Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what measures are in place to ensure that approved building inspectors abide by the (a) Code of Conduct for Approved Inspectors, (b) Disciplinary Procedures of the Construction Industry Councils Approved Inspectors Register and (c) Building Control Performance Standards.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Approved inspectors are required to abide by the Code of Conduct for Approved Inspectors and Disciplinary Procedures of the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspectors Register. The Code of Conduct also includes a requirement to abide by the Building Control Performance Standards and all approved inspectors are required to operate in accordance with both documents.
If it is found that an approved inspector is not complying with relevant regulations and the Code of Conduct, including the Building Control Performance Standards, the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspector Register may withdraw or not renew their approval.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department requires the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspectors Register to collect when approved building inspectors are submitting licence renewals.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The Department expects the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspector Register to collect sufficient information to enable it to make appropriate decisions when considering applications by approved inspectors to renew their approvals. It recently introduced new procedures for renewing approvals. Information about these procedures is available on its website.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspectors Register on (a) monitoring of approved building inspectors to ensure continued compliance with statutory regulations and (b) how existing building inspector licence renewals are evaluated and approved.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The Department has regular discussions with the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspector Register about the way it discharges its functions.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Building Approved Inspectors Regulations 2000 to ensure that building inspection is required to be independent.
Answered by Stephen Williams
Regulation 9 of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 and the Approved Inspectors' Code of Conduct operated by CICAIR Ltd, the body designated by the Secretary of State to carry out executive and administrative functions relating to the appointment of approved inspectors, already require approved inspectors to act independently of external influences in carrying out building inspections. The Government has no plans to amend Regulation 9.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Building Approved Inspectors Regulations 2000 in providing independent and transparent assessment of building plans.
Answered by Stephen Williams
Under provisions in the Building Act 1984 approved inspectors have a duty to inspect plans of proposed building work for compliance and, where required, consult fire and rescue authorities and sewerage undertakers on the plans. Where the plans show compliance and where the person carrying out the work wishes, the approved inspector will give a plans certificate to that effect. A plans certificate is a public document. Regulation 9 of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 requires approved inspectors to operate independently. The Government has no plans to change the relevant provisions in the Building Act 1984 or Regulation 9 of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many complaints he has received about a conflict of interest in assessments conducted by the National House Building Council in relation to Approved Document M.
Answered by Stephen Williams
The Department is not aware of any specific complaints of this nature involving assesments conducted by the National House Building Council in relation to Approved Document M. Complaints about approved inspectors such as the National House Building Council should be made to CICAIR Limited, the body designated to carry out executive and administrative functions in respect of approved inspectors.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the independence of building approved inspectors.
Answered by Stephen Williams
Regulation 9 of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 and the Approved Inspectors' Code of Conduct which is operated by CICAIR Limited, the body designated by the Secretary of State to carry out executive and administrative functions relating to approved inspectors, set out the provisions on the independence of approved inspectors. Approved inspectors must comply with the provisions in the Regulations and as a condition of approval comply with the guidance in the Code of Conduct. CICAIR monitors the operation of the Code in respect of individual approved inspectors and has procedures in place to take action if an approved inspector breaches any of the provisions of the Code. The Department is currently in discussion with CICAIR as to whether further guidance on the interpretation of Regulation 9 should be issued.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations other than from the National Housebuilding Council he has received on section 6 of Approved Document M of the Building Regulations.
Answered by Stephen Williams
As part of the Housing Standards Review, the Department issued a consultation on changes to Approved Document M in September 2014. While no change is proposed to the technical requirements of section 6, text has been clarified and reformatted. Over 500 responses were received to the consultation and a number of these made comments relating to this part of Approved Document M. We will publish a summary of responses to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations other than from the National Housebuilding Council he has received on the Building (Approved Inspectors etc) Regulations 2000.
Answered by Stephen Williams
This Department receives many representations about approved inspectors and the operation of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure that approved building inspectors are (a) independent and (b) not subject to conflicts of interest.
Answered by Stephen Williams
Regulation 9 of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 sets out requirements for the independence of approved inspectors. In particular it prohibits approved inspectors from having any financial or professional interest in building work for which they are carrying out building control functions. This regulation is supplemented by guidance in the Approved Inspectors Code of Conduct issued by CICAIR Limited, the body designated by the Secretary of State to carry out his executive and administrative functions. Approved inspectors are required to comply with both regulation 9 and the Code of Conduct. CICAIR limited is responsible for the approval and re-approval of approved inspectors and carries out periodic audits of their operations. Part of these processes is to assess that approved inspectors are able to comply with regulation 9.