HC Deb 16 May 2000 vol 350 cc91-2W
Mr. Coaker

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made with the setting up of an advisory body on performance standards in building control. [122679]

Ms Beverley Hughes

My Department and the National Assembly for Wales have joined the Association of Corporate Approved Inspectors, the Construction Industry Council, the District Surveyors Association and the Local Government Association in signing a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a new Building Control Performance Standards Advisory Group.

The Advisory Group's terms of reference are: to keep under review the effectiveness of the standards and guidance published in "Building Control Performance Standards" (July 1999) and to make recommendations for revisions of the standards and guidance to advise on, and draw up recommendations on, performance indicators for the effective delivery of building control and procedures for the monitoring of building control bodies to consider complaints from building control bodies, other statutory bodies and other parties with an interest in relevant building work, that building control bodies have not acted in accordance with the Building Control Performance Standards; where appropriate, to refer such complaints to relevant other bodies; and/or to make recommendations to the building control bodies concerned on prevention of future non-compliant action.

I welcome the formation of the Advisory Group, which met for the first time on 10 May 2000. I look forward to working with the Group and its member bodies to promote continuous improvement in standards of service in both the public and private sectors of the building control profession.

In addition to representatives of the signatory bodies, there will be a representative of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee and two members representing building users and construction clients.

The Audit Commission has accepted an invitation from the Group to participate in its work as observers.

The first chair of the Group is Michael Finn FRICS who chaired the steering group which drew up the performance standards for building control published in July last year. The Construction Industry Council will provide the secretariat for the Group for an initial period of three years.