Building Regulations (Hansard, 24 July 1991)

§ Sir George Young

The review of part B of the Building Regulations 1985 relating to the fire safety of buildings has now been completed. The purpose has been to review and where necessary enhance the current provisions in the light of changes in building form and fire protection technology without compromising existing levels of fire safety. I would like to thank all those who commented on the consultation proposals issed in March of last year, and these comments have been fully and carefully considered.

There is clearly a broad measure of agreement on many of the proposals on which we consulted including those relating to part B1—means of escape—and B5—access and facilities for the fire service. Most of the modifications that we are now making to the original proposals are of a detailed technical nature although additional provisions have been included in part B5 relating to smoke and heat venting from basements.

The proposals relating to part B3—Internal Fire Spread—have proved more controversial. It remains our view that the existing provisions are insufficiently flexible to provided satisfactory solutions to the fire safety problems posed by some new building types. We consider that in certain situations developers should be encouraged to make use of active fire protection measures such as sprinkler and smoke management systems to complement the traditional forms of structural fire precautions. One of the concerns expressed has been about ongoing maintenance, and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is considering how the problem of achieving continuing control and maintenance of active fire protection measures can best be achieved.

We have also concluded that it would be appropriate to permit some reduction in existing levels of passive fire resistance, particularly in situations where sprinklers are used. Some of those levels have historically related more to property protection than to the life safety considerations which are the primary concern of the Building Regulations. At the same time, we recognise that some of the fire resistance levels proposed in the consultation paper may not have taken sufficient account of possible risks to firefighters, and these have now been increased. However, it remains our view that fire resistance requirements in excess of two hours cannot be justified on life safety grounds.

The approved documents are now being edited together with those relating to the other parts of the regulations currently under review. They should be ready for publication by the end of October. The intention is that the 665W changes to the regulations themselves will be laid before Parliament at the same time, and the new requirements and guidance are likely to come into operation next spring.

The changes which are now being made have the support of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, and of its fire advisory panel, both of which include a wide range of relevant expertise among their membership. They have been discussed with a number of those who submitted comments, particularly the fire service representative bodies, and they also have the support of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. Both my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland are in broad support of our proposals and will move in the same direction when the opportunity arises. On the basis of the expert advice that I have received, I am satisfied that standards of life safety are being maintained. Indeed, in certain respects, they are being significantly enhanced.