All I can say is you must have some pretty primitive gas hobs in the UK.
If our gas hob is extinguished, as soon as it starts to cool a safety valve cuts off the supply. If your cooker is of the type where you press the control while lighting it, and don't release the control for a couple of seconds after it's lit, then it has a similar safety cut-out.
the answer is correct, on most hobs if the flame extinguishes then the gas just keeps on coming out. there are now hobs that have thermocouple protection fitted which will cut off the gas if the flame extinuishes, and since the start of last year the law now states that any new gas cooker installed in a flat or other multi-occupancy building MUST have thermocouple protection fitted to every burner.