§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stretford of 3 February,Official Report, column 663, what information he has about steps taken by district health authorities to follow the advice given in the "Firecode" documents;
(2) what steps he takes to monitor the compliance by district health authorities, with the advice given in the document "Firecode"; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mrs. CurrieWe regard fire safety in all NHS units as very important particularly as many patients are frail or immobile. Circular HC(87)24 asked health authorities to ensure that the fire precautions set out in the "Firecode" were scrupulously observed. Regional health authorities were asked to monitor district health authorities' observance of the precautions. During 1988–89 the Department's health building directorate will be reviewing each RHA's performance on fire safety in the premises for which it is responsible and its monitoring of DHAs. Any major shortcomings will be taken up in the National Health Service Board's review of the RHA and, if appropriate, in the ministerial review. As a result we should have significant information on compliance with the new "Firecode" by the end of the year.