§ Mr. Durantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to change his consultative arrangements with the construction industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HeseltineI have reviewed the arrangements for consulting the construction industry to make them more effective and more economic.
The Group of Eight has become our main channel of contact on matters of strategic importance to the industry. I have therefore, decided to discontinue the National Consultative Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industries (NCC) together with the nine regional joint committees of the NCC in England, the Joint Advisory Panel in Scotland and the Joint Advisory Committee in Wales.
I have decided to retain for the time being the specialist sub-committees of the NCC for sub-contractors, materials producers, EEC liaison, building and civil engineering cost indices and construction statistics.
These arrangements will save £60,000–80,000 per year without reducing my Department's ability to fulfil its sponsorship role towards the construction industry.