§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker):My right honourable friend the Minister for Local Government, Regional Governance and Fire has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
Today the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is publishing the 2004–05 Fire and Rescue National Framework.
The Government have ambitious targets for the Fire and Rescue Service. Our overriding aim is to save more lives and stop unnecessary injuries through more effective action to prevent fires and by ensuring that the Fire and Rescue Service is well prepared and equipped to respond to the many challenges it faces. That is why we announced, as part of this year's spending review, a new public service agreement that commits us to achieving long-term reductions in fire deaths and deliberate fires, including real progress in the most disadvantaged areas. This builds on the commitments set out in the June 2003 White Paper Our Fire and Rescue Service.
The national framework sets out the strategy for meeting these objectives and delivering an improved service that achieves better value for money for the communities it serves.
The Government published a draft version of the national framework for consultation in December 2003. The response to the draft was overwhelmingly positive. The majority of those who responded supported the Government's objectives and the modernisation programme. We have taken on board many of the useful comments and suggestions we received. As a result, the national framework sets out a shared strategy. It recognises that the Government and fire and rescue authorities must work in partnership to achieve our shared goals. We are also publishing a consultation response today, on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: www.odpm.gov.uk/fire.
70WSThe national framework has also been updated to reflect progress on modernisation, including the replacement of outdated national standards with new local risk management plans and the establishment of regional management boards which will help to deliver many functions more efficiently and effectively. The expectations of fire and rescue authorities set out in the national framework will be central to the Audit Commission's assessment of the performance of authorities.
Future versions of the national framework will be published in the autumn, to enable fire and rescue authorities to take full account of the national framework in their annual budgeting process. We will therefore start the consultation on the 2005–06 national framework shortly.
The Fire and Rescue Services Bill is currently before Parliament. If enacted it will give statutory force to the framework.
Copies of the 2004–05 Fire and Rescue National Framework are available in the Libraries of the House and are also available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: www.odpm.gov.uk/fire.