§ 3. Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to rename the fire service the fire and emergency service in order to reflect more accurately the range of services undertaken.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Lane)I do not consider that this change is necessary or desirable.
§ Miss FookesDoes my right hon. Friend not agree that the fire service undertakes a number of emergency services and that in fairness to it it should be called the fire and emergency service?
§ Mr. LaneI agree with what my hon. Friend says but I do not draw the same conclusion. May I remind her that the Holroyd Committee, which reported in 1970, considered this possible change of name, and we accept its recommendation that it is not necessary. However, I do not believe that the fire service always gets the praise and recognition it deserves, and we all owe a great debt of gratitude to its efficiency in dealing not only with fires but with many other emergencies, particularly motorway accidents, which I am sure my hon. Friend has in mind.