§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for amending building regulations to take account of energy efficiency factors.
§ Mr. YeoThe building regulations in England and Wales have contained specific requirements for the conservation of fuel and power since 1979. Revised requirements came into force on 1 April last year. These new provisions should achieve a saving of about 20 per cent. in energy requirements for space and water heating compared with buildings constructed to the former standards. The way in which the new requirements operate in practice will be monitored by the building research establishment as a basis for examining how the provisions might be further strengthened.