Fire Precautions Act 1971

11 Building regulations as to provision of means of escape in case of fire etc., and related power to amend local Acts

(1) The power of the Secretary of State under section 4 of the [1961 c. 64.] Public Health Act 1961 to make building regulations for all or any of the matters set out in sections 61 and 62 of the [1936 c. 49.] Public Health Act 1936 shall include power to impose requirements as to the provision of means of escape from buildings in case of fire and means (other than means for fighting fire) for securing that such means of escape can be safely and effectively used at all material times.

(2) Section 62 of the Public Health Act 1936 (application of regulations under certain provisions of section 61(1) of that Act to existing buildings) shall apply to regulations made by virtue of subsection (1) above as it applies to regulations made under section 61(1)(a) to (c) of that Act; and the reference in section 4(1) of the Public Health Act 1961 to matters set out in the said section 62 shall be construed accordingly.

(3) The Secretary of State may by order repeal or amend any provision—

(a) in any local Act passed before this Act, or in any Act passed before this Act and confirming a provisional order; or

(b) in any order or other instrument made under an Act of Parliament before the passing of this Act,

where it appears to him that that provision is inconsistent with, or has become unnecessary in consequence of, the foregoing provisions of this section; and subsections (4) and (5) of section 82 (power to amend local Acts) of the [1961 c. 64.] Public Health Act 1961 shall apply to orders under this section as they apply to orders under that.

(4) The definition of " building " in section 43(1) of this Act shall not apply for the purposes of this section.

(5) This section does not extend to Scotland, and does not apply to any part of Greater London other than the outer London boroughs.