Oral Answers to Questions — Housing – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 21 January 1964.
Dr Jeremy Bray
, Middlesbrough West
12:00,
21 January 1964
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will set minimum standards for heat insulation in new houses.
Sir Keith Joseph
, Leeds North East
Such standards are already set by building byelaws.
Dr Jeremy Bray
, Middlesbrough West
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that they are not high enough and that, for example, the cost of double glazing very much depends upon the volume of production? If manufacturers could be sure of a mass market the cost of this undoubtedly extremely useful provision would be reduced enormously.
Sir Keith Joseph
, Leeds North East
My right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Works and Buildings and I are awaiting the Report of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee on which we shall base the national building code which is to replace byelaws later this year.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
