Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the current minimum reaction to fire classifications are for cables in (a) hospitals, (b) schools, (c) homes and (d) work places.

The electrical safety of cables in buildings is regulated through the Electricity at Work Regulations for workplaces and through the Building Regulations for dwellings. The industry guidance which supports the Regulations – BS 7671 (known as “The Wiring regulations”) – sets a minimum performance requirement equivalent to the Class E classification of reaction to fire.

As part of our consideration of the independent review of the Building Regulations and fire safety led by Dame Judith Hackitt, we will review the evidence of risk associated with electrical cabling to consider how we should respond.