Pop Concerts (Hansard, 19 February 1990)

§ Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he intends to introduce measures to ensure that all security staff at pop concerts are trained in fire control and emergency evacuation; and if he will make a statement;

(2) whether he intends to introduce proposals to ensure that the conditions of entry to pop concerts are better publicised; and if he will make a statement;

(3) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that a common grid map should be devised and used by emergency services at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

(4) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that all sites used for pop concerts are surveyed for crowd safety purposes; and if he will make a statement;

(5) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that all vendors on the sites of pop concerts are prevented from selling alcohol, or drinks in bottles or cans; and if he will make a statement;

(6) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that an emergency control room should be set up at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

(7) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that an evacuation plan approved by the emergency services should be prepared prior to all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

(8) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that the heads of security at all pop concerts should be allowed access to non-classified local emergency plans; and if he will make a statement;

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(9) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that there should be a defined head of security and a named site controller for all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

(10) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure that there should be a VHF exclusive frequency used for radio communications at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

(11) whether he proposes to introduce measures to ensure the reduction of crowd build-up at entry points to pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

(12) whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that all senior supervisors at pop concerts are (a) within constant radio contact and (b) trained in fire control, emergency evacuation and cardiac pressure and resuscitation; and if he will make a statement;

(13) whether he will introduce measures to ensure adequate training and discipline of security staff employed at all pop concerts; and if he will make a statement;

(14) whether he will introduce measures to ensure that all first-aid posts and treatment centres at pop concerts should be left to trained first-aid personnel; and if he will make a statement;

(15) whether he will introduce measures to ensure that one person at pop concerts should be stationed on the stage with the authority to stop the show at any time; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd

Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, or in London the London Government Act 1963, responsibility for controlling places which are used for public musical entertainments, including pop concerts, is vested in the local authority. One of the purposes of this licensing regime is to ensure that places used for such entertainments have adequate standards of safety and hygiene and the legislation empowers local authorities to attach terms, conditions and restrictions to an entertainments licence. When considering the issue of such licences the local authority will generally have regard to any observations submitted to it by the police and the fire authority, to which advance notice of the application must be given.

We have no present plans for any fundamental alterations to the existing arrangements for the licensing of public entertainments. The local authority is best placed to determine, in the circumstances of each individual application, exactly what conditions relating to crowd safety should be attached to any particular entertainments licence.

To assist local authorities and fire authorities, as well as managers and licensees of premises, we are shortly to publish a comprehensive "Guide to Fire Precautions in Existing Places of Public Entertainment and Like Premises". This consolidates and to some extent revises existing guidance and contains specific advice on fire safety at pop concerts. We are also considering, in consultation with other agencies with an interest in the question, whether any further guidance should be issued to local authorities about crowd safety at public musical entertainments.