Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to planning authorities on the specification of illegal glass units into windows in historic buildings and Conservation Areas in breach of construction products regulations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Buildings that are listed or in a conservation area may be subject to specific local policies in relation to replacement windows, and enquiries should be made to the local planning authority in each case. General guidance on planning considerations for conservation areas can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/conserving-and-enhancing-the-historic-environment. Replacement windows also need to comply with relevant Building Regulations’ requirements. Guidance on complying with relevant Building Regulations’ requirements can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/approved-documents.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that trading standards officers enforce the Construction Products Regulations.
Answered by Dominic Raab
As part of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, Dame Judith Hackitt is considering the role of products used in construction, and the potential impact on building safety. The review has a particular focus on the construction products used in multi-occupancy, high-rise residential buildings. An interim report was published in 18 December 2017, and a final report will be published in Spring 2018. We will consider any recommendations made by the Review in this area and how they interact with the requirements of the Construction Product Regulations.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department takes to ensure that the sale and installation of narrow-cavity, low-sightline glass-sealed units into heritage windows is compliant with the Construction Products Regulations 2013.
Answered by Lord Sharma
These units are covered by a harmonized European product standard (EN 1279-5) and so the Construction Products Regulation (EU 305/2011) applies to their manufacture, import and distribution. This regulation sets requirements for placing construction products onto the market, not their installation.
Monitoring compliance and enforcement duties fall to trading standards bodies in England, Scotland and Wales and District Councils in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Ronnie Cowan (Scottish National Party - Inverclyde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department takes to ensure that trading standards departments enforce the Construction Products Regulations 2013.
Answered by Lord Sharma
EU Construction Products Regulations (EU 305/2011) are enforced under the UK Construction Products Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1387).
Compliance monitoring and enforcement duties fall to local authorities’ Weights and Measures (Trading Standards) in England, Scotland and Wales and District Councils in Northern Ireland. It is for these bodies to determine how they carry out their duties but they follow the Enforcement Concordat (http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file10150.pdf) and the Regulators Compliance Code (http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file45019.pdf).