HC Deb 22 July 1998 vol 316 cc544-5W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of national use of virtual reality simulations for operational command training in the fire service; [50900]

(2) what assessement he has made of the national requirements for operational command training in the fire service; [50902]

(3) what assessment he has made of national trials of virtual reality operational command training in the fire service. [50901]

Mr. George Howarth

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Mr. Rapson), on 21 July 1998,Official Report, columns 435–36.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the London Fire Service has spent on the services of lobbying companies in(a) the last and (b) the current financial year; and which companies have been engaged. [51467]

Mr. George Howarth

I understand from the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority that they spent £11,326 on the services of a Parliamentary Adviser in 1997–98, and have spent £4,659 on such services in the current financial year. The services are provided by GJW Government Relations Limited.