§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if the Government will(a) adopt minimum standards for design for public buildings in the UK and (b) give priority to buildings of higher quality and that will offer long-term value to the community. [128642]
§ Yvette CooperMy right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made clear to the House in his February statement on the Sustainable Communities plan that high quality design is a key element in delivering sustainable communities.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is already working hard to drive up standards of design for public buildings through our work with CABE and also our commitment to the Better Public Buildings Initiative, which expresses the Government's commitment to delivering quality in the buildings it procures, and across the public sector.
Later this autumn, we will be holding a Better Buildings Summit, in conjunction with DTI and DEFRA, to consider issues relating to the design of all buildings. The outcomes of this summit will feed into future Government policy.
The Government's planning policies expect good design to be the aim of all those involved in new development and to be encouraged everywhere. Securing good design is central to good planning.