§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority to cope with fire, emergency and other demands on their time in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Peter LloydThe standard of service provided by the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority was examined in the course of an inspection of the service by Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services between 25 and 29 January 1993. My right hon. and learned Friend will want to examine carefully the report of that inspection, which will be published later this year. It is for the authority, in the light of its standard spending assessment and the intended criteria for designation for council tax capping, to set a budget for 1993–94 which will allow it to comply with its duties under the Fire Services Act 1974, and with the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.