§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will publish details of the current London fire brigade policy of stand-bys of fire appliances in relation to C25 Dowgate fire station, C26 Barbican, C27 Clerkenwell, C28 Islington, C21 Shoreditch, C22 Kingsland and A23 Euston;
(2) if he will provide details of the types and manufacturers of pump escape appliances, pump appliances, and pump ladder appliances, in use in the London fire brigade since 1 April 1973 and the maximum speeds attainable by each.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThis information is not held centrally.
§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate what action his Department intends to take in relation to the principle of round-the-clock equal cover for the London fire service, in the light of the Home Office/Scottish Home and Health Department Green Paper, "Future Fire Policy, A Consultative Document" of 1980 and the Audit Commission Paper, "Value for Money in the Fire Service" of 1 September.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe recommendation on this matter in the Audit Commission occasional paper No. 1, together with the other recommendations in the paper, are being considered by the Department. The local authority associations, as the representatives of the employers, and the fire service trade unions will also be looking closely at the recommendations.
§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he intends to take steps to ensure the return of the pump appliance, based at C26 Barbican fire station of the London fire brigade until March 1979, to that station, within the 1987–88 London Fire and Civil Defence Authority establishment scheme; and if he will make a statement.
(2) whether he will grant his consent to proposals submitted to him in the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority establishment schemes for the London fire brigade for the loss of the pump appliance from C27 Clerkenwell fire station.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe have received no proposals from the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority in respect of the establishment scheme for the London fire brigade for 1987–88. Such a scheme has to be submitted by 1 January 1987 and when received it will be carefully considered on its merits.
§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details of the establishment of fire appliances and of all ranks of firefighters at the C26 Barbican fire station in the London 652W fire brigade (a) currently and (b) at the date of the opening of the present station; and if he will also indicate the establishment of fire appliances and of all ranks of firefighters, and the addresses of those fire stations closed as a result of C26 Barbican being opened, immediately prior to their closure, indicating also the risk categories of those fire station grounds.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe establishment of fire appliances at C26 Barbican fire station is one pump ladder and one damage control tender. The ranks of firefighters are as follows:
Number Assistant Divisional Officer 1 Station Officer 4 Sub Officer 8 Leading fireman 8 Fireman 28 Total 49 The other information requested is not held centrally.