HC Deb 16 July 1992 vol 211 cc975-7W
Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what correspondence his Department has had with the Northumberland fire authority about the level of provision within the county's fire service; and what indication has been given in the correspondence as to whether(a) day manning, (b) other systems involving full-time personnel or (c) wholly retained status would be regarded as acceptable for the stations concerned.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

My officials have received correspondence from the chief fire officer of the Northumberland fire and rescue service drawing attention to financial issues affecting the service's budget and to plans for addressing identified over-provision in the service. My right hon. and learned Friend has recently approved the fire authority's proposal to replace the whole time crew at Alnwick fire station by a retained crew with the result that both firefighting appliances based at Alnwick are now crewed by retained firefighters. The chief fire officer has made clear the fire authority's intention to seek the approval of my right hon. and learned Friend, under section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947, to the removal from the services establishment of the whole-time crews at Berwick and Hexham fire stations, subject to their replacement by retained crews. My right hon. and learned Friend would not approve such an application unless he was satisfied that the authority would be able to maintain the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.

Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fire service personnel of sub-officer grade and below have been(a) made redundant or (b) given early retirement other than on health grounds in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The available figures, from annual establishment returns submitted to the Home Office by fire authorities each year, relate to discharges for other than medical reasons and dismissals after disciplinary proceedings. The establishment returns for fire authorities in England and Wales for the year to 31 December 1991 show that 36 whole-time fire fighters of the rank of sub-officer and below, and 118 retained or volunteer fire fighters, were discharged for other than medical reasons, and that seven whole-time fire fighters of the rank of sub-officer and below, and three retained or volunteer fire fighters, were dismissed following disciplinary proceedings.

Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, following Northumberland county council's refusal to accept that he is entitled to withhold permission for the closure of the Holy Island fire brigade, and following the Local Government Commissioner's finding that this constituted maladministration, he will arrange for a special inspection of the brigade's arrangements for fire cover on Holy Island.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The Northumberland fire and rescue service was inspected by Her Majesty's inspector of fire services between 17 and 21 February 1992. In the course of the inspection, Her Majesty's inspector examined the fire cover arrangements on Holy Island. My right hon. and learned Friend does not propose to commission any further inspection of the fire cover arrangements on HolyIsland.He hopes to reach a decision shortly on the Northumberland fire authorities application for approval to the removal from its establishment scheme of the volunteer fire-fighting crew on Holy Island.

Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what provisions exist in national conditions of service governing the terms of redundancy for firemen; what requests for advice he has received from fire authorities about redundancy terms; and what advice he has given;

(2) what provisions exist in national conditions of service relating to the pension entitlements of firemen who accept early retirement on other than health grounds, or are made redundant.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

National conditions of service for fire-fighters are a matter for the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades and not for the Home Office. I understand that the council's scheme of conditions of service contains no provisions governing the terms of redundancy for fire-fighters. My officials have received a request from the chief fire officer of the Northumberland fire and rescue service for advice on the pensions implications of any redundancies, and are to discuss this with the chief fire officer at a meeting on 5 August. The pension entitlements of whole-time firefighters are governed by the Firemen's Pension Scheme Order 1992. Rule Al4 of the scheme provides for the early retirement on efficiency grounds of a fire-fighter aged 50 or over who has completed 25 years' pensionable service.