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.

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.