§ DR. TANNERI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been directed to the recent destruction of the Bell Hotel, at Hampton, when the landlady, her two sons and daughters, were saved from destruction by the proprietor's (a member of the Hampton Fire Brigade) forethought in keeping a strong rope in the chief bed-room as a means of escape in case of fire; and whether, in view of the repeatedly occurring fires in hotels, attended with extreme peril to and frequent loss of life, the Home Office will take steps to secure inspection of hotels, with a view to prevent future calamity, by the assistance of expert Inspectors, and the compulsory adoption in hotels of ladders or ropes as a life-saving apparatus?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI have seen a newspaper report of the circumstances attending the fire at the Bell Hotel, Hampton. I am not prepared to initiate the legislation which would be necessary to give effect to the hon. Member's suggestions for inspection of hotels and compulsory provision of life-saving apparatus.
§ DR. TANNERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in other countries these steps are taken to prevent the loss of life in case of fire; and will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the numerous recurring cases of fire in hotels in this country where lives have been lost, and other lives endangered? And I beg to give notice that I will raise this question on the Home Office Vote.