Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps his Department is taking to increase fire safety in (a) care homes and (b) other residential blocks.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to care homes and the parts of multi-occupied residential premises that are used in common by occupants of more than one dwelling. The Fire Safety Order requires those responsible for a premises to undertake and review regularly a fire risk assessment and put in place and maintain adequate and appropriate fire protection measures to mitigate the risk to life from fire to as low as is reasonably practicable.

The Home Office recently launched a Call for Evidence on the Fire Safety Order to ensure it remains fit for purpose. The call for evidence runs until 31 July 2019.