§ Mr. Tierneyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the interests of safety, he will encourage the improvement of arrangements between the police and the gas board about reporting gas leaks; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Hayhoe) on 14th January.
Under the Inquiry announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy on 10th January, all the circumstances surrounding recent incidents will be examined and possible improvements to existing procedures will be considered.
Any evidence of a specific failure of communication between the police and 104W emergency gas services would be a matter in the first instance for the gas board and the chief officer of police for the area concerned.