HC Deb 29 October 1984 vol 65 cc863-4W
Mr. Litherland

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, (1) pursuant to his reply of 25 July, Official Report, columns 727–9, if he will list the two authorities which were said to have concluded that, since their Bison wall frame dwellings are variants of the design and are of only one or two storeys, they need take no action on his Department's letter of 5 October 1983;

(2) pursuant to his reply of 25 July, Official Report, columns 727–9, if he will list the nine authorities which have examined their Bison wall frame dwellings for all the faults specified in his Department's letter of 5 October 1983;

(3) pursuant to his reply of 25 July, Official Report, columns 727–9, if he will list the seven authorities which have decided to demolish their Bison wall frame buildings;

(4) how many local authorities are currently believed by his Department to own Bison wall frame buildings;

(5) what action was taken by his Department between 18 November 1983 and July 1984 to ensure that replies were received from all authorities to which his Department wrote on 5 October 1983 about the safety of Bison wall frame buildings;

(6) if he will publish the report on Bison wall frame buildings prepared by the Building Research Establishment for the New Towns Directorate of the Department of the Environment and received by his Department in August 1978;

(7) what progress he has made in his consultations with (a) Concrete Limited, (b) Brighton borough council, (c) Elmbridge borough council and (d) Reading borough council on the release to the National Association of Bison Tenants and others of the reports on Bison wall frame buildings prepared for those bodies by the Building Research Establishment.

Mr. Gow

I shall answer these questions shortly.