§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where the vehicles of the emergency fire service are based; how many vehicles are based there; when they were last used operationally; what level of maintenance they are receiving; and what is the average age of such vehicles.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe emergency fire service stockpile is located at Marchington, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. It consists of 1,078 Bedford self-propelled pumps—Green Goddesses—103 Austin Gypsies and 38 Land Rovers together with other ancillary equipment. The last major operational use of the stockpile was during the national fire service industrial dispute of 1977–78 although small numbers have been deployed more recently to augment local resources during adverse weather conditions. The vehicles, which are between 30 and 40 years of age, are regularly serviced to ensure that they remain in a fully operational condition.