§ Mr. Farrasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the result of the inquiry into the fire at Carlton Hayes Hospital; and what action has been taken subsequently.
§ Mr. CrossmanCopies of a Report of a special Committee of Inquiry set up by the hospital management committee to inquire into the cause of the fire at Carlton Hayes Hospital on March 11th, 1969, have been placed in the Library of the House.
The recommendations have been endorsed by the regional hospital board. The hospital management committee have now taken steps to ensure that there are more frequent visits to those wards which are not continuously observed: they have introduced a stricter policy towards controlling smoking, and the usage of those side wards considered 134W most suspect in relation to the siting of lounge and sitting room areas has been changed so that no one sleeps in them. The Committee have replaced the locks and door catches as recommended and replacement chairs will be of a type in which matches or other combustible materials cannot lodge.
I accept that there has been no neglect that the fire precautions at the hospital worked efficiently and that staff acted promptly and in accordance with the training given. I am quite satisfied with the measures taken by the hospital management committee to implement the recommendations of the report.
In consultation with other interested Government Departments the degree of fire risk in items used in hospitals including furniture and fabrics is constantly under review.