Fire Services (Hansard, 18 June 1997)

§ Dr. Cable
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's policy towards the use of the 1979 pay formula to determine firefighters' pay. [4233]

§ Mr. George Howarth
The pay of firefighters is negotiated between the employers and employees in the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades. The Government have no proposals for changing the present arrangements.

§ Dr. Cable
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the pay of firefighters. [3967]

§ Mr. Howarth
The determination of firefighters' pay is a matter for the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades.

§ Dr. Cable
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review Circular 5/92 to take account of the interpretation of his powers under section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947 made by the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority in 1996. [3970]

§ Mr. Howarth
My right hon. Friend will wish to consider whether generally there is a need to update and amend existing fire service legislation. This will be among the matters to be addressed.