§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the report on the review of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 which began in July 1993; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Charles WardleWe received the report late in December. The report concludes that the Fire Precautions Act 1971 has been successful in its primary objective of saving lives. But it suggests that certification is no longer the only or best way of achieving fire safety and that there is room for a substantial move to self-compliance. It recommends, however, that adequate controls must be retained to maintain high standards of public protection where necessary and to enable fire authorities to target their resources at high risk premises. It recommends the removal of Crown immunity from enforcement action other than in very limited circumstances.
We will consider this report alongside the findings and recommendations of the scrutiny on fire safety enforcement which began on 17 January. However, in the meantime, we believe that it is important that all interested parties are able to consider the findings and recommendations of the review and I have today arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Interested parties can obtain copies by writing to the Fire Safety Division of the Home Office, Horseferry house, Dean Ryle street, London SW1P 2AW.