§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the exact terms of reference of the inquiry by Mr. E. H. A. Stretton into the Building Research Establishment; why the draft terms, as outlined in departmental correspondence on 6th October, referred specifically to the responsibilities of the director; whether Mr. Stretton has accepted the appointment; and by what date he is being asked to report.
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§ Mr. Armstrong:Mr. E. H. A. Stretton has been appointed to conduct a review on behalf of the Department's management services division with the following terms of reference:
" To review:
- (1) the responsibilities of Director BRE in identifying and meeting appropriate needs for research and advice for the Department of the Environment, for other Government Departments, for the various sectors of the construction industry, and for the community;
- (2) the role of Director, BRE, within the Directorate General of Research, DOE/ DTp; and
- (3) the responsibilities of Director BRE for administrative matters such as finance, manpower and personnel management, the review to include the relationships between the Establishment and other parts of DOE/DTp, and the related operations, procedures and levels of delegated responsibility; and to report to the Director General of Research and the Director General of Organisation and Establishments."
He is expected to report by about April next year but an earlier preliminary
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Complement 1st December 1978 Staff in post at 1st December 1978 Science Category— Director (CSO A) 1 1 CSO B 1 1 DCSO 6 6 SPSO 22 21 PSO 75 71 SSO 123 119½ HSO 148 129½* SO 109 104 ASO 72 64½ 557 517½ * This figure will be substantially increased following a promotion review now in progress. Research Officers— SRO 2 — RO — 1 Professional and Technology Category— Supt. Eng 1 — PPTO 15 15 PTOI 16 19 PTOII 13 12 prom 13 13 PTO IV 18 14 76 73 Administration Group— Prin 1 1 SEO 2 2 HEO 7 6 EO 15 16 CO 70 69 CA 19 18 114 112 report has been called for to assist with the appointment of a successor to the present director whose impending retirement in July 1979 has been the immediate occasion for this review.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the table of staffing of the Building Research Establishment given in the reply by the hon. Member for Durham, North-West (Mr. Armstrong) on 27th July; what is the current shortfall of staff in post compared with authorised complement (a) overall and (b) in the science category; what progress is being made with recruitment; what proportion of the recruits are young, inexperienced staff entering junior grades; and whether he will make a statement on the general level of morale at the Building Research Establishment.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe complement and staff in post figures are attached:
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Complement 1st December 1978 Staff in post at 1st December 1978 InformationOfficers— SeniorInformationOfficer 1 1 InformationOfficers 3 2 AssistantInformationOfficers 2 2 6 5 GraphicsOfficers— GraphicsOfficerIII 1 2 GraphicsOfficerIV 3 2 DrawingOfficeAssistant 5 4 Tracer 1 1 10 9 PersonalSecretariesandTypists— SeniorPersonalSecretary 1 1 PersonalSecretary 20 20 SeniorSuperintendentofTypists 1 1 SuperintendentofTypists 2 2 Typists 24 24 48 48 Photographers— ChiefPhotographer 1 1 PrincipalPhotographer 2 3 SeniorPhotographer 5 5 Photographer 6 5 AssistantPhotographer — 1 14 15 OtherGrades— AssistantChiefPhotoprinter 1 1 PhotoprinterI 3 1 PhotoprinterII 8 10½ SeniorDataProcessor 4 5 DataProcessor 16 15 Paperkeeper 1 1 SeniorMessenger 2 2 Messenger 8 6½ Telephonists 6 6½ LaboratoryAttendant — 1 49 49½ GRANDTOTAL 876 830 The current shortfall in staff in post compared with authorised complement is 46 overall and 39½ in the science category. Promotion reviews now in progress and scheduled for early next year should result in staff being brought largely up to strength in the higher grades leaving the great majority of vacancies as assistant scientific officer and scientific officer levels. Hence the intake from recruitment exercises now in progress and planned for early 1979 will be mostly young people entering these grades. Staff cuts necessitated by the restrictions in public expenditure have made this a difficult period for BRE but the recent resump 782W tion of promotion at normal rates and the expected reduction in the shortfall of numbers should help morale.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of staff at the Building Research Establishment in the science category aged 50 years or over, or of seniority of senior scientific officer or over, who (a) left voluntarily, (b) were compulsorily retired immediately on achieving retirement age, or (c) were denied promotion, and left for that reason, following his policy decisions in that regard after the International Monetary Fund 783W public expenditure cuts; and what effect these changes have had on the operational efficiency, and level of internal morale, of the establishment.
§ Mr. ArmstrongOf the staff in the Building Research Establishment in the science category who were aged 50 years or over, or of SSO grade or higher, on 1st January 1977, 17 have left voluntarily, including seven voluntary premature retirements, and 13 have been retired as a result of the reduction in the retirement age. None of the staff leaving voluntarily had been denied promotion as a result of the economies. The reductions in manpower have curtailed research in some fields and reduced the output of the establishment and this, with the restrictions on promotion, has undoubtedly affected morale.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many senior staff of the Building Research Establishment due to retire have been asked to stay on so far in 1978 at a very much more junior grade and salary; how many have (a) accepted, (b) refused and (c) still not decided; and what is the purpose of the policy of inviting them to work in a grade which they achieved many years ago.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe offer of reemployment in the grade of SO to officers at HSO level and above is being made at the request of the relevant staff association in order to allow individuals the option of continuing their research. Of the 13 officers to whom the offer has so far been made, five have accepted and eight have declined. In addition, three officers holding key positions have continued in post beyond the age of 60 at the same grade.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current number of staff in post at the building integrity division of the Building Research Establishment; what is the current programme of work; what steps are being taken to improve recruitment to the permitted complement of 10; and whether he will make a statement on the level of performance and morale within this division.
§ Mr. Ernest ArmstrongThere are five staff in post in the building integrity divi-784W sion, including the head of division, against a complement of 11. A number of prospective recruits are being interviewed. The current programme of work of the division includes investigations into lintels, suspended ceilings and the possible effects of energy conservation measures. A report on the investigation of trussed rafter roofs is due to be published in early 1979. An investigation into wall ties has been completed and a report is being prepared. The collection and analysis of data on defects continues. BID has experienced difficulties like the rest of BRE, but members of the division have continued to pursue their objectives with determination and have maintained a high standard of output.