§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, after the transfer of responsibility to the Fire Insurers' Research and Testing Organisation, the services of the Fire Research Station will still be available to provide assessments for building material manufacturers thereby facilitating innovation and the introduction into use of modified, improved or new materials;
(2) whether the Fire Research Station will be asked to provide assessments based on its special expertise of reactions to fire by building materials and elements of structures when the Fire Insurers' Research and Testing Organisation assumes responsibility for fire testing.
§ Mr. FreesonYes. The station will continue to provide advice on fire matters in general, including assessments and evaluations, on the same basis as at present through the Building Research Advisory Service.
§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he anticipates that there will be longer average delays between receipt of applications for fire test by the Fire Insurers' Research and Testing Organisation and such tests being carried out than there are at present under the control of the Fire Research Station;
(2) what is the average period of time between the receipt of an application for a fire test by the Fire Research Station and the carrying out of the test.
§ Mr. FreesonThe Fire Research Station takes on a varying proportion of the total fire test requirements and, as these cover a very wide range of standard fire tests, the period varies accordingly. There is no current backlog, and for fire resistance and other tests related to 129W BS 476 the average period is about one month. As FIRTO will take over the existing test equipment and facilities at FRS and have their own operating staff, we see no reason to assume undue delays in fire testing.
§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many personnel are currently employed at the Fire Research Station; and whether this number is expected to change when the responsibility for fire testing is transferred to the Fire Insurers' Research and Testing Organisation.
§ Mr. FreesonThe total number of staff employed on 1st December 1975 was 227. Fire testing will progressively be transferred from the Fire Research Station to FIRTO and the future number of staff employed will be related to the progress made and to the staffing requirements of the Building Research Establishment as a whole, taking account of the then current approved research programme.
§ Mr. Robert Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when responsibility for fire testing is due to be transferred from the Fire Research Station to the Fire Insurers' Research and Testing Organisation.
§ Mr. FreesonA progressive handover is at present envisaged, starting in April 1976.