§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report column 396, if he will list the qualification of those engineers engaged in the servicing of domestic gas appliances; and what assessment he has made of the consequences for safety standards if no other engineers were employed in gas maintenance.
§ Mr. OppenheimI have been asked to reply.
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 require anyone who works with a gas fitting, including servicing of a domestic gas appliance, or a gas storage vessel to be competent. The Health and Safety Commission's approved code of practice, "Standards of Training in Safe Gas Installation", published in 1988, provides practical guidance on the scope of training necessary for those engaged in gas installation work.
No assessment has been made of the consequences for safety of a shortfall in the availability of competent gas fitters to undertake gas maintenance work, because I cannot foresee circumstances in which such a shortfall would arise.