§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on the fire service in London after the proposed abolition of the Greater London council.
§ Mr. BrittanThere is no truth in the Greater London Council's assertion published in "The Londoner" for February 1985 that its abolition will result in large reductions in the numbers of firemen, appliances and stations in London. As I have repeatedly explained, under the law no reductions whatsoever may occur except with my consent and I remain committed to the maintenance of the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover. There can therefore be no question of arbitrary cuts86W arising from abolition or any other current Government initiative. Nor do I intend to approve any proposal to "break up" the London Fire Brigade.
This is just one example of the vast publicity campaign the GLC is running to frighten and mislead Londoners into supporting it. It is Londoners who are paying for this campaign. They will be better off when the GLC is abolished.