§ Mrs. Bridget PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has had from local authorities to the Government's proposal to end local authority fire inspections of bed-sitters and multi-tenant flats.
§ Sir George YoungI have been asked to reply.
Local housing authorities have a statutory duty under the Housing (Means of Escape from Fire in Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 1981 to require that houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) with at least three storeys (excluding basements) and with a combined floor area of over 500 square metres are provided with adequate means of escape from fire.
Housing authorities have discretionary powers to inspect smaller HMOs under section 395 of the Housing Act 1985.
We have no plans to remove these powers.