§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to publicise the results of annual brigade inspections carried out by Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeApplying the principles of the citizens charter, we will in future be publishing all reports of this kind. I have decided that reports of all inspections undertaken since the beginning of this year will be published.
I believe that this will be a small but significant step in increasing the accountability of the fire service to the general public for the quality of the service which it provides. I would welcome any public response to points made in the inspectors' reports, as well as any comments that local authorities might choose to make. The first of these reports covering the inspection of the West Sussex fire brigade has been published today, and copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses.