§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward measures to assist low-income households to service and repair gas appliances which are at risk of carbon monoxide discharges. [12441]
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§ Sir Paul BeresfordNo resources are available to assist householders to service and repair gas appliances. For those in rented accommodation, responsibility for the maintenance of gas appliances lies with landlords. Hence low-income households in this sector will not be liable for the maintenance of gas appliances in their homes.
§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the number of households with incomes of under £150 per week which have faulty gas appliances. [12440]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordNo assessment has been made of the number of low-income households with faulty gas appliances. However, the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 impose a responsibility on landlords to ensure that gas appliances in rented accommodations are maintained in good order and serviced annually. These regulations were introduced in order to achieve a reduction in the number of carbon monoxide poisonings in rented properties, where many of these incidents have occurred in the past.