§ Lord McCarthyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to instruct all fire authorities that, when use is made of the powers granted to the Secretary of State under Section 1 of the Fire Services Act 2003, actions by employees or their union intended to frustrate such powers should be regarded as lawful, so long as they remain within the provisions governing protected industrial action. [HL386]
§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)Ministers have no powers to instruct fire authorities as to what constitutes lawful action on the part of employees or their unions.