Ms Sarah Neary:

We are not, but what we are looking at - it is in the programme for Government - is independent building standards regulator. We are working with the Housing Agency to finalise a report to look at the current functions of building control authorities with regard to building control, market surveillance, the energy performance of buildings directive, EPPD, and broadband. They carry out a range of responsibilities. The report is looking at how they are structured and resourced within the local authority structure and the implementation of that system. We are also looking at international examples of building control and at national regulators to see what works well and which would be the best. We were involved in supporting the working group on defects in apartments, which produced a report last summer. What became clear out of that report is that many countries are dealing with defects. Remarkable similarities with our nearest neighbours, and further afield in Australia, arose in respect of the issues.