asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that a number of small builders who have been successful in tendering for work for local authorities on housing schemes and related building properties are experiencing extreme difficulty in obtaining insurance bonds, and if he will revise the regulations and recommendations in relation to small building projects in view of the present difficulties.
Written Answers. - Builders' Insurance Bonds.
26.
I am aware that difficulties have been experienced by some individual contractors in obtaining bonds. Decisions as to the adequacy of bonding or other security necessary to ensure the proper completion of individual contracts must be left to contracting authorities themselves.
Housing authorities have been given full discretion, since 10 August 1973, either to insist on, or dispense with, bonds in the case of schemes of 60 houses or less or to accept personal sureties or other approved forms of security where they decide that some collateral guarantee of the satisfactory completion of a scheme is desirable.