§ 24. Mr. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken in Scotland in respect of the recommendation of the Select Committee on Estimates Report on the Fire Services 1953–54.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartI assume the hon. Member is referring to the recommendation applying exclusively to Scotland, namely, that recruits should serve for a preliminary period with their brigade before going to the training school. In practice they normally do; and after consulting all the interests concerned my right hon. Friend decided that no special action on his part was necessary.
§ Mr. RossI think that I have had a very limited reply to my Question, because surely Scotland is equally covered by the suggestion that there should have been reviews of standards of cover. Can we have any information about that?
§ Mr. StewartWe did not know quite to what question the hon. Member referred, in that that particular recommendation concerned both the English and Scottish Departments. It is now being considered. The Fire Brigades Advisory Council for England, Wales and Scotland have appointed a joint committee to deal with standards of fire cover.
§ Mr. RossWill the hon. Gentleman ensure that in any such review that takes place there will be no reduction of standards of cover in the rural areas, in view of the changes that have taken place in agriculture during the past ten or twelve years?
§ Mr. StewartI certainly hope not.