on plumbing, drainage, roofing, damp-proof courses, flooring, sealing and wall finish products. The Station has also done experimental work as part of the development of test methods.
Work has been done by the Fire Research Station on special fire investigation; by the Professor of Building Science at the University of Aston on the risk of condensation; and by the Yarsley Research Laboratories on thermal insulation and on test development (with particular reference to plastics) on products submitted to the Board for appraisal. Messrs. R. H. Harry Stranger have done work on surface coating materials for the Board.
The Fire Research Station, Yarsley Research Laboratories and Messrs. R. H. Stranger have each received contracts for test work direct from manufacturers with the Board's encouragement. Provided that this work satisfies the Board's observers, it is accepted for certification purposes.
The Board's terms of contract both with manufacturers for certification and with the agencies it employs for test or method of test development work are confidential, as are all matters concerning fees for work undertaken. The total amounts disbursed by the Board on test and method of test development work so far, however, amounted to £19,075 in the period May, 1966 to March, 1967, £28,548 in the financial year 1967–68, and £18,789 to date in this financial year.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will list the building materials components which have received appraisal 133W certificates from the Agrément Board, indicating what is the commercial purpose of each product.
§ Mr. MellishSince the answer is some what lengthy I will send it to the hon. Member by letter.