§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the Electrical Wiring Regulations set out in Building Standard BS 7671 to be incorporated into the building regulations. [95263]
§ Ms Beverley HughesMy Department has been working with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee and others to develop proposals for 797W amendments to the Building Regulations that would introduce requirements for electrical safety in dwellings. The draft proposals indicate that following the recommendations in the British Standard BS 7671 would be a way of achieving compliance. The Building Act 1984 requires consultation with interested bodies before substantive amendments are made to the Building Regulations. I intend to announce consultation on these proposals once I am satisfied that they meet our better regulation criteria. Whether and when amendments are made will depend upon the outcome of this consultation. Electrical safety requirements for buildings other than dwellings are already made in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.