48. Mr. IlsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding wage negotiations for fire service employees.
§ Mr. John PattenFire service pay is determined by an agreement of the national joint council for local authorities' fire brigades, under which the rate of pay of qualified firefighters is adjusted in November each year to a level which equates to that for the upper quartile of male manual workers, calculated by reference to the Department of Employment's new earnings survey.
We have received a number of representations from hon. and right hon. Members and from members of the public on conditions of service issues in the fire service. We have explained that my right hon. and noble Friend Earl Ferrers, the Minister of State, has recently had a series of meetings with the member organisations of the national joint council with a view to establishing a working party to address a number of conditions of service-related issues raised by the Audit Commission and to consider whether the current pay formula represents the best way forward for the future.