Fire Regulations: European Directive (Hansard, 7 July 1999)

§ The Minister of State, Home Office, (Lord Williams of Mostyn)

Today, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department laid before another place regulations to amend the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 to the necessary extent to address the Commission's concerns about meeting the terms of the directive in full. The regulations, as amended, apply throughout Great Britain. A regulatory impact assessment is attached to the regulations showing that the estimated costs to employers attributable to these regulations is expected to be between £2.3 million and £28.2 million. We are satisfied that the balance between cost and benefit is the right one in the circumstances. Copies of the regulations and the regulatory impact assessment have been placed in the Library.

There are two main changes to the 1997 regulations. First, the deletion of most of the exceptions from the application provisions of these regulations (among them, one for fire certificated premises) to meet the Commission's concerns. Second, in the light of the views expressed in response to the public consultation exercise we conducted, we have also taken this opportunity, for reasons of consistency, to provide the regulations with a criminal sanctions only regime that is in line with existing fire safety and health and safety legislation. The regulations, in their amended form, come into force on 1 December 1999. This, we hope, will give everyone sufficient time to prepare for their introduction.

We expect to publish fresh guidance for employers on 22 July to help them to meet their fire safety responsibilities in the workplace. To complete the picture, new guidance on the enforcement provisions and other requirements of the amended regulations will be issued to fire authorities this autumn after consultation of interested parties.