§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what resources he made available in the last financial year to enable(a) local authorities, (b) Scottish Homes, (c) housing associations, (d) housing cooperatives, (e) owner-occupiers, (f) tenants in the private-rented sector, (g) universities and colleges and (h) other housing providers to finance the installation of smoke alarms; if he will issue a circular to the providers of public housing encouraging the installation of smoke alarms; if he will introduce legislation to require smoke alarms to be fitted in all homes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonResources are not earmarked to finance the installation of smoke alarms. Local authorities and other housing providers have substantial capital resources available to them which can be used for smoke alarms where they see this as a priority compared with other needs. The Scottish Office Environment Department wrote to all local housing authorities in 1991 and 1992 highlighting the contribution which smoke alarms can make to the saving of lives, and encouraging authorities which have not already completed a smoke alarm installation programme to include this in their forthcoming capital programmes.
We intend shortly to lay before Parliament an amendment to the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990 and the technical standards for compliance with these regulations which will require all new dwellings to be provided with mains-operated smoke alarms.