"Reform of Architects Registration" was the title of a UK government consultation paper dated 19 July 1994 which was issued by the

Department of the Environment An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, ...

. The introduction stated that in October 1993 the Government had announced that the profession and others would be consulted about measures which could be taken to simplify the then arrangements for the registration of architects under the Architects Registration Acts, and that broad agreement on what those measures would be had been reached with the

Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom {{noref, date=December 2011 Under an Act passed by the UK Parliament in 1931, there was established an Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom (ARCUK), referred to in the Act as "the Council". The constitution of the Council was pres ...

(ARCUK) and the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

(RIBA). Eventually, Parliament made certain changes to the Architects Registration Acts which now have effect under the

Architects Act 1997 The Architects Act 1997 (c. 22) is the consolidating Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the keeping and publishing of the statutory Register of Architects by the Architects Registration Board. It has the long title: ''An Act to conso ...

. The consultation paper went on to state that the current proposals for reform stemmed from a request from ARCUK to

the Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

in 1992 that the Architects Registration Acts should be reviewed; and that a review had been carried out by Mr E J D Warne CB, whose report had been published by

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in 1993. The consultation paper mentioned that the

Warne Report The Warne Report, Crown copyright. was published by the United Kingdom Government in 1993. It was referred to in a government consultation paper on Reform of Architects Registration dated 19 July 1994. Eventually, certain changes to the Archite ...

had considered the views of architects, architectural bodies and consumers and "agreed with ARCUK" that there were certain weaknesses of its structure: and that the reforms being proposed were aimed at overcoming those weaknesses in a way that would be generally acceptable to the profession and public alike. The main objective of the reforms was stated to be: : ''to create a small, focussed and effective registration body which represents the interests of both the profession and the general public'', :::and its purpose would be to : ''set criteria for admission to the Register; prevent misuse of the title '

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

'; discipline unprofessional conduct, and set fee levels.'' The

punctuation Punctuation (or sometimes interpunction) is the use of spacing, conventional signs (called punctuation marks), and certain typographical devices as aids to the understanding and correct reading of written text, whether read silently or aloud. An ...

in the document, as reproduced above, seemed to indicate a close connection of some kind between setting fee levels and professional conduct. But in the event the setting of fee levels was later abandoned, while, in respect of professional conduct, statutory powers to inflict fines expressly on a par with criminal penalties were given to a body which would have persons who are not themselves members of the profession in the decisive majority, and who would not be acting under the judicial oath of a

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or a

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in a court of criminal or civil jurisdiction, or pursuant to the

consensual Consent occurs when one person voluntarily agrees to the proposal or desires of another. It is a term of common speech, with specific definitions as used in such fields as the law, medicine, research, and sexual relationships. Consent as und ...

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of an arbitrator, and would not necessarily have the appropriate skill and knowledge to be able to act competently and fairly in respect of hazarding an architect's professional reputation. This could have been seen as an objectionable aberration, but that instead a preponderance of political opinion welcomed such an arrangement, regarding it as a pioneering development, may be explained at least in part by observing that the usage " stakeholders" Freeman, R. Edward (1984). Strategic Management: A stakeholder approach. Boston: Pitman. . had gained some currency at the time. Certain issues had been the background to the

as matters were in the 1990s and had always been, namely, issues concerning the flaws or merits of the case for or against such proposals in theory or in principle or in relation particularly, on the one hand, to the

Register of Architects From 1932 there has been a statutory Register of Architects under legislation of the United Kingdom Parliament originally enacted in 1931. The originating Act contained ancillary provisions for entering an architect’s name in the register and re ...

, to restrictions on the use of the word "architect", and to the practice of architecture considered as an art or as a business or as a means of earning a livelihood; and on the other hand, to official accountability, juridical norms and the rule of law: see further, article on

Architects Registration in the United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, the Architects Act 1997 imposes restrictions on the use of the name, style or title "architect" in connection with a business or a professional practice, and for that purpose requires a statutory Register of Architects to be ...

- background to legislation. One of the proposals mentioned in the consultation document which were later enacted and are now operative was that ARCUK would remain as a legal entity, but its name would be changed to "

Architects Registration Board The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is the statutory body for the registration of architects in the United Kingdom. It operates under the Architects Act 1997 as amended, a consolidating Act. It began under the Architects (Registration) Act, ...

"; and it was stated that although this change, in itself, would have no impact on the status or role of ARCUK it would suggest a smaller, tighter body and would mark the alterations to ARCUK's functions. Another of the proposals was that there should be an office of Registrar whose functions would be to maintain the Register and carry out the instructions of the Board; and it was stated that the Registrar would be a named appointee of the Board which would decide whether the Registrar should be an employee or a contractor.

References

{{Reflist Registration of architects in the United Kingdom Professional certification in architecture Architectural education Reform in the United Kingdom

See also

References