HC Deb 24 January 1977 vol 924 cc437-8W
Mr. Michael Latham

asked die Secretary of State for the Environment whether the list of projects to be designed by the Directorate-General of Design and Services given by the Minister for Housing and Construction to the hon. Member for Melton on 12th July 1976 still holds good, following the public expenditure cuts; and whether he is yet in a position to indicate the likely commissions for the year 1977–78.

Mr. Marks

The programme of work for the Design Office of the Director- General of Design Services has substantially increased from that given to the hon. Member for Melton on 12th July 1976 by the addition of the large dispersal project at Liverpool. The current programme is:

  • Teesside PSA Offices.
  • Liverpool Office Dispersal Project.
  • Harrogate Single Soldiers Accommodation.
  • Portland Laboratory/Office Block.
  • Portland Physical and Recreational Training Centre.
  • Lympstone Medical/Dental Centre and Church.
  • Woking Married Soldiers Quarters.
  • Portsmouth Command Telephone Exchange.
  • RAF Bentwaters.
  • PSA District Works Office.
  • RAF Coltishall Single Officers Accommodation.
  • Portland Computer Building.
  • Catterick Physical and Recreational Training Centre.
  • Catterick Education Centre.
  • Colchester NAAFI Shop.
The reduction in Government expenditure announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15th December 1976 is unlikely to have a material effect on this general programme, although the timing of individual projects may be adjusted. As these projects are in the early stages of planning, they will form the bulk of the Design Office commissions for 1977–78.

Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff have so far been appointed to the Multi-Disciplinary Design Office of the Director-General of Design Services; how many of them are architects; how many hold other professional qualifications, and what those qualifications are; and how many professional staff have been recruited from outside the Property Services Agency or his department.

Mr. Marks

Of 47 staff in the Design Office, 16 are architects. Fifteen others have professional qualifications:

Profession and Qualifications Held

Quantity Surveyors—RICS.

Civil Engineers—MICE, MI Struct E, MI Mun E.

Mechanical & Electrical Engineers—MIEE, MIHVE, MI Mech E.

Landscape Architect—ILA.

Four architects and a landscape architect have been recruited from outside the Department.

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