§ Mr. BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to reduce to risks of death or injury through fire in the home, in particular among elderly people.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe Home Office provides multi-media publicity on fire safety in the home which is targeted at various age groups. Part of that material is specifically for the elderly age group and provides general guidance on fire prevention and fire safety in the home.
The Home Office targeted its 1990–91 and 1991–92 national television advertising campaigns on smoke alarms primarily at elderly people and their carers. The elderly are the group most at risk from fire and among the least likely to purchase alarms. Fire brigades make the maximum use of the available material in their own localities.
There is legislation in place in respect of residential care homes for elderly people which, among other things, makes provision for fire precautions. Such legislation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
300Wperiod for which figures are available and in respect of whom there is no recommendation for a minimum period of detention.
§ Mr. Peter LloydAccording to the records held centrally, which are approximate, the average time served under sentence in prison service establishments by murderers first released on licence in 1991 was 11.8 years. This figure excludes one prisoner who was the subject of a formal minimum recommendation under section 1(2) of the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965.