DFS3 - Association of Chief Police Officers in Wales

I write on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Wales (WACPO), in response to the above Consultation Process.   As such this response should be considered the view of all four Police Forces in Wales.   WACPO welcomes the opportunity to participate in this consultation process and acknowledges the need to work in partnership in this challenging area of work.

With regard to the consultation process for the Welsh Assembly document “Proposed Domestic Fire Safety LCO Committee (Fire Sprinklers in new Residential Premises” our comments are as follows.

1. We agree that the general principle that legislative competence in the area identified in Matter 11.1 should be conferred on the Assembly.  There a re a number of police officers who work closely both with their local Fire and Rescue Service and Welsh Assembly groups furthering fire safety work, and they are fully supportive and have given their oral support to this legislation.

The devolution of the Fire and rescue Service to Wales has created an opportunity to review how local opportunities to increase fire safety can be initiated.  The consultation documents make out a clear case both in terms of the safety of individuals, and economically, for the introduction of domestic fire sprinklers

2. We consider that the order has been well constructed and will ensure effective implementation if enacted.

3. We believe that it is necessary to set out the meaning of both ‘new residential premises’ and ‘sprinkler system’.

Within the Draft Explanatory Memorandum, Paragraph 11 provides a definition of a sprinkler system and identifies the relevant British Standard (BS 9251:2005), reaffirming the definition but not restating the BS at paragraph 33. As paragraph 33 is the extract that will be used to amend the legislation, is it necessary to refer to the fact that the system should meet BS or EN standards?

Superintendent Darren Phillips
Police Liaison Officer
Welsh Assembly Government