§ Mr. Sydney Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the national regulations governing the use of liquid gas equipment and containers. with particular reference to public places and whether any of these regulations em- 180W power byelaws to be made by local authorities;
(2) if he will call for a report on the gas cylinder explosion in a hot dog van on the Soho Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, on 16th June 1973, which resulted in one death and 14 people being injured;
(3) if he is satisfied with the regulations controlling the use of liquid gas, with particular reference to cylinders carried in private and commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if he will introduce a safety code for users of liquid gas containers;
(5) if he will make regulations requiring all vehicles carrying liquid gas to display a standard and easily identifiable warning sign.
§ Mr. LaneWe are awaiting a full report on the tragic accident at Hands-worth on 16th June.
In factories and other places to which the Factories Act 1961 applies, the Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefied Petroleum Gases Regulations 1972, made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, which came into operation today, impose requirements designed to prevent fire and explosion from liquefied petroleum gases. As regards other premises, the powers available to my right hon. Friend under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 extend only to the storage and conveyance by road of such gases. Wider powers will, however, be sought in the proposed legislation on safety and health at work.
In the meantime, my right hon. Friend is asking his Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances, which is already considering the storage of liquefied petroleum gases and the labelling, construction and operation of vehicles conveying these substances, to submit to him such further proposals as it may consider necessary in the light of this accident.