HC Deb 18 February 1985 vol 73 cc357-9W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list, for each civil defence region, the name, present employment, date appointed and terms of reference of the regional fire adviser for each year from 1979 to 1985;

(2) if he will list, for each regional fire adviser from 1979 to 1985 (i) the meetings attended in person or in deputy at which any representative of his Department acting in an official capacity was also present and (ii) the topics discussed at each meeting;

(3) if any employer has refused to allow any employee to become a regional fire adviser;

(4) what are the means by which the consent of an employer is obtained to the appointment of a regional fire adviser.

Mr. Ancram

In Scotland regional fire advisers are described as zone fire commanders (designate). Until 1982 the country was divided into three zones for home defence purposes and, subsequently, into two zones. The table shows the appointments over the years 1979 to 1985; the post in South zone is currently vacant. There are no formal terms of reference but a zone fire commander (designate) is responsible for the co-ordination of emergency fire service planning in his zone. Meetings attended by representatives of the Scottish Home and Health Department and involving zone fire commanders (designate) in this capacity (their names are shown in brackets) took place on the following dates:

  • 18 May 1979 (Mr. Knowlton);
  • 11 December 1979 (Mr. Jones);
  • 13 April 1982 (Mr. Knowlton);
  • 27 October 1982 (Mr. Nicoll);
  • 27 January 1983 (Mr. Knowlton and Mr. Nicoll);
  • 13 April 1983 (Mr. Knowlton and Mr. Nicoll);
  • 13 October 1983 (Mr. Nicoll);
  • 12 January 1984 (Mr. Knowlton and Mr. Nicoll);
  • 3 May 1984 (Mr. Knowlton);
  • 14 November 1984 (Mr. Nicoll).

The topics discussed at these meetings related to war emergency planning for the fire service.

The consent of an employing authority to its firemaster being appointed as zone fire commander (designate) is obtained by correspondence between the Scottish Home and Health Department and the authority and has in no case been refused.

sprayed with pesticides by the Forestry Commission in 1984, giving in each case the area, the pesticide used and the target pest species.

Mr. John MacKay

The information is as follows:

Location
Conservancy Forest District Area (hectares) Pesticide Target Species
South Wales Afan 66 Glyphosphate Grasses
South Wales Afan 33 Asulam Bracken
South Wales Brecon 28 Glyhosphate Grasses
South Wales Brecon 36 Asulam Bracken
North Scotland Dornoch 2,167 Virox Pine Sawfly
East Scotland Fife 1,100 Diflubenzuron (Dimilin) Pine Looper Moth
East Scotland Speymouth 142 Fenitrothion Control experiment directed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under the auspices of the Pesticide Safety Precautions scheme to evaluate any effects on woodland birds.
South Scotland Aberfoyle 155 Asulam Bracken
3,727

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost to the Forestry Commission of the 3,727 hectares of aerial pesticide spraying which it carried out on its estate in 1984; and what proportion of the work was carried out by private contractors.

Mr. John MacKay

The total cost to the Forestry Commission was approximately £70,000. All the aerial spraying was undertaken by private contractors.