§ Baroness Thorntonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received the recommendations of the inquiry into the machinery for determining firefighters' conditions of service. [HL2043]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonProfessor Burchill, who undertook the inquiry, has submitted to my right honourable friend the Home Secretary a number of recommendations for improving the working of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades. These include proposals which would involve the acceptance by the employees and the union of conciliation and arbitration, in the event of disputes, a clarification of procedures, a streamlining of the negotiation arrangements, and an independent Chair for the National Joint Council.
Implementation of these recommendations would be a matter for the National Joint Council rather than for the Government itself. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is therefore consulting the employers and the union and other interested parties to confirm that they are willing to accept the proposals and to give them effect. He expects to announce the outcome of these consultations and to publish Professor Burchill's report early next month.
My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is extremely grateful to Professor Burchill for the time and effort he has given to the inquiry, the way he has conducted it and the extent of common understanding and agreement he has already been able to achieve.