RHIANNA HARDIE AND SAFE WATER TANKS

Early day motion 718, tabled 17 January 2008 by Jeremy Browne (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 32 members.

That this House notes the verdict of the inquest into the death of 18 month old Rhianna Hardie, who was killed in her Taunton council home by boiling water seeping through the ceiling from a faulty water tank system in 2006; condemns the decision of the Health and Safety Executive not to issue safety warnings regarding faulty water tanks in council houses after the death of Sharon Minister in Penzance in 2002 in similar circumstances; recognises that the British Standard implemented since 2004 has increased safety by requiring all newly fitted thermostats in council housing to have a failsafe in the event of it becoming faulty; deeply regrets that the British Standard was not required to be retrospectively implemented and recognises that such an action could have prevented Rhianna's death in 2006; and calls on the Government to legislate to make the retrospective implementation of the British Standard mandatory in all council houses, thereby ensuring that such a tragedy is much less likely to happen again.

Signatures by party: Labour 18, Liberal Democrat 8, Conservative 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, DUP 1, Plaid Cymru 1.