§ Mr. Lyellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has completed his review of the operation of the scheme for charging for local authorities' building control services; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyYes. The current scheme came into operation on 1 April this year, and my right hon. Friend undertook to review its operation after six months. Proposals for possible changes were circulated on 15 August. We have worked up a new scheme in the light of the comments received, and the Department is today issuing a further consultative paper.
The major change is the substitution of a system of flat-rate fees in place of the present cost-based scale for new housing development and for the more common alterations and extensions to domestic property. We believe that this will simplify the scheme for developers and authorities alike and should help it to operate more satisfactorily.
Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library.