COMMERCIAL IMPACT OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO PART L BUILDING REGULATIONS

Early day motion 541, tabled 7 July 2005 by David Taylor (Labour). Signed by 18 members.

That this House notes that the Government is due shortly to announce the results of its consultation with respect to the updating of the Buildings Regulations (Part L), which is driven, in part, by the wish to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from houses by 25 per cent. in order to comply with the Kyoto Agreement; further notes that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) in assessing how this reduction might be achieved has proposed the model of a notional house in such a way as to make the incorporation of a chimney in new or refurbished homes, and hence the option to use alternative secondary fuels, highly unattractive; is alarmed that this will not only remove the freedom of choice of the customer but could devastate the chimney industry in the United Kingdom and have a serious effect on the fireplace, solid fuel and gas fire sectors; notes the strenuous attempts of the British Flue and Chimney Manufacturers, the House Builders Federation and others to convince, with sound supporting evidence, the Buildings Regulations Division of the ODPM to redraft these regulations in order to avoid the adverse consequences for the economy, health, choice and architecture of the loss of the British chimney; and therefore urges the ODPM to postpone any implementation of revised Part L regulations until these concerns have been fully addressed and to consider redrawing of the notional house model to allow a proper choice of secondary heating therein, whilst still allowing the targeted 25 per cent. emissions reduction to be achieved.

Signatures by party: Labour 13, Conservative 3, DUP 2.