Clause 2 - Contents of building regulations
Sustainable and Secure Buildings Bill
10:15 am
Mr Phil Hope (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Corby, Labour/Co-operative)
I do not share the views of the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings about the Government's performance in such matters or the longevity of my current role. I hope to refute those views for many months and years to come.
Paragraph 7 of schedule 1 to the Building Act 1984 would, as a result of the amendment, include these additional words:
''equipment for monitoring and measuring supplies of fuel, power or heat''.
There needs to be a similar provision in respect of water to ensure that regulations can deal with such matters. The second amendment would revise the wording of the paragraphs in subsection (4) and clarify them for the avoidance of doubt. It would not increase or diminish in any way the powers under section 1. Parliamentary counsel has told us that that is how the measure should be drafted, so that is the way in which we will support it.
Paragraph (xxiib) would be removed on the grounds that the installation of security systems clearly falls within the item to be added to the list of measures relating to the security of buildings. The amendments are technical. Inspection matters are continuing requirements that are dealt with under section 2 of the Building Act 1984 and regulations for such requirements cannot be made under section 1, to which paragraph 7 of schedule 1 applies. I hope that those technical changes will improve the Bill and that the Committee will endorse them.
Amendment agreed to.
Amendment made: No. 2, in
clause 2, page 2, line 9, leave out paragraphs (xxiib) to (xxiie) and insert—
'(xxiib) measures affecting the use of fuel or power,
(xxiic) equipment for monitoring and measuring supplies of fuel, power or heat,
(xxiid) recycling facilities (including facilities for composting),''.'.—[Mr. Stunell.]