Mr. W. E. Garrettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is aware of the series of fires which have occurred recently in the North-East involving damage or destruction to CLASP-built structures; and if he will take steps to ensure the safety of CLASP-built schools.
§ Mr. Armstrong1 have been very concerned about the 20 serious fires in schools in the North-East this year up to 21st November, which have caused considerable damage and disruption in the 17 schools affected. Of these schools, four were CLASP structures. At least 15 of these fires—including all those at the CLASP-built schools—were probable cases of arson. Fires started deliberately in unoccupied buildings generally cause much greater damage than any other fires though offer less risk to life.
Building Bulletin 7, "Fire and the Design of Schools", sets out my Department's requirements for precautions to secure a high standard of safety for occupants and restrict damage to the fabric. All CLASP-built schools, like any other, must meet these requirements before my Department will approve the plans; and local education authorities must certify they will build the school in accordance with those requirements. The bulletin, which was first published in 1951, is kept continually under review. As announced in Administrative Memoranda 11/73 and 4/74, my Department will from July 1975 bring in new and more stringent requirements for fire stopping and compartmentation.