1 Introduction
1. Gas and electrical installations and repairs
are potentially extremely dangerous areas of work, and need proper
regulation and safeguards to ensure they are carried out in a
safe way. Building Regulations, for which the Department for Communities
and Local Government (DCLG) has responsibility, stipulate that
work must be carried out in a safe and efficient manner. This
is an important area of DCLG's remit, which governments pay close
attention to. Andrew Stunell OBE MP, Under Secretary of State
at DCLG, with responsibilities for Building Regulations, told
us that the overall aim of the current review of Building Regulations
that the Government was conducting was "to reduce the regulatory
burden on the industry without in any way compromising safety".[1]
2. The parts of the Building Regulations that
are of most relevance to this inquiry are Part P, which covers
installation work on certain types of fixed electrical installations
in both new and existing dwellings, and Part J, which covers the
safe installation and use of combustion appliances, including
boilers. In our inquiry, we wanted to examine these two areas
of the Building Regulations in relation to safety in the home,
and in particular within the context of DCLG's current review
of the Building Regulations. This is an important area, affecting
householders, landlords and business across England.
Building Regulations Review
3. Between July 2010 and the end of 2011, DCLG
carried out a programme of work to develop proposals for consultation
on the Building Regulations.[2]
DCLG's written evidence described the findings:
There has been some criticism of Part P around the
cost and bureaucracy it imposes on installers, Building Control
bodies and consumers. It was in the light of these concerns that
Part P has been included in the 2013 review. This major review
is examining the costs associated with the existing regulatory
regime and whether there is a continuing case for regulation and,
if so, whether the regime could be made more cost-effective.[3]
4. On 31 January 2012, Mr. Stunell announced
the consultation on changes to the Building Regulations, including
Part P. He said:
I believe the proposals, by seizing the opportunity
to deregulate where possible whilst delivering even better levels
of compliance and energy efficiency in buildings, will support
our commitment to ensuring that our buildings are safe and sustainable
whilst helping to secure future growth and employment by means
of a robust and effective bedrock of regulation. […] The
consultation we are publishing today includes proposals which
provide annual net savings to business of £63.1 million.[4]
The statement went on to describe proposals that
relate specifically to our inquiry, including:
proposals which respond to concerns about the burdens
associated with Part P (Electrical safety - dwellings) and the
costs which fall on electricians, local authorities and ultimately
the consumer. We are consulting on two changes to reduce these
costs whilst not undermining safety. Firstly, we propose to extend
the range of simple jobs that can be carried out without notifying
building control. Secondly, we propose to allow DIY-ers and other
unregistered installers to use a competent electrician rather
than a building inspector to certify work.[5]
Our inquiry
5. We were keen to contribute to the Government's
consultation and review in this important area for housing, and
therefore we launched our own inquiry into Building Regulations—as
they apply to gas and electrical installation and repairs in dwellings—in
December 2011. We issued a call for evidence, asking:
- whether the Building Regulations
are adequate in safeguarding health and safety in domestic dwellings;
- what are the costs of complying
with the relevant Regulations;
- how those Regulations could
be revised, to make them more streamlined and effective; and
- what would be the consequences
of the removal or significant reduction of the scope of those
Building Regulations.
6. We received over 30 written submissions and
we held two oral evidence sessions in February 2012, inviting
witnesses from the relevant gas and electrical organisations,
the Local Authority and private building control sectors, and
the Government. We are grateful to all those who gave oral evidence,
and we would also like to thank our specialist adviser, David
McCullogh.[6]
7. In this Report, we looked at the Building
Regulations review, and examined gas safety, including the issue
of Carbon monoxide alarms, and then electrical installation and
repairs in households.
1 Q 79 Back
2
Ev 55, paras 20-21 Back
3
Ev 55, para 21 Back
4
HC Deb, 31 January 2012, col 38-39WS Back
5
HC Deb, 31 January 2012, col 38WS Back
6
Employment as Operational Excellence Director, TPS, a multi disciplinary
design consultancy (architects, engineers, project managers and
surveyors - including an arm's length Approved Inspector Building
Control Body, Carillion Specialist Services); TPS is part of the
Carillion group. Building Regulations advisor to Royal Institution
of Chartered Surveyors (RICS); RICS Governing Council member and
member of RICS Knowledge Board. Director of the Building Control
Alliance, a pan sector Building Control organisation aiming to
give a unified voice on non sector related building control issues;
representation on behalf of RICS, other members are LABC (Local
Authority Building Control), ACAI (Association of Consultant Approved
Inspectors), ABE (Association of Building Engineers) and CIOB
(Chartered Institute of Building). Chairman of Industry Group
commenting on closing the compliance gap in the area of Building
Regulations (Energy Conservation Regulations). Trustee of Corner
House Youth Project, Stockton on Tees, a youth work charity. Trustee
of Norton (Teesside) Sports Complex, a sports based charity Back
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