Written question asked by Vincent Cable (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 19 March 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 March 2001. It was answered by Nick Raynsford (Labour) on Monday, 26 March 2001 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what has been the cost to date of introducing and operating the Quality Mark scheme in the pilot areas; how many builders and allied traders have (a) applied to join and (b) joined the Quality Mark scheme; what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost of operating the Quality Mark scheme nationally; what plans he has to extend the pilot Quality Mark scheme to the rest of the country. - Inc figures and ref to 363 c688W, 28 February 2001.

Answer: Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what has been the cost to date of introducing and operating the Quality Mark scheme in the pilot areas; [154854] (2) how many builders and allied traders have (a) applied to join and (b) joined the Quality Mark scheme; [154856] (3) what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost of operating the Quality Mark scheme nationally; [154855] (4) what plans he has to extend the pilot Quality Mark scheme to the rest of the country. [154857] Mr. Raynsford: In total the Department has paid out just over £700,000 to support the development of the Quality Mark scheme and its implementation in the two pilot areas of Birmingham and Somerset. Likely costs for running a national scheme will be identified as part of the review of the pilot. Some 280 builders and allied traders are now pursuing the Quality Mark, and nine have already achieved it. The Government will carry out a review of the pilot scheme towards the end of the year, following which a decision will be made about extending the scheme to the rest of the country. I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 28 February 2001, Official Report, column 688W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Love).

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 365 c429W;365 c431W; 154854;154856;154855;154857
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Consumers Applications Costs Construction Pilot schemes Quality control Standards
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk