§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the threat by members of the-full-time fire services to withdraw permanently their servicing of the equipment used by retained fire fighters, if the latter-remain available for duty during the current strike, he will ensure that a condition of settlement of the dispute specifically debars any such undermining of the viability of the volunteer force.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI understand that retained firemen carry out their own 445W routine servicing and maintenance of equipment, but receive some administrative support from whole-time firemen as appropriate and with whom they also work and train from time to time. It is not yet the time to be certain of the terms of any settlement.
§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give consideration to the practices of rewarding firemen with a productivity bonus, as in West Germany, Belgian and the Republic of Ireland, as a means of resolving the current dispute.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made to the House on Monday 21st November—[Vol. 939, c. 1100–1102]—about the discussions on the firemen's pay claim which had taken place between the two sides of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades. Any productivity scheme which was introduced in the fire service would have to satisfy the criteria applying to all such schemes.