§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of firemen in service at the latest available date and on the equivalent date in each of the preceding five years.
§ Mr. BrittanThe full-time and part-time strengths—including control-room staff—of fire brigades in England and Wales as at 31 December in 1979 and each of the preceding five years, were as follows:
Full time 1974 31,117 1975 32,550 1976 32,592 1977 32,276 1978 34,003 1979 35,916 Part-time (excluding whole-time members with retaining obligations) 1974 14,011 1975 14,701 1976 15,065 1977 14,925 1978 14,645 1979 14,612