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National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 2006

My Lords, on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Benches I welcome the order and the strengthening of the powers and authority of the National Assembly for Wales. We know there may be some teething troubles—possibly with the education awards and so on—but it will be good at the end of the first year of operations to look at the report to see where changes have to be made. Certainly, this is a step forward in the direction of evolution, not revolution. My main concern about the fire safety regulations is that we are advised that 11 guides are to be available in regard to the kinds of non-domestic premises that will be covered by the regulations. I will not read them all but they include offices and shops, factories and warehouses, sleeping accommodation—I wonder what that covers—residential care premises, educational premises and so on. But there does not seem to be any reference at all to houses in multiple occupation, hotels and guest houses. I come from a very notable hotel area and it would be good to know that they will be covered and included in the regulations. Will any advice be given to the various fire services as to where they should locate certain equipment? In Llandudno, we used to have one of those high-rise turntable ladders; I am sure that is the wrong term. Some of our hotels are six and seven storeys high—the equivalent of the Manhattan skyline in north Wales—and we need to be able to reach people who are trapped in the topmost rooms of these buildings. This has happened a number of times, once only in the past year, and I would be grateful if the Minister could assure me that the various fire service ladders and so on will be located where the need is greatest. With that question, I again give a general welcome to the order on behalf of these Benches.