HC Deb 13 December 1985 vol 88 cc809-10W
Mr. Lofthouse

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities which have given him notice under section 12(6) of the Housing Defects Act 1984 of a designation of a class of defective dwellings; if he will give the class of dwelling, in each case, and the qualifying defect involved; and whether he has prevented, or intends to prevent, the coming into operation of that designation by serving a notice under section 12(7).

Mr. John Patten

Dudley metropolitan borough council has designated, under section 12(6) of the Act, certain dwellings with steel slag, semi-raft foundations. My right hon. Friend did not exercise his powers under section 12(7) and the designation came into effect on 25 November 1985. Leicester City council and the London borough of Hounslow have submitted to my Department proposed local designations of Smith houses and Bison wall frame system houses respectively. Neither designation was, in our view, legally valid and, for the avoidance of doubt, my right hon. Friend exercised his powers under section 12(7) to prevent them coming into operation.