§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the 13W causes of flashover in domestic fires which have caused accidents; what representation he has received from fire authorities about this phenomenon; what steps he is taking to combat it; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggFlashover is a technical term used to describe a very rapid combustion of materials which can occur in domestic and other fires when temperatures reach around 1000°C.
The Home Office has received no particular representations from fire authorities about the phenomenon which is well known. However, it is clearly important to adopt all the usual fire prevention and protection measures to prevent a fire occurring or, if one does break out, to escape from it at the earliest possible stage and call the fire brigade.
§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic fires in each of the last five years have involved upholstered furniture containing polyurethane foam; how many deaths and injuries have resulted in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe table shows figures for fires in dwellings, and casualties in those fires, which were
1986–87 1987–881 1988–89 EL (£ million) Maximum precept (p in £) EL (£ million) Maximum precept EL (£ million) Proposed maximum precept Original Final Original Final Original Final (p in £) Original Final (p in £) Police Greater Manchester 80.375 83.687 16.52 16.52 89.121 92.686 17.87 94.052 95.221 15.38 Merseyside 56.685 59.808 25.62 25.62 62.047 64.529 23.29 66.916 68.906 19.30 Northumbria 41.952 43.431 13.01 13.01 45.542 47.364 14.20 49.926 49.926 13.92 South Yorkshire 34.961 35.412 17.12 17.12 36.726 38.195 16.79 40.691 40.691 15.59 West Midlands 76.829 80.831 12.67 12.70 81.402 84.658 12.32 92.254 93.423 14.11 West Yorkshire 60.616 63.269 20.81 20.81 66.117 68.762 19.47 72.479 72.479 15.72 Fire and Civil Defence Authority Greater Manchester 37.886 40.139 9.09 9.52 43.312 44.395 9.75 46.799 46.799 10.82 Merseyside 26.775 26.884 6.42 7.19 29.284 30.016 6.80 31.617 31.617 8.22 South Yorkshire 18.702 20.059 10.84 10.84 20.681 21.198 10.27 22.314 22.514 11.21 Tyne and Wear 19.291 19.292 10.98 10.98 20.989 21.514 10.54 22.649 22.649 11.04 West Midlands 35.682 36.374 6.17 6.56 39.523 40.511 6.73 42.696 42.696 7.48 West Yorkshire 29.032 32.388 11.20 11.20 33.788 34.633 11.59 36.489 37.558 13.41 London 140.942 147.383 7.50 7.70 156.348 160.257 8.07 166.775 166.775 8.15 1 The Local Government Finance Act 1987 set the precepts for 1987–88 by formula uprating the original police EL's by 4 per cent. and original fire and civil defence ELs by 2.5 per cent.
§ Dr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the budgeted and estimated outturn, where available, of total expenditure of each fire and police joint board in 1986–87 and 1988–89.
§ Mr. HurdThe information is as follows:
14W
1986–87 estimated outturn (£ million) Police Authorities Greater Manchester 81.086 Merseyside 57.053 Northumbria 43.057 South Yorkshire 33.401 West Midlands 77.136 West Yorkshire 58.059 attended by local authority fire brigades in the United kingdom and where the item mainly responsible for the development of the fire was upholstered furniture or covers (including cushions, but excluding bedding);
Fires, and casualties in fires, where material mainly responsible for development of fire was upholstered furniture or covers Number 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 Fires 4,179 4,030 4,552 4,656 5,007 Deaths 182 166 213 181 219 Non-fatal casualties 1,399 1,335 1,527 1,433 1,869