§ Mr PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many deaths there were in fires in houses in multiple occupation in each of the years 1990 to 1994; what proposals he has regarding certification of fire safety in houses of multiple occupation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesStatistics are available for deaths from fire in England and Wales. The Home Office statistics do not correlate exactly with the definition of houses in multiple occupation in section 345 of the Housing Act 1985. The best estimate for multi-occupied houses, excluding shared houses—that is, by students or families taking in lodgers—is as follows:
596W
Deaths from fire in England and Wales 1990–1993 Year Multiple occupancy houses All hotels/boarding houses All hostels Tota1 1990 61 1 — 62 1991 44 3 1 48 1992 76 6 1 83 19931 44 5 1 50 1 Provisional. Figures for 1994 are not yet available. The question of certification of fire safety in houses in multiple occupation was addressed by many of those responding to my Department's consultation paper on the case for licensing. The consultation period closed on 18 February and we are now considering what action to take. An announcement will be made in due course.