§ 19. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that between 1,500 and 1,600 deaths of children occur every year in Great Britain as a result of being left alone in rooms with unprotected fires, he will introduce legislation to strengthen Section 15 of The Children Act, 1908, with a view to compelling householders having children under seven years of age to provide a fireguard in the case of fires in rooms frequented by such children?
§ Sir J. BAIRDI cannot accept the figures named in the question, but there is undoubtedly a considerable death rate among children from this cause. The risk is not one which can easily be dealt with by legislation and I cannot promise to introduce legislation specially for the purpose, but the question whether any Amendment of Section 15 of the Children 552 Act, 1908, can be proposed will be carefully considered when an opportunity for reviewing that Act arises.