§ MR. RADCLIFFE COOKE(for Mr. BAUMANN) (Camberwell, Peckham)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has considered the Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons which was appointed in 1876 to inquire into the Metropolitan Fire Brigade; and, whether he intends to take any steps to carry out the recommendation of that Report, that the Fire Brigade should be incorporated with the Metropolitan Police?
§ MR. LAWSON (St. Pancras, W.)asked, whether the suggestion so made had not been deliberately rejected by every Government that had been in power since?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I cannot answer the second Question without Notice. Certainly, it has not been acted upon so much as I know. I am aware of the Report referred to by my hon. Friend; but, as I stated yesterday, the question of a re-organization of the Fire Brigade is one that can hardly be dealt with by the Government at the present time, when the Brigade is about to be handed over to the London County Council.