§ Linda PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of fire protection and safety legislation; and what plans he has to reform fire protection and safety legislation. [20488]
§ Dr. WhiteheadBroad proposals for the reform of fire safety legislation were developed by the Fire Safety Advisory Board and agreed by the Central Fire Brigades 287W Advisory Council in November 2000. These are now being developed in detail and our aim is to conduct a full public consultation in mid-2002 with a view to implementation by means of an Order under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001. The aim of the reform would be to simplify, rationalise and consolidate existing legislation, which is currently spread across over 100 different statutes. It would provide for a risk based approach to fire safety allowing more efficient, effective enforcement by the fire service.