Fire Safety (Hansard, 12 December 1996)

§ Sir Donald Thompson
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what cost compliance assessment has been undertaken of the proposed Workplace (Fire Precautions) Regulations by the deregulation unit. [8345]

§ Mr. Freeman
The Workplace (Fire Precautions) Regulations are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. Earlier proposals for implementing the directives had significant costs associated with them which had led us to adopt a new approach, recognising the high standards of fire safety that already exist in workplaces. The Home Secretary undertook a further public consultation during the summer on a revised draft of these regulations, which, amongst other issues, specifically sought advice from business on compliance costs. The Home Office is currently preparing a compliance cost assessment which will accompany the proposed regulations.

§ Sir Donald Thompson
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment the deregulation task force has made of the introduction of the proposed Workplace (Fire Precautions) Regulations; and what meetings he has had with business representatives to discuss their possible compliance costs. [8344]

§ Mr. Freeman
The Workplace (Fire Precautions) Regulations are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. The deregulation task force commented on the Government's proposed approach in its 1995–96 report. The Home Secretary undertook a public consultation during the summer on a draft of these regulations, and members of the task force have since provided views on the draft regulations. My noble Friend Baroness Blatch, Minister of State at the Home Office, and I are also discussing compliance costs for these regulations with the British Retail Consortium with whom yesterday we visited some premises.

§ Sir Donald Thompson
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the efficiency scrutiny report on the implementation and enforcement of EC law in the United Kingdom in respect of its fire safety provisions. [8343]

§ Mr. Freeman
The recommendations on fire safety issues were largely taken forward in the later fire safety scrutiny, the Government's response to which was announced on 21 May 1996,Official Report, column 100. The Government have also acted upon the two recommendations relating to examination by fire service inspectors of complaints about enforcement action and encourage of fire authority participation in local business partnerships.