HC Deb 04 November 1993 vol 231 cc325-6W
Mr. William O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to review the fees to be charged by local authority building control departments to reflect the size, work type and the demography of the local authority; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will allow local authorities to meet the cost of providing services through building control charges compatible with charges made on the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

It remains the Government policy that the setting of building control fees should be devolved to local authorities when adequate private sector competition is in place. To further this aim, the Department issued a consultation document on 29 October—a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House—which seeks to increase the number of private sector inspectors exercising building control. Meanwhile, in conjunction with representatives of the local authority associations and the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, the Government are proposing:

  1. (i) to introduce next year a revision and consolidation of the prescribed fees regulations which will tailor fees more appropriately to the type of building application involved; and
  2. (ii) to explore the scope for introducing greater flexibility within the prescribed fees scheme.

Mr. William O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the market testing of local authority building control fees; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

None. We have taken the view for the time being that it is not appropriate to subject regulatory services such as building regulation enforcement to compulsory competitive tendering. However, local authorities may choose to market test this work on a voluntary basis having regard to their obligations under statute.

Mr. William O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the performance indicators which are available in the building control sector; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

The Department does not publish performance indicators for building control. Under the terms of the Local Government Act 1992 it is the Audit Commission which is charged with the responsibility to decide, in consultation with the Department, on what indicators it may select for publication. Although the commission collects a wide range of information on local services, there are, at present, no plans for including the building control service. However, with the Department's encouragement, the local authority associations have drawn up a levels of service document on a voluntary basis and appropriate publication is currently under consideration.