§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the guidance from his Department to chief fire officers ensures uniformity throughout Scotland concerning the recommendations made by fire officers and their staff, so that small hotels and guest houses can anticipate work to be carried out under the Fire Precautions Act.
§ Mr. William RossGuidance to fire-masters on fire precautions standards appropriate to these premises was given in the Home Departments' Guide on Hotels and Boarding Houses and in other circulars issued by my Department. The enforcement of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 is the statutory responsibility of each fire authority but I am satisfied that in general there is a reasonable degree of uniformity throughout Scotland in this matter. So far as structural work may be involved, those responsible would be well advised to consult the authority who, I am sure, will give any advice necessary.
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§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each local authority area in Scotland the number of hotels and guest houses which are required to comply with the regulations imposed under the Fire Precautions Act 1971.
§ Mr. William RossThis information is not recorded.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps he is taking to ascertain the total number of premises in Scotland which are required to carry out work consequent upon the passage of the Fire Precautions Act 1971;
(2) what steps he has taken to ascertain the total number of small hotels and guest houses required to undertake work following the passage of the Fire Precautions Act 1971; and if he is satisfied that sufficient information is available to his Department to ensure that information about the total number of premises is available to him.
§ Mr. William RossThere is no central record of such premises and I do not propose to take special steps to compile one. It is the responsibility of persons controlling premises for which a certtificate is required to make application to the fire authority.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has, so far, been the average cost per bedroom in Scotland of the implementation of work required to be done by hotels and guest houses consequent upon the passage of the Fire Precautions Act, in hotels of the following capacity and of the following date, namely, pre-1920, 1920–1960, post-1960, and the following categories of room sizes, 4–10 rooms, 11–25 rooms, 26–50 rooms, 51–100 rooms, 101–200 rooms, 201–500 rooms, and over 500 rooms; and if from these figures he will extrapolate the cost per establishment in the various room sizes.
§ Mr. William RossThis information is not available.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those local authorities which have, under the Fire Precautions Loans Act, provided loans for the implementation of work required to be done resultant from the passing of the 72W Fire Precautions Act 1971; and if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the amounts made available by all those local authorities which have provided loans in Scotland.
§ Mr. William RossI understand that a loan of £7,000 was made by the Inverness Town Council under this Act.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those local authorities to which application has been made, by small hotels and guest houses, for loans under the Fire Precautions Loans Act, and which have been refused, listing the authorities and the amounts of money concerned.
§ Mr. William RossThis information is not available.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many premises he estimates there are in Scotland which are required to undertake work resulting from the passage of the Fire Precautions Act 1971.
§ Mr. William RossI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Fife, East (Sir J. Gilmour) on 10th July.—[Vol. 876, c.522.]