Building Regulations inquiry: terms of reference

The Communities and Local Government Committee has decided to carry out an inquiry into the operation of the Building Regulations so far as they apply to electrical and gas installation and repairs in dwellings, including houses in multiple occupation. Since 2010 the Government has been reviewing the operation and effectiveness of the Building Regulations and has signalled its intention to bring forward a programme of work to examine a number of areas and to develop detailed proposals for consultation, such as on Part P (Electrical safety – dwellings).

• Communities and Local Government Committee

The Committee invites submissions from interested parties, particularly contractors, dwelling owners and local authorities, on the adequacy of the operation of the current Building Regulations so far as they apply to electrical and gas installation and repairs in dwellings. Those making submissions may, for example, which to address the following questions.

• Are the Building Regulations adequate in safeguarding health and safety in domestic dwellings?
• What are the costs of complying with the Regulations?
• How could the Regulations be revised to be streamlined and made more effective?
• What would be the consequence of the removal or significant reduction of the scope of the Building Regulations so far as they apply to electrical and gas installation and repairs in dwellings?

Written evidence addressing any or all of these issues, in accordance with the guidelines set out below, are invited by 5pm on Wednesday, 25 January 2012.

Each submission should:

1. be no more than 4,000 words in length;
2.  begin with a short summary in bullet point form;
3. be in Word format with as little use of colour or logos as possible; and
4. be accompanied by a covering letter or email containing the name and contact details of the individual or organisation submitting evidence.

A copy of the submission should be sent by e-mail to clgev@parliament.uk and marked "Building Regs".

It is helpful, for Data Protection purposes, for contact details not to be included in the text of submissions, but sent separately in a covering letter. You should be aware that there may be circumstances in which the House of Commons will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

View guidance on giving evidence to Select Committees.

Please also note that:

• Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission, but may be referred to within a proposed memorandum, in which case a hard copy of the published work may be included.
• Memoranda submitted should be kept confidential until formally accepted by the Committee. The Committee has authorised the publication by witnesses of their evidence, but such publication should await the formal acknowledgement of acceptance of the submission as evidence to the Committee.
• Once submitted, evidence is the property of the Committee. The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to make public the written evidence it receives, by publishing it on the internet (where it will be searchable), by printing it or making it available through the Parliamentary Record Office. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure. The Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.