Fire

HC Deb 16 July 2003 vol 409 cc359-60W

Matthew Taylor

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many fires in homes have occurred in each year since 1997. [125766]

Phil Hope

The information requested is tabled as follows.

Fires in dwellings. United Kingdom, 1997–2001
	Total
1997	72,492
1998	71,077
1999	72,228
2000	70,899
2001	69,014

Dwellings include caravans, houseboats and other non-building structures used solely as a permanent dwelling.

Data for 2001 are provisional; 2001 is the most recent year for which data are available.

Mr. Hammond

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) of 30 June 2003,Official Report, column 33, whether there will be a reduction in the response to 999 calls in England as a result of modernisation of the Fire Service; and what definition he will use of reduction in the response. [125730]

Mr. Raynsford

Under integrated risk management, it will be for fire authorities, not the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, to set local standards for responding to fires and other emergencies in the light of a full assessment of the risks faced by their communities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister believes that by developing local standards based on the risks faced by communities and by placing greater emphasis on preventative action to stop fires and other emergencies from occurring in the first place, public safety will be improved and lives will be saved.

Angela Watkinson

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes to career prospects in the fire service, in terms of(a) opportunities, (b) training and (c) promotion he estimates will arise from the changes proposed in the Fire and Rescue Service White Paper. [125902]

Mr. Raynsford

The changes to the appointment and promotion regulations announced in the White Paper will mean that people with the right potential and skills, both within and outside the fire and rescue service, can apply for jobs at all levels and in all parts of the service. This will provide wider and more varied opportunities for staff in all sections of the service. The White Paper also announced the introduction of the Integrated Personal Development System which will ensure staff are developed and receive training relevant to their personal needs. In many cases this will include development to help them obtain promotion. This coupled with the removal of the requirement to have served for a specific number of years before obtaining promotion will improve promotion prospects of many staff.

Matthew Taylor

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many hoax calls were made to the Fire Service in England and Wales in each year since 1997. [126321]

Phil Hope

The number of malicious false calls are tabled:

Year	Number of calls
1997	88,813
1998	74,200
1999	70,446
2000	63,482
2001	63,359(provisional)

Matthew Taylor

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many retained firefighters have been recruited in each year since 1997. [125767]

Phil Hope

The available information collected on a financial year basis from brigades in England and Wales is set out as follows:

Number of applicants who were successful in their applications for employment as retained firefighters in brigades in England and Wales
1998–99	1,486
1999–2000	1,406
2000–01	1,352
2001–02	1,508

Source:

Annual returns to Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.