§ LORD CROOKMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered a report of what was described by Inspectors of the West Midlands Gas Board as "a highly dangerous situation", in 30 Council houses built at Bilston, Wolverhampton, during the past twenty years, where gas fires were mounted in houses, back to back, without flues, so that toxic fumes were extracted straight into cavity walls and built up inside the roof; and whether, in the light of the comment of the Chairman of the Housing Committee that it was "quite unbelievable that this should have been allowed", they will have investigation made on this general subject of possible potential risk to the life and safety of dwellers in other Council houses.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)My Lords, these houses were built between 1945 and 1947 by the Bilston Borough Council, which ceased as a separate authority on April 1, 1966. They are now in the area of Wolverhampton County Borough Council, who have advised the tenants not to use their gas fires and are replacing them by electric fires. The Council at Wolverhampton are also, I understand, getting in touch with the Walsall and West Bromwich Borough Councils, which incorporated very small parts of Bilston, so that they can see whether any similar action on their part is required. This matter was the responsibility of Bilston, and is now that of Wolverhampton.
§ LORD CROOKMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. I knew that Bilston had been taken over by Wolverhampton, and I thank him for the assurance that the rest of the Wolverhampton area is being looked at. Could the noble Lord say whether the rest of the country is being looked at so that the Department may be satisfied that there are no other houses with these cavity walls and with built-in gas fires?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, obviously the Department will bear in mind the possibility that this sort of thing can happen in future, because it has happened. But I do not think that, because some thirty houses were built in this way shortly after the war, it is necessary to check all other council houses—or indeed private houses—to make sure that the same thing was not done in any other case.
§ LORD CROOKMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether, if there is to be no official inquiry, at least some circular may be sent to the councils who built houses in that period, asking whether they are aware of the particular danger that has been discovered?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister has called for a report on this matter, and when that comes in and we know how the trouble arose, if indeed we ever can find out, he will consider the desirability of issuing some information or advice.
§ LORD CROOKMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord and say that I will put down a Question in due course when the report has been received?