§ 38. Sir B. Jannerasked the Minister of Public Building and Works, in view of the increase in the amount of losses due to factory fires, what information he has about the extent to which the nature of construction of the factories concerned was responsible for the extent of the damage; and whether he will arrange in future for such information to be collected with a view to ensuring that all factories will be constructed in accordance with the highest standards of fire prevention.
§ Mr. SharplesThe Joint Fire Research Organisation of the Department of172W Scientific and Industrial Research and the Fire Offices Committee have collected information about the structure of buildings involved in fires over a long period, but for the past year they have been collecting such information on a more detailed basis. Although it is too early to draw firm conclusions about the extent to which fire damage has resulted from particular forms of factory construction, preliminary conclusions should be emerging soon, and my right hon. Friend has the benefit of the advice of the Joint Fire Research Organisation and the Fire Offics Committee in drafting the structural fire precaution requirements of the first national building regulations.