§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give detailed figures of the numbers of hotels and guest houses in Great Britain which have applied for fire safety certificates; how many have been rejected; what is the functioning status of hotels and guest houses where their applications have been refused; and if he will consider making a statement on this matter in advance of the opening of the 1974 holiday season.
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§ Dr. SummerskillOn 31st August 1973 fire authorities in England and Wales had received about 43,000 applications for fire certificates under the Fire Precautions Act 1971. I do not know how many have been refused, because inspections and negotiations are at many different stages, but in such cases the continued operation of the hotels and boarding houses in question would be illegal. Enforcement of the Act is the responsibility of the fire authorities, which are well aware of the need to ensure that these premises are brought up to the required standard of fire safety as soon as possible.