§ The Secretary of State, after consultation with the Central Advisory Council for Fire Services may, by order, impose such requirements with respect to uniformity of appliances, equipment, and fire hydrants provided for the purposes of this Act as appear to him to be necessary for securing efficient fire services and in particular the rendering of efficient mutual assistance by fire brigades, and it shall be the duty of fire authorities to comply with any such requirements.—[Mr. Lloyd.]
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ 7.40 p.m.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd)I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."
278 This is a Clause that has been put down in order to meet an undertaking that was given in Committee, where a number of hon. Members took the view that there ought to be some provision in this Bill which would facilitate standardisation of equipment in regard to fire brigades; and, speaking for the Home Office, I was then able to say that we agreed generally with that view and that we would frame some provision with that in view. I hope this Clause meets the promise that I then made.
§ 7.41 p.m.
§ Mr. WestwoodI wish that every undertaking that was given in Committee had been as acceptably fulfilled as this has been. It carries out in every detail the pledge given upstairs to meet this problem, in an attempt to bring about something like uniformity and standard- 279 isation so far as fire-fighting appliances are concerned.
§ Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.