§ 36. Mr. Evelyn Walkdenasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of 1384 the anxiety caused to local authorities in industrial areas by the lack of knowledge or confusion of ideas concerning the arrangements for fire-bomb watching and fire-bomb fighting, made by firms in their area; and whether he will see that firms furnish local authorities with details of their schemes, so that effective co-ordination may be understood, and be capable of adaptation for all or any emergencies?
§ Mr. MabaneMy right hon. Friend has already arranged that Government Departments, which are appropriate authorities under Article 7 of the Business Premises Order, should advise the Regional Commissioners of the approval of fire-prevention arrangements proposed by firms with which they are concerned. My right hon. Friend is not clear that any sufficient advantage would accrue to compensate for the additional labour involved if this information was passed on to local authorities, but he will consider the matter further if my hon. Friend will give particulars of the respects in which he has found the present arrangements defective.
§ Mr. WalkdenI shall be glad to do so.
§ 37. Miss Eleanor Rathboneasked the Home Secretary whether he is considering steps to oblige property owners to share the executive and financial responsibility for the fire watching of their premises; and also to enforce upon the occupiers of business premises a stricter fulfilment of the obligation already nominally entailed upon them to make adequate arrangements in this matter?
§ Mr. MabaneI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 15th May to the hon. and gallant Member for Ayr Burghs (Sir T. Moore). While my right hon. Friend is always ready to consider ways in which fire-prevention arrangements can be improved, he sees no reason, after fully considering the possible alternatives, for departing from the course at present adopted, of placing obligations on the occupier rather than on the owner and of placing responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations on the appropriate authorities concerned.
§ Miss RathboneIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in fact many occupiers clear off to the country at night without having made any arrangements, and that none of the people doing duty on the streets know to whom to apply if they wish to enter a building?
§ Mr. MabaneIf occupiers do that, they are breaking the law.
§ Sir T. MooreWill my hon. Friend instruct local authorities to initiate prosecutions without delay? It is an example that is needed.