Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that there is great concern among local authorities owing to their having to pay 75 per cent. of the costs incurred in maintaining fire brigades during the standard year; and, as it is wrong in principle that they should 907W be called upon to contribute to the costs of a service over which they have no control, will he consider making a substantial reduction in this contribution?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI have received representations in this sense from one or two local authorities, but I have no reason to think that local authorities generally regard the settlement as unreasonable. The position is that the local authorities have been relieved of any direct liability for the cost of their fire brigades, but will make a contribution to the Exchequer at the rate of 75 per cent. of the expenditure which they actually incurred before the service was transferred. This arrangement was discussed in the course of the Debate on the Fire Services (Emergency Provisions.) Bill, and the details have been settled in consultation with the local authority associations. It means that the local authorities will in general have to pay less than they did before the transfer and the settlement is, I think, a not ungenerous one.