§ Mr. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the potential hazards to disabled people of having domestic fire extinguishing sprinklers installed in their homes; [129023]
(2) what proposals he has to fund the installation of domestic fire extinguishing sprinklers in the homes of disabled people. [129024]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 4 July 2000]: I have been asked to reply.
Local housing and social services authorities have responsibilities for funding housing adaptations for disabled people under the Housing Grants, Construction and Redevelopment Act 1996 and the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. These responsibilities include making housing safe for disabled people. Decisions about the funding of adaptations in individual cases are taken at local level following an assessment of need. We have no plans to change these arrangements in respect of domestic fire extinguishing sprinklers. No specific research by either the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions or the Home Office has been conducted into the potential hazards to disabled people of having domestic fire extinguishing sprinklers in their homes.