HC Deb 05 March 1981 vol 1000 c200W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff have been employed in the collection of fees since fees for building control were introduced in 1980.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

This information is not available.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present cost to public funds of the collection and administration of fees for building control; and what proportion of this cost has been incurred in supervising projects estimated to cost less than £1,000.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

When the scheme of fees for building control was introduced last April the local authorities estimated that likely collection costs in a full year would amount to £2.25 million. No figures are available to indicate what costs have actually been incurred in this first transition year. Projects costing less than £1,000 are at present exempt from fees.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff have been employed in the supervising of building control since fees for building control were introduced in 1980.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

Figures published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in October 1980 show that local authorities were budgeting for about 5,600 professional and administrative staff to be employed in 1980–81 on all aspects of building control in England and Wales, excluding inner London.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money has been raised in fees since fees for building control were introduced in 1980; and how much of the total has been raised on projects of less than £1,000.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

Fees for building control were introduced last April and projects approved before that date are not subject to them; consequently, the scheme will not realise its full yield in this financial year. For budgeting purposes, however, local authorities have estimated a yield of £20 million. Under the current scheme, projects of less than £1,000 are exempt from fees.