PoliticsUK

Madam Speaker,

It is my privilege to rise today before the House to present this important bill which, I fervently hope, will help save the lives of many British citizens by its implementation. The last time a Government undertook a comprehensive reform of the critical area of fire safety was with the passage of the Fire and Rescue Services Act of 1947. The British people deserve a 21st century approach to fire safety--and this legislation will accomplish just that.

Madam Speaker, regrettably we are on track this year to exceed the number of fires and false alarms of the past year, with estimates showing that this total may be 10% higher next year, and we are well on track to exceed a total of 1,000,000 fires and false alarms this year. Regrettably, we have also regularly lost around 500 British citizens each year due to fire deaths, and last year there were nearly 18,000 fire related injuries.

We can and must do more to not only ensure that our fire departments throughout the United Kingdom are well equipped and well trained to fight fires and save lives--but we must also prevent fires from occuring. This legislation seeks to address both areas, while also taking critical steps forward to modernizing fire safety requirements, and giving my Department the authority to take measures to ensure that an adequate number of fire and carbon monoxide detectors are placed throughout homes and businesses. If passed, my department will work quickly to ensure the appropriate actions are taken, and will give a statement to the House informing it of our actions as soon as they have been undertaken.

This bill further grants powers to fire departments to investigate fires and, through the oversight of a warrant of a justice of the peace, do so with authority to ensure that the underlying cause of a fire is discovered and appropriate action is taken. Measures are also outlined in the bill to give emergency services greater authority to act to ensure the safety of not only those in imminent danger, but also in those in surrounding areas, or those who may be driving, walking, cycling, or otherwise proximate to the action. These much needed modernizations will provide our brave men and women in fire and rescue services with the tools they need to provide lifesaving efforts safely and promptly.

Finally Madam Speaker, this bill takes an important step forward in providing stiffer penalties to any person who knowingly reports or causes a false fire alarm. False alarms comprised nearly half of all fire calls in the United Kingdom. While I’m pleased to say that the majority of these false alarms were due to system over-sensitivity or a reporter with good intentions, upwards of 74,000 false alarms were judged to be malicious in nature. We must always be vigilant, and I can not emphasize enough the need to err on the side of reporting a potential fire rather than hesitating to report it if one is uncertain--but this number of malicious, intentional false-alarms is unacceptable. Such malicious false alarms divert valuable life-saving resources that could be used elsewhere and can, quite literally, cost lives. It is my hope that increasing the penalties for malicious false alarms will have an impact in addressing this issue and ensure that our rescue resources are focused on where they need to be.

Madam Speaker, I hope the whole house will join me in supporting this common-sense legislation to take an important step forward in bringing fire safety into the 21st century--and I commend this bill to the House:

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Margaret Beckett MP, Leader of the House

Madam Speaker,

I beg this move to second reading.

Madame Speaker

So ordered.

Order! The question is that the bill be read a second time.

Madam Speaker,

I am sure that I speak for the vast majority of the House when I welcome this common sense and noncontroversial legislation to the Chamber and commend the Secretary of State for presenting it at this time. The fire department do unending service for our nation and must always be held in the highest regard by those of us in this Chamber who do not risk our lives every day to protect the public.

Madam Speaker I particularly commend the Secretary of State for his work on preventative measures, an issue that the Liberal Democrats have often championed in all walks of life. Whether it be matters related to fire damage, health concerns, or potential criminality prevention is always better than punishment and so I commend the Secretary of State for joining the Liberal Democrats in that line of thinking. Carbon Monoxide and fire alarms in every house or business is a must so I ask the Secretary of State what plans he has to assist their more widespread roll out? Will the Government be subsidising these long term investments for life saving equipment to protect our citizens?

Madam Speaker I will not get bogged down in what more can be done, although it is clear that more can be done and there is an argument that perhaps more should be done on the issue of detectors and alarms. As the Secretary of State says this is a common sense Bill which I have no hesitation in supporting and urge all members of the House to do so as well.

Madam Speaker,

I thank the Hon. Lady for her gracious remarks--and may I be the first, I believe, to congratulate her publicly on her election as Leader of the Liberal Democrats in this House. While the Hon. Lady and I may not agree on every political issue, her assiduousness is well known and appreciated across this House, and I am certain that she will do a fine job in her new role.

Turning to her question, I absolutely agree that every home and place of business should have a fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector. The provisions of this bill, if passed, will allow my Department to mandate the placement of an appropriate number of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms within every tenancy, residential or commercial, which I hope will save lives. These devices cost a very small amount of money, yet nevertheless can save a priceless number of lives. I can not emphasize enough how important how every residence and business should have an adequate number of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, as well as a detailed fire evacuation plan, as well as at least one fire extinguisher. Several local governments already offer programs to provide free or low-cost alarms to residences and businesses, and my department remains committed to work with any local government to assist them in these life-saving programs.

In addition to the statutory instrument that my department plans to lay down to ensure the presence of a suitable amount of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms within residential and commercial tenancies, my Department will be supporting local councils in a fire and safety initiative to increase awareness of not only fire management, prevention, and safety provisions, but also first aid, carbon monoxide, and safety preparedness initiatives. It is my hope to address the House on this statutory instrument as well as my Department's fire safety campaign to assist local governments in the weeks following the passage of this Act.

Fire and Safety preparedness at homes and businesses can save countless lives, and we can, and must, do more to assist local governments in these efforts. My department is committed to assisting local governments in their initiatives and providing whatever support we can to help them all launch campaigns in their respective communities to ensure that every house in the United Kingdom is prepared for any emergency that may arise in their communities. Once again I thank the Hon. Lady for her support of this bill, and look forward to us being able to work on a cross-party basis in this House to pass this important legislation.

AYE!

Aye

Aye

Aye