The Government’s review into the regulation of architects and the role of the Architects Registration Board is still underway. We understand that the final report has now been through its internal and external checks, and have been advised by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) that the report will go to the Minister during the week commencing 23 November 2016.

The first phase of the periodic review finished in November 2014, this stage covered the fundamental question of whether there was a case for continued statutory regulation of architects. The Government concluded that there was a case for continued light-touch regulation based on protection of title.

The review then moved into phase two which has involved the Government conducting a detailed analysis of two key regulatory functions. These are setting the standards of entry to the profession (which is often referred to as the prescription process) and ARB’s professional standards function (which deals with the Code of Conduct and the complaints process). It is the report into phase two which DCLG are currently working on and which we understand will be submitted to the Minister shortly.