§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of installing residual current devices on the incidence of fires in domestic dwellings with an electrical cause. [95265]
§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 26 October 1999]: The DTI has made no formal assessment of the impact of installing residual current devices (RCDs) on the incidence of fires in domestic dwellings with an electrical cause.
However, the Department has undertaken research into the role and added value of RCDs in the home, including an examination of their potential for preventing fires. The report was published in October 1997 and the contractor was ERA Technology Ltd. A copy of the report "Residual Current Devices—added value for home safety" is available in the Library.