§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the reply on 10 July 1979 by the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg), to the hon. Member for Melton, he will now give details of the results of his consideration of the grant-in-aid provisions to the National Building Agency; and whether he is now in a position to replace it by a commercial fee basis for work actually carried out under contract for the Government.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergMy right hon. Friend expects to conclude his consideration of the future of the grant-in-aid basis of payments to the National Building Agency for work done for Government
68Wdomestic ratepayers in each year since the introduction of rate rebates, distinguishing between (a) those who pay then-rates in full, (b) those with partially rebated rates and (c) those whose rates are entirely rebated.
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current number of staff employed by the National Building Agency; how many of them are architects; and what are the estimated administrative costs for 1980–81 which relate to all the Agency's fee-earning and grant-in-aid activities.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe current number of staff employed by the National Building Agency is 241, including 49 registered architects. Estimated adminstrative costs for 1980–81, which relate to all the agency's fee-earning and grant-in-aid activities, are £1,271,000.
§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the grant-in-aid actually paid to the National Building Agency in 1979–80; and what is the provision for 1980–81.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe grant-in-aid paid to the National Building Agency in 1979–80 was £479,000. A provision of £564,000 for 1980–81 has been 69W made in the Supply Estimates subject to parliamentary approval The agency earned fees amounting to approximately £2,400,000 during 1979–80.