§ 2. Mr. JamiesonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the original estimate of fire service spending for 1995–96; and by how much this exceeds the amount of the capping limit for England and Wales. [1352]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Tom Sackville)The estimate of revenue spending by fire authorities in England and Wales in 1995–96 is £1,324 million. One metropolitan fire authority—South Yorkshire—set a budget £640,000 above its provisional cap and this was accepted.
§ Mr. JamiesonIs the Minister aware that the local authority associations are saying that, nationally, there is an £80 million shortfall on fire service expenditure? Given the grim picture for public expenditure next year, do not we face a serious funding crisis in the fire service? When will the Government listen to the local authority associations, the Audit Commission and many others, and face their responsibility for funding a vital emergency service?
§ Mr. SackvilleThe hon. Gentleman mentions the Audit Commission, which said in its report that at least £67 million-worth of savings could be made if all fire authorities came up to best practice. I have no evidence to suggest that best practice is the maximum efficiency that can be reached. Extensive further efficiencies may be possible. The hon. Gentleman should remember that, in his county of Devon, the standard spending assessment for fire was increased by 9.5 per cent. this year.
§ Mr. George HowarthMay I welcome the Minister to his new responsibilities? Is he aware that although the Audit Commission report, "In the Line of Fire", suggested where savings might be made, it pointed out that there were serious structural problems in the method of funding fire authorities? Is he also aware that, within the past two years, the chief fire officer commented on the serious possibility of a funding crisis for fire authorities throughout the country? Is it not time that the Government stopped hiding behind statistics and got down to sorting out the serious structural funding problems within the fire services? Are they prepared to stand by and let a vital emergency service drift towards being unable to fulfil its functions?
§ Mr. SackvilleMay I remind the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Howarth) that the responsibility for setting budgets for fire services lies with the fire authorities. They must satisfy themselves that they can 1319 fulfil their duties under the Fire Services Act 1947. It is open to them to set a budget above the Government's capping requirements if they can justify it, and one metropolitan county that did that last year had its budget allowed. If the hon. Gentleman is asking for extra spending on the fire service and everything else, how will he fund his party's promised reductions in income tax?