§ Mr. WatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if Birmingham City Council has complied with his circular 62/68 in respect of building safety. [96961]
§ Ms Beverley HughesFor new building work compliance with the Building Regulations 1991 is mandatory, and any new buildings such as those addressed by Circular 62-68 would be sufficiently robust268W to resist disproportionate collapse. The guidance in the Circular is not mandatory, although it impressed most strongly on local authorities the need to put any necessary work in hand urgently. However, while strongly endorsing the guidance in this Circular and in Circular 71-68 which followed it, the Department does not monitor the performance of local authorities with regard to advice in Circulars.