§ Lord Burnhamasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have reached a decision on the application from the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority under Section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office, (Baroness Blatch)My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has approved proposals put to him by the 225WA London Fire and Civil Defence Authority for the removal of one of two pumping appliances at each of 14 fire stations in London, the removal of a fire rescue unit and a reduction in establishment of 316 posts. The pumping appliances are in the fire stations at Barnet, Chiswick, Deptford, East Greenwich, Fulham, Hendon, Millwall, Sidcup, Silvertown, Southwark, Twickenham, Wimbledon, Woodford and Woodside. We have rejected the proposal by the authority to remove one of the appliances from the fire station at Battersea, on the grounds that we are not satisfied that adequate consideration has been given to the representations that have been made to the authority about the arrangements for dealing with special fire risks.
The primary responsibility for deciding what resources are needed to provide an efficient and effective fire service in London and how those resources should be deployed rests with the fire authority. In reaching a decision on its application, very careful consideration has been given to the representations that have been received. We have also sought the views of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services. We have accepted his firm professional advice that if those proposals which we have now agreed are implemented by the fire authority, nationally recommended fire cover standards will still be maintained throughout London.