§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has completed his consideration of comments on the proposals for the Fire Precautions (Places of Work) Regulations 1992; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe consultation process drew an excellent response, and I am grateful to all those who contributed to it. While many who responded were generally content, some valid criticisms did emerge. It was also evident that the possible impact of the regulations had in many cases been misunderstood.
I intend, therefore, to give further and fresh consideration to the content of the draft regulations. We will not now introduce them on 1 January 1993 as originally planned. My aim will be to simplify the regulations and to limit their scope in order to reduce unnecessary burdens on business and those charged with enforcement responsibilities. The associated technical guidance will be redrafted in order to clarify our intentions. It will also be supplemented by a simplified guide for the owners of small businesses.
I shall bring forward fresh proposals for consultations in due course.