§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have for inter-brigade co-operation in the Fire Service in the event of a serious emergency. [174674]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe Government are keen to ensure a co-ordinated response from the fire and rescue service in the event of a major emergency. That is why all fire and rescue authorities have been invited to sign a Mutual Aid Agreement, which will enable individual fire and rescue authorities to ask for assistance from another authority in the event of a serious emergency.
The development of the Mutual Aid Agreement forms part of the Government's commitment to improving resilience and the fire and rescue service's response to a major incident. The Fire and Rescue Services Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, should make such an agreement easier to establish in 1280W future as it will extend authorities' ability to enter into mutual reinforcement schemes to include new duties such as responding to the increased terrorist threat.
The Government have also established the New Dimension programme, which will help to ensure a co-ordinated response to any terrorist incidents on a national scale by providing suitable equipment and training to deal with such incidents. A national co-ordination centre is being established in order to provide central command and control when the New Dimension equipment is utilised. This will remain in place until such time as the regional control rooms are operational, when they will direct resources on a regional basis.