§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department will produce the joint guidance on housing adaptations which will include a health and safety rating system. [57184]
§ Mr. McNultyI have been asked to reply.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department of Health will publish joint guidance on housing adaptations as a consultation document in the autumn. The then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions published a consultation paper on the housing health and safety rating system in March 2001. Full implementation of the rating system, which will replace the housing fitness standard, requires primary legislation which will be introduced as soon as a suitable legislative opportunity occurs.