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 help improve (a) verification and (b) record-keeping of radon mitigation measures by (i) building control bodies and (ii) approved inspectors.

Data on verification and record-keeping by Building Control Bodies and local authority Building Inspectors is not collected centrally. Guidance and information about radon for householders, employers, professionals and local authorities including radon maps, action levels, remedial work and further resources are available from the UK Health Security Agency and the Health & Safety Executive.

The Building Regulations apply to new building work and are intended to protect people’s safety, health and welfare. They are supported by statutory guidance called Approved Documents, which are a significant tool for local authority Building Control officers or Registered Building Control Approvers who ensure new building work is compliant.

Approved Document C includes guidance on radon protective measures and refers to the BRE report Radon: Guidance on protective measures for new buildings (including supplementary advice for extensions, conversions and refurbishment projects which is now in its 2023 edition; and to Radon in the workplace; a guide for building owners and managers. The Building Safety Act 2022 requires the Building Safety Regulator to keep the safety and standard of buildings under review; Building Regulations and Approved Documents can then be updated as needed.