§ Mr. Ronald Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department having regard to the loss of two firemen's lives when fighting a blaze caused by the combustion of polyurethane foam, if he will now hold a public inquiry into the cause 300W of the fire and the stability of polymeric materials when used for fillings in furnishings.
§ Dr. SummerskillMy right hon. Friend has called for a full report on the circumstances of this fire. The stability of polymeric materials when used for fillings in furnishings is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection.
§ Mr. Ronald Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total number of fires in which polymeric materials were involved and the costs in financial terms at current prices for replacing the losses.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe term "polymeric materials" covers a wide range of natural and synthetic materials. In 1972, the last year for which figures are available, the number of fires in which polymeric materials were first ignited was as follows:
Wood, chipboard 8,083 Hardboard, fibreboard 452 Plastics: foam 57 other 1,196 Textiles (natural) 862 Textiles (man made) 37 Materials compounded with oil 301 Rubber: foam 96 other 488 Paper 5,452 Fibreglass, GRP, Fibre-reinforced plastic 140 Foam, unknown whether plastic or rubber 30 Total 17,194 I regret that no information is available about the cost of replacing the losses.