§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated date by which the central mobilising project being produced by Marconi will be operating on behalf of the London fire and civil defence authority; on what date it was initially planned to be introduced; whether the authority will insist upon the fixed price; at what cost other United Kingdom fire brigades have purchased other systems because of the delay; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenWe are informed by the authority that it is hoped that the new central mobilising system will be operational by the end of 1988. The contractual date for completion was 1985 which would have led to an in-service date of late 1985 to early 1986.
We are informed that the question of the price of the system is a matter of contract between Marconi and the authority, and the contract is not for a fixed price.
Neither we nor the authority are aware of any impact on other United Kingdom fire brigades resulting directly or indirectly from the delay in this case.