§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the Minister 61W for Housing and Construction's answer to the hon. Member for Melton on 5 July 1979, regarding the committee structure through which he consults the construction industry; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyAs my right hon. Friend announced on 2 April—[Vol. 982, c. 290]—the Group of Eight has become the main channel through which the construction industry is consulted. The National Consultative Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industries (NCC) has therefore been discontinued together with most of its associated committees. The specialist sub-committees of the NCC for subcontractors, materials producers, EEC liaison, building and civil engineering cost indices and construction statistics are, however, being retained.
My right hon. Friend and I continue to attend from time to time meetings of the economic development committees for building and for civil engineering and the constructional steelwork sector working party. My right hon. and hon. Friends and I also meet representative bodies of the industry as necessary.