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Every Scottish care home for older people is to be visited by the fire service in the wake of the Uddingston fire which killed 14 residents in a nursing home last week, writes Maggie Wood.

Cathie Jamieson, justice minister, made the announcement in the Scottish parliament stating that there would be a public inquiry in to the blaze at the nursing home in Lanarkshire.

However, opposition MSPs called for sprinkler systems to be introduced in all 1,800 care homes and other multi-occupancy housing.

Michael Matheson, SNP’s depute justice minister who introduced a bill to have sprinkler systems installed in all multi-occupancy housing last year, said: “Fire alarm systems do not fight fires, but sprinkler systems do." The bill is still being considered by the parliament.

Phil Hope, the minister for building regulations in Westminster, told the House of Commons: “The tragic incident at the weekend indicates that sprinkler systems may have a role to play in protecting vulnerable groups such as homes for elderly and higher risk houses in multi- occupancy.”