§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the last 12 months the London Fire Brigade has been called to attend upon reported fires within the London underground system; and what increase or decrease this represents on the previous 12 month period.
§ Mr. PortilloLondon Underground Ltd. does not have figures in precisely the form requested for the relevant period. However, I understand that the numbers of incidents of fire and smoke recorded by London Underground were 844 in 1987 and 1,248 in 1988, following the Kings Cross fire and with the agreement of the London Fire Brigade, London Underground Ltd. issued revised instructions to staff on calling the fire brigade; these required the brigade to be summoned immediately to all reported or suspected outbreaks of fire or smoke, no matter how small, on any part of the Underground system.