§ Sir G. Gibsonasked the Home Secretary the number of personnel, men and women, employed full time in the Leeds N.F.S., for each separate year from 1st April, 1939, to 1st April, 1943; the number employed on administrative duties for the same body during the same periods; and the yearly cost of the service?
§ Miss WilkinsonThe National Fire Service was not set up until August, 1941. In view of the resulting radical changes in fire service organisation and in the allocation of man-power no true comparison is possible between the fire services previously maintained by the local authority for the City of Leeds and such proportion of the No. 4 Fire Force as can be attributed to the same geographical area. This fire force, the headquarters of which are at Leeds, covers the districts of 29 former local fire authorities. It would be undesirable, on security grounds, to give statistical information regarding the numbers of National Fire Service personnel. I can, however, say that the personnel of No. 4 Fire Force engaged on office duties represent about 7.7 per cent. of the whole-time strength of the Force, and about 1.85 per cent. of the total strength.