§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the suitability of PVC for use in construction of publicly funded buildings. [12594]
§ Mr. RaynsfordOne of the potential problems with the use of PVC materials in construction is the possibility of rapid fire spread, and guidance is given on this aspect in Approved Document B (Fire Safety) to the Building Regulations 1991. These regulations make no distinction between publicly funded buildings and any other buildings.
In the case of fire, building regulations are intended to ensure that a reasonable standard of safety is provided. The protection of property, including the building itself, may require additional measures which are the responsibility of either the building owner or insurers to specify on an individual basis and would be dependent on the particular risk associated with the proposed use of the building.
The approved document recognises that the choice of materials for walls and ceilings can significantly affect the spread of a fire and its rate of growth, even though they may not be the materials first ignited. Guidance is therefore given in the approved document on both the location and spacing of thermoplastic and other materials that do not satisfy the performance criteria of British Standard fire tests.
With regard to the general use of PVC in the construction of buildings my Department has consulted with the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive and the Building Research Establishment. It was concluded from this consultation that there are no known serious hazards to human health or the environment associated with the use of PVC.