§ Mr. AllasonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider extending the requirement to comply with fire regulations to include all bed-and-breakfast accommodation premises with less than six bed spaces.
§ Mr. John PattenHotels and hoarding houses with sleeping accommodation for more than six persons—or with some sleeping accommodation above the first floor or below ground-floor level—require a fire certificate under a designation order made under section 1 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971. We have no plans to designate smaller hotels and boarding houses.
We nevertheless intend to make regulations under section 12 of the Act to implement the fire safety requirements of European Community directives relating to the health and safety of workers at work. These will generally apply to every place in which one or more persons work and will take effect on 1 January 1993.
In accordance with the directives, the regulations will place the primary responsibility for ensuring fire safety on employers. Enforcement of these regulations will be by fire authorities and, for Crown premises, by HM inspectorate of fire services. Detailed consideration is currently being given to how they will be applied to places of work, including bed-and-breakfast accommodation establishments outside the scope of the designated order.