Residential landlords’ responsibilities concerning the checking of gas appliances were discussed as part of a general commons debate into deaths by Carbon Monoxide poisoning and the use of detectors last week.

The debate also highlighted that some landlords who had failed in their responsibilities had been jailed for causing deaths from dangerous gas appliances.

Tom Levitt, the Labour MP for High Peak, explained that on average, one person dies every fortnight of CO poisoning across the country as a whole and that recently four people in his constituency had died from this ‘silent killer’.

As a result he had carried out a survey and had received 650 replies. This showed that 95 per cent had gas boilers and that although 92 percent had smoke alarms, only 34 per cent had CO detectors, although this compared favourably with the national average of 83 per cent for smoke alarms and 21 per cent for CO detectors.

Levitt said: “I ask my hon. Friend the Minister (Anne McGuire Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions) to take action on six fronts. First, I hope that she will act to ensure a greater awareness of CO issues among householders, landlords, tenants, housing authorities, tour operators, emergency services and doctors. Secondly, given that one person in seven moves house each year, I hope that she will act to ensure that having a working CO monitor is compulsory when every house is built.

“That requirement could be included in building regulations. In addition, I hope that she will ensure that CO monitors are made compulsory when every house is sold, a provision that could be included in home information packs. Will she also ensure that CO monitors are required when caravans and mobile homes are sold or advertised for rent, as proposed by the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink), and when tenancies are changed? The advice from British Gas to prospective tenants is that if a landlord cannot show them a current gas safety certificate, they should not move into his property.

“Thirdly, will she encourage the industry to phase out smoke alarms in favour of combined smoke and CO alarms for domestic use at an affordable price? Fourthly, will she redouble efforts to replace all open flue boilers with the more energy-efficient and less dangerous balanced flue variety, especially for vulnerable groups?

Fifthly, can she reduce the level of illegal gas fitting by enabling a greater chance of securing meaningful convictions for those whose action or negligence contributes to CO poisoning? Finally, will she ensure that installers of oil and solid fuel boiler systems are brought under a mandatory system of registration comparable to that which applies to gas installers?

In reply, McGuire said: “I am all too aware of the problem that can arise from defective gas appliances. Many of us have had experience of CO poisoning incidents. Six years ago, two of my constituents - two young students - living in rented accommodation died from CO fumes from a portable room heater. Indeed, when my daughter was sharing a flat as a student she was fortunately able to recognise the early symptoms of CO poisoning. It is something that touches us all.

“The HSE (Health & Safety Executive) will hold all installers, registered or unregistered, to account for their actions if their work is found to be dangerously incompetent. If someone is not registered, it does not mean that the HSE will not pursue them if their work is dangerously incompetent.

“Some landlords and people undertaking gas work who have blatantly failed in their responsibilities have ended up in prison for causing deaths from dangerous gas appliances.

As my hon. Friend may be aware, we have tried to introduce legislation to increase sentencing powers through the private Member's Bill route. I am pleased that my right hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Keith Hill) is yet again to introduce a Bill to increase sentencing. If successful, it will raise the penalties for health and safety offences, and will make imprisonment more widely available for serious offences.

I hope that all Members of the House, including those who raised technical or procedural issues to talk out a similar Bill that was introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly (Mr. David) will think seriously before they do so again. We want to see the Bill enacted.