Dr. Bennettasked the Minister of Public Building and Works (1) in view of the increase in fire losses in British factories during recent years and the loss of productivity resulting therefrom, what steps he is taking to ensure that new factories are constructed to the highest standards of fire resistance;
(2) whether, in view of the great increase in fire losses during recent years, he will now take legislative steps to enable him to include in all future building regulations adequate byelaws about fire resistance which will be based 185W not only on considerations of safety but on the desirability of preventing economic loss.
§ Mr. RipponPresent building byelaws, and the building regulations which I propose shortly to make, provide for substantial structural fire protection for all buildings, including factories, in the interests of public health and safety. On this matter, I have accepted the recent recommendations of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee whose First Report was laid before the House on 27th February, 1964. I shall, of course, consider, in connection with proposals for new legislation regulating building, whether the purposes of the present controls should be extended.