§ Mr. BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps are being taken to ensure that all vehicles and control rooms are refitted by 2004–05 in the(a) police forces and (b) fire services; [50507]
(2) what is (a) the cost to date and (b) the projected cost of refitting vehicles and control rooms in the (i) police forces and (ii) fire services; [50506]
(3) how much funding has been allocated to (a) the police forces and (b) the fire services to ensure that all vehicles and control rooms are refitted by 2004–05; [50509]
(4)what the timetable is for (a) fund allocation and (b) the refitting of control rooms and vehicles for (i) the police forces and (ii) the fire services. [50510]
§ Mr. DenhamOn 19 July 2000, the Home Secretary announced that the Government had provided £500 million to meet the costs of the new police radio system, "Airwave" (formerly Public Safety Radio Communications System, PSRCS).
21WOver the three years of the settlement, £191 million of capital funding has been made available for forces to spend on costs associated with Airwave installation and preparation, for example the refitting of control rooms and vehicles. A further £141 million in revenue funding has also been allocated for "one-off" preparation costs.
The Airwave programme consists of a phased national roll-out, determined by the forces and the main contractor in consultation with the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO). The timetable for fund allocation is linked to this roll-out timetable. The capital allocation is released in advance, at an appropriate time, so that forces are ready for their roll-out date.
The service will replace existing radio systems with modern digital technology by 2005 in England and Wales extending to Scottish forces in 2006.
On 7 May, the Government announced that they would manage, support and fully fund a new national competition for the procurement of a national radiocommunications system for the fire service in England and Wales.