HC Deb 08 April 1981 vol 2 cc301-2W
Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the consultants appointed by him in April 1980 to investigate the financial arrangements of the Building Research Establishment; what action he proposes to take upon its recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stanley

I have placed in the Library a copy of the Report entitled "BRE Report on Cost Recovery" prepared by the P-E Consulting Group. Pending the outcome of the wider review of the status of the Building Research Establishment, my right hon. Friend has asked the BRE to seek the maximum practical recovery of its costs within the framework of its present status and organisation.

Mr. Latham

asked 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 Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg) on 8 May 1980, Official Report, c. 142; what is the current shortfall of staff in post compared with the authorised complement (a) overall and (b) in the science category; and what is the proposed complement for the financial year 1981–82.

Mr. Stanley

I will answer this question shortly.

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the future role, work load and staffing complement of the building integrity division of the Building Research Establishment.

Mr. Stanley

Following a recent review, BRE's work on building integrity has been reorganised. The building integrity division has been disbanded, but a new structural integrity division has been formed, based on the existing structural performance division and bringing together research on potential structural hazards in building and other work on structural performance. This division had a staff of 25 plus division heads on 1 April 1981. At the same time the identification of potential non-structural defects has been more closely linked with related BRE work on building defects, execution of work on site and quality assurance. The deputy director, BRE, has been given special responsibility for co-ordinating BRE work on the integrity and quality of building.