§ 10. Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with present manning levels in the fire services.
§ Mr. WhitelawI have no reason to believe that present manning levels are inadequate. Fire authorities are responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient personnel in their fire brigades to enable them to carry out their statutory functions. I am involved when an authority seeks my approval to a reduction in the number of firemen in its fire brigade establishment scheme.
§ Mr. ParryGiven the recent pay settlement with the firemen, will the Home Secretary give a clear assurance that there will be no reduction in manning levels and that sufficient cover will be maintained, particularly in the inner city conurbations?
§ Mr. WhitelawI can give a clear and positive assurance that applications from any fire authorities for changes in manning levels will be considered in the normal way by the chief inspector of fire services. He will then report on what he believes to be the position as regards safety and fire cover. I shall take full account of anything that the chief inspector of fire services says.
§ Mr. StokesIs not my right hon. Friend aware that there is a general feeling in the community that in many districts the fire service is considerably overmanned and that great economies could be made by reducing manpower numbers? Does my right hon. Friend accept that the men employed are sometimes engaged in a great degree of moonlighting?
§ Mr. WhitelawThat is a matter for the fire authorities to consider. If the fire authorities were to agree with the 542 hon. Gentleman, they would submit proposals to me. Those proposals would be studied by the chief inspector, and if he thought that the proposals allowed for adequate fire cover I would sanction them. As I made clear at the time of the fire service dispute, a limited number of applications were put forward, and with the agreement of the chief inspector I agreed to all but one of them.