§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what practical purpose he envisages putting the findings of the surveys by the Building Research Establishment into (a) the nature of the stock of buildings in urban areas, and (b) employment opportunities in urban areas; and why these surveys could not be carried out for his Department by a university department or private consultants for a once-for-all fee rather than by full-time civil servants.
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§ Mr. Freeson:Both studies are related to the economic renewal of inner city areas. The former concerns the stock of non-residential urban buildings and their adaptability to changing industrial needs. The latter is a related study on the provision and creation of work places. There were good reasons why both were carried out intra-murally. In the first case, staff of the Establishment had substantial relevant knowledge, which it would have been wasteful to ask an external contractor to assimilate. In the second, information had to be collected under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947. This could be done only by civil servants.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Building Research Establishment undertook a study of urban development, described on page one of its annual report as involving the construction of an archetypal urban area, initially on a mononucleated basis, with symmetrical density gradients; to what practical purpose it is intended that the information obtained should be put; and why a survey of this kind could not be carried out for his Department by a university department or private consultants for a once-for-all fee rather than by full-time civil servants.
§ Mr. Freeson:This study is investigating the factors which affect concentration or dispersal of population in and around cities and the scope for influencing these through planning policies. The Building Research Establishment conducted an initial feasibilty study, following which a short study was carried out extra-murally to establish methodology. Any further investigations will be carried out extramurally.
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the surveys carried out by the Building Research Establishment into (a) the views of householders on housing standards, (b) the quality of the residential environment, and (c) living in a mobile home, involved the use of external market research consultants; and why the entire responsibility for the project was not, in each case, commissioned from a university department or private consultants on a once-for-all fee basis rather than involving full-time civil servants.
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§ Mr. Freeson:Each of these surveys was carried out by market research consultants. Departmental staff participated to the extent needed to get the most effective results. This varied with each survey.