"A future Conservative government should seek a much greater involvement of the profession in the decisions about the built environment. That new-found collaboration would be exemplified by the abolition of the unnecessary and empire-building Architects Registration Board with its functions being handed over to the RIBA subject to the same kind of protections that have been provided for in the recent legislation in the Republic of Ireland. In this way the RIBA would be accorded the control over standards of education that is proper to such a professional body."

This suggestion, which the editors suggest must find effect in a repeal of the Architects Act, appeared to have been taken up in particular by Mr Ed Vaizey MP who has frequently expressed his passion for architecture and who in an interview with the Architects Journal repeated an intention to scrap the Arb.

In the light of this reappraisal of the value of the Arb it would be surprising if steps were not taken by the responsible department to prepare for the changes rehearsed by present members of the Government while in opposition.  That department is Communities and Local Government.  Its spokesman the Minister for Housing and Local Government Grant Shapps MP works with John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism and Heritage at the Department for Culture Media and Sport.  In December 2009 the Permanent Secretary CLG, and in January 2010 Beatrice Fraenkel, Arb Chair, signed a framework document "within which ARB and CLG currently intend to operate".  Section 15 of that document is entitled "Arrangements in the event that ARB were to be wound up".

Note on the Joint Framework document

But even if winding up the Architects Registration Board is intended, there will be a period while the Board continues to operate.  A contributor assesses the Arb-Government nexus here and adds a further note questioning the fundamental value of the framework document - also taking a sideways glance at the use of jargon.