To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to make it his policy that mains-operated smoke alarms are fitted in all new publicly owned and privately owned dwellings and buildings; and if he will make a statement.

I have today signed the statutory instrument amending the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990 to make the fitting of mains-operated smoke alarms mandatory in all new dwellings from 23 July 1993.In hotels and boarding houses designated under the Fire Precautions Act 1971, automatic fire detection equipment is a requirement of the fire certificate. As regards other buildings to which fire certificate arrange-ments under the same Act apply, depending on risk and occupancy factors, automatic fire detection systems may similarly be installed.