§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current situation in the Merseyside fire brigade dispute; and if he will make a statement. [22494]
§ Mr. SackvilleThe dispute is a local matter about changes to leave arrangements proposed by Merseyside fire and civil defence authority. I understand that the authority and the Fire Brigades Union are engaged in talks at the Advisory, Consiliation and Arbitration Service and I hope that these discussions will lead to an early end to the dispute. In the interim, military assistance to provide fire cover if there are further strikes continues to be available to the fire and civil defence authority.