§ Mrs. Monksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment in view of the fact that, as a share of the nation's total 397W production of goods and services, Great Britain's fire losses are the greatest of any major industrial country, if he will draw the attention of all those concerned with commissioning, designing and building industrial buildings to the magnitude of the problem of fire losses.
§ Mr. AmeryThe latest available figures show that, on the basis of cost per head of population, there were six countries with worse fire losses than the United Kingdom. However, no one concerned with this problem can be complacent about it and estimates of the cost of fire losses, which receive considerable publicity in the technical and national press, are published by insurance bodies. I welcome this opportunity of drawing attention to the advisory services of the Fire Research Station and the fire authorities which are already extensively used by industry.
§ Mrs. Monksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will mount a campaign drawing attention to those aspects of structural fire protection which can minimise fire spread and subsequent damage.
§ Mr. AmeryPart E of the Building Regulations 1972 requires structural precautions against fire when buildings are erected, altered or extended or there is a material change of their use. These regulations are concerned to set a minimum standard in the interests of public safety but they also contribute towards reducing property loss. The principles of these mandatory requirements are well known but I welcome this opportunity to draw further attention to them.