§ 7. Miss Burtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what report he has received from his Fire Services Inspectorate concerning the outbreak of fire at the Jaguar Factory, Coventry, on 12th February last; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SimonMy right hon. Friend has received a report on this fire from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services, who has expressed his entire satisfaction with the speed of arrival of the Coventry Fire Brigade and the units from Birmingham and Warwickshire which were called in and was of opinion that they had done very well in stopping the spread of fire where they did.
§ Miss BurtonI endorse what the hon. and learned Gentleman says, and I have heard nothing whatever to the contrary. Is it likely that an official report of the cause of this fire will be published? Is it not true that the insulating material used in the roof of the Jaguar factory was inflammable and that it is said that other car factories have the same sort of roofing? Can the hon. and learned Gentleman comment on that?
§ Mr. SimonThe report made to my right hon. Friend by the Chief Inspector of Fire Services relates to matters which are particularly within the jurisdiction of my right hon. Friend; in other words, showing whether the fire services functioned properly and also whether they were in a position to give adequate advice on fire prevention if asked to do so. Other reports have been made, which are being considered by all the Government Departments concerned, about the circumstances the hon. Lady has in mind. I think that the specific matters to which she referred fall within the jurisdiction of other Government Departments.