§ 47. Mr. Deedesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the list recently published by the Royal Institute of British Architects of local authorities who do not employ architects; and what steps he has taken to encourage those local authorities to remedy this deficiency.
§ Mr. H. BrookeYes; I have seen this list and also the associated circular entitled "The Architect in Local Government". The list refers to authorities who do not employ chief architects; a number of them do in fact employ architects although not in chief posts. Within recent months I have frequently expressed my concern, both in Parliament and at meetings of local authority representatives, about the standard of design in local authority building, some of which is very good, but by no means all. I am considering whether there is anything more I can do to ensure a higher standard all round, and I am taking account of the views expressed by professional bodies.