§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report of the North London coroner into the deaths of women in the hostel at Salusbury Road, Kilburn, on 18 March 1980 in which he calls for hostels to be brought within the ambit of the Fire Precautions Act; what action he now intends to take; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe coroner has drawn my attention to his recommendation that urgent consideration be given to bringing hostels within the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 or similar legislation. A recommendation to the same effect was made by the town clerk and chief executive of the London borough of Brent in his report on fire precautions relevant to this tragic fire. I studied that report with very great care, in consultation with other Ministers concerned, and announced my conclusions in a written reply I gave on 17 December to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury). I have nothing to add to that reply.