§ Mr. Arnold Shawasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet in a position to implement his proposals for amending the Building Regulations 1972; and, if so, what they will contain.
§ Mr. FreesonMy right hon. Friend today tabled SI No. 1944/1974, the Building (Second Amendment) Regulations 1974. Its three main provisions are:
- (a) New requirements for the thermal insulation of dwellings, on the basis of the proposals that were circulated in January. Broadly these will double the existing requirements. These regulations are made under the powers conferred by the Public Health Acts 1936 and 1961. We are urgently considering how best to use our extended powers under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which will enable us to make regulations, not confirmed to thermal insulation, to encourage fuel savings in all types of new building.
- (b) Measures which provide for the use of stress graded timber for structural work in buildings.
- (c) The amendment of the regulations about structural stability, to enable local authorities to reject plans which involve the use of high alumina cement for structural purposes.
This last provision will come into effect forthwith, the others on 31st January 1975.
The other proposals covered by the consultation document issued in January 1974 are being considered for inclusion 17W in a consolidated edition of the Building Regulations which it is intended to produce next year.