§ Mr. Carterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many builders and houses built covered by national house-builders' registration have been affected due to the liquidation of either developers or builders.
§ Mr. FreesonBetween January 1973 and October 1974, 211 builders and developers were removed from the National House Building Council's register following bankruptcy or liquidation. There were 22,000 builders on the register at 31st October 1974. The number of houses affected are not known. The council's scheme, however, provides safeguards for house purchasers in this situation, whether a builder goes bankrupt or into liquidation before or after houses are completed. Between January 1973 and October 1974 the council paid £210,000 in respect of 282 claims by house purchasers in circumstances where builders had gone bankrupt or into liquidation.
§ Mr. Carterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the way in which the national house-builders' registration council scheme operates.
§ Mr. FreesonI am satisfied that the council's scheme provides reasonable150W safeguards for the purchasers of new houses. The adequacy of the scheme is of course kept under review.