§ Mr. H. Hyndasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decisions have been reached with regard to the pay and other conditions of service of members of Fire Brigades on and after 1st April next.
§ Mr. EdeSection 17 of the Fire Services Act, 1947, contemplates the establishment of negotiating machinery for the purpose of settling pay and conditions of service of members of Fire Brigades and provides that, where there is such machinery, regulations on these subjects shall only be made after consideration of the recommendations made by the negotiating body. A National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades in England and Wales has been established and the Council commenced its work last November. In the time available, however, the Council have not been able to give full consideration to the numerous and complicated questions involved and, as it is essential that provision should be made for the rates of pay and conditions of service which are to apply on and after 1st April, I proposed to the Council that regulations should be made under Section 17 providing for the continuance of existing National Fire Service rates and conditions, subject to any necessary modifications and adaptations. The Council appreciated the reasons for the proposal and accepted it, while expressing their regret that owing to the short time available between the constitution of the Council and the Appointed Day under the Fire Services Act, 1947, and the complexities of some of the issues involved, they had been unable to reach agreement 343W on all the questions involved in determining the rates of pay and emoluments in the future Fire Brigades. Draft Regulations were accordingly prepared to give effect to this proposal and they have been discussed in detail with the Council and various agreed amendments were made. I have now made the Regulations which are entitled "The Fire Services (Ranks and Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1948." They were laid before Parliament on 19th March.