HC Deb 01 November 2001 vol 373 cc793-4W
Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to require all new homes to be built equipped with(a) fire alarms and (b) sprinkler systems. [11406]

Dr. Whitehead

When the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations in Approved Document B were amended in 1992, provision was included for mains wired, interconnected smoke alarms to be provided in all new dwellings, resulting in new homes being provided with smoke alarms since 1992.

Although there are currently no plans to revise the Building Regulations to include provisions for domestic sprinkler systems, we are keeping this under review in the light of emerging standards, and improvements in sprinkler technology. We have recently let two research contracts to look at the whole issue of residential and domestic sprinklers, including an assessment of their actual effectiveness and the undertaking of a Regulatory Impact Assessment to consider their costs and benefits. The results and conclusions of this work should be available around the end of 2003.

We will need to await the findings of the research work referred to above, before we are in a position to consider more fully if the provision of residential sprinklers should be a requirement of the Building Regulations.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to require all new homes to be built as homes for life. [11405]

Ms Keeble

There is no intention currently to require all new homes to be built as homes for life in the sense of 'Lifetime Homes', as promoted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The need for more accessible homes is met by the general provisions of Building Regulations plus an assessment of specific local needs by each local authority.

Since October 1999, Building Regulations have required key provisions to be made in all new homes which will enable disabled people to visit family and friends in their homes and enable occupants to cope better with reducing mobility and to 'stay-put' longer in their own homes. These provisions do not necessarily facilitate fully independent living for all disabled people as individual needs will vary considerably from case to case.

In addition to the general provisions of Building Regulations, local authorities are required to collect information on their existing housing stock (both public and private sector) to inform their housing investment programme. Local house condition surveys are the best way of achieving this and the Department publishes good practice guidance 'Collecting, Managing and Using Housing Stock Information' DTLR 2000 to assist local authorities in undertaking such surveys. The content of surveys varies from survey to survey, depending upon the requirements for which it is being commissioned. Where information in relation to wheelchair access is required this can be specified as one of the aims of the survey.

Planning policy guidance for housing (PPG3) requires local planning authorities to plan to meet the housing requirements of the whole community, including those in need of special needs housing. PPG3 stresses that a community's need for a mix of housing types is a material planning consideration which should be taken into account in formulating development plan policies and in deciding planning applications involving housing. The Department supports this through good practice guidance. "Better Places to Live", published in conjunction with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, highlights the advantages of homes designed to adapt to the changing requirements of residents, particularly in terms of providing for reduced personal mobility.

The Housing Corporation's Scheme Development Standards for all new build homes funded with Social Housing Grant already adopt the 'Lifetime Homes' criteria for both the external and internal environment in respect of user groups and visitors with limited mobility.