§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent his offer of a reduction in the working hours of firemen by the end of the year was based upon the fact that the EEC recommendation of a 40-hour week has been agreed to by the Government for implementation by the end of the year.
§ Dr. SummerskillAs my hon. Friend will be aware, the Government support the EEC recommendation on the basis that its progressive achievement is a matter for collective bargaining, subject to the requirements of counter-inflation policy. A reduction from the present 48-hour week has for long been an objective of the Fire Brigades Union. The fire service pay settlement which was agreed by the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades on 17th January 1978 includes agreement registered in principle to introduce a 42-hour working week for firemen without loss of pay from November 1978 subject to the satisfactory completion of negotiations. This agreement stems from the findings of 499W the Home Departments' inquiry into the feasibility of a 40-hour week in the fire service which reported in September 1977 and not specifically from the EEC recommendation.