§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has approved the Northumberland fire authority's proposal to close the Holy Island fire station; and what consideration he has given to the implications for this proposed closure of the authority's proposal to withdraw full-time firemen from Alnwick;
(2) whether he has yet received the proposal from the Northumberland fire authority for approval of a change from full-time to a retained fire station in Alnwick.
§ Mr. John PattenThere is no proposal to close the Holy Island fire station, and the Northumberland county council's proposal to disband the island's volunteer fire crew remains subject to determination by the Home Secretary. No proposals for the future status of Alnwick fire station have been received. Should a change from wholetime to retained status be submitted, the implications for the provision of fire cover would be fully assessed before the Home Secretary decided whether to approve it.