§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has for the future of the Quality Mark to combat cowboy builders. [43124]
§ Mr. WilsonI am pleased to announce that the Quality Mark is going to be rolled out across the country over a three to four year period. The progressive rollout will begin with urban areas in England and Wales and districts that have already demonstrated interest in the scheme.
The Quality Mark was established to combat the problem of cowboy builders by creating a list of approved tradesmen. Homeowners can call the Quality Mark hotline on 0845 300 8040 or log on to www.qualitymark.org.uk to find an independently assessed tradesman in one of 18 trades to work in their home. The scheme was piloted for six months in Birmingham and Somerset. 150 tradesmen have achieved the Quality Mark and 25,000 consumers have phoned or logged on to access the list of approved tradesmen.
The pilot has been evaluated by a review group including industry, consumer and regulatory interests. The group published their report on 28 February and found that:
Quality Mark meets the broad aims of the Cowboy Builders Working Group report which originally recommended the scheme;the mechanisms, standards and independent audits work and are set at the right levels; andthe partnership with industry and stakeholders works well.The review recommended that a shadow ownership group, featuring the main partners, and working with DTI, should be established quickly to drive forward the implementation of Quality Mark. Membership and terms of reference of the group will be outlined shortly. There will also be a launch event in the coming weeks.
Finally I would like to make it clear that reputable tradesmen all over the country can join the Quality Mark scheme immediately through the hotline or website. This is the only scheme that gives reputable tradesmen the opportunity to demonstrate their professionalism and separate themselves from the cowboys. I encourage tradesmen and local authorities to get behind the Quality. Mark so that people around the country can benefit from the scheme as homeowners in Birmingham and Somerset have.