§ 32. Mr. Edelmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he is making to return the Broad Heath School Fire Station, Coventry, to the education authority; and to accede to the request of the Fire Brigade Committee that a new station for Coventry should be built.
§ Mr. de FreitasI regret that I cannot usefully add anything to the information which I gave to my hon. Friend on this subject in February last.
§ Mr. EdelmanWhile I am obliged to my hon. Friend for his letters, which were completely unsatisfactory, may I ask him to explain why, for the small sum of £13,000, he cannot add both a school and fire station to Coventry's completely inadequate facilities? Will he not reconsider the matter?
§ Mr. de FreitasI am obliged to my hon. Friend for being so obliged for my unsatisfactory letters, but it is impossible to allow money and materials to be spent on a fire station in Coventry.
§ Miss BurtonMay I press my hon. Friend—[Laughter]—verbally, of course, to consider if, in view of the fact that Coventry suffered so much during the war, and has since then played an outstanding part in the recovery of the country, an exception could be made in this case?
§ Mr. de FreitasCoventry, of course, played a gallant part in the war and it has played a magnificent part in our recovery. But the fact remains that from the fire service point of view there are many communities which have a better claim to money and materials being expended on a fire station, than has Coventry. I am sorry.