§ Angela SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will require local authorities to build new housing which is funded by capital receipts to those standards for accessibility which are proposed to be included in an extension of Part M of the building regulations. [40336]
§ Mr. RaynsfordWe announced on 9 March 1998,Official Report, columns 12–13, that Part M of the Building Regulations would be extended to include new dwellings. Part M will cover all new dwellings, including those built as a result of the additional resources released under the Capital Receipts Initiative. Amendment Regulations will be laid later this year and will come into force 12 months after publication.
New housing built by Registered Social Landlords has to meet standards prescribed by the Housing Corporation which already covers most of the requirements of Part M.