§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will review the decision to close the Bargoed Fire Station; [92243]
(2) what evidence he received about the possible time it would take for a fire appliance to reach New Tredegar from the Cefn Forest Fire Station, during his consideration of the proposed closure of the Bargoed Fire Station. [92245]
§ Mr. George HowarthOn 23 June 1998, my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, approved the application by the South Wales Fire Authority, under section 19 (4) of the Fire Services Act 1947, to remove a pumping appliance and associated firefighting posts from Bargoed fire station. My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary's decision was taken in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate that the national standards of fire cover would continue to be maintained if the application was approved. That advice included confirmation that a timed run undertaken by the fire brigade suggested a pumping appliance from Cefn Forest should in normal circumstances be able to reach New Tredegar within the recommended attendance time for the substantive fire risk category for that area.
Following my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary's decision, implementation of the proposals is now a matter for the Fire Authority. Closure of Bargoed fire station was not at issue and a further section 19 application would be required if the Authority was to make such a proposal.