§ Mrs. BrowningTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the emergency services concerning the cost to them of proposed changes to radio channels. [121337]
§ Mr. Charles Clarke[holding answer 9 May 2000]: The spectrum currently used by the police and fire services for radio communications has serious limitations and is the key reason why we arranged for the provision of new spectrum. The plan is that emergency services will use high quality spectrum, released at no cost by the Norther Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which will enable emergency services radio systems to function more efficiently than that provided by current schemes. We are achieving this by the introduction of the new Public Safety Radio Communications Service. We are doing so in accordance with an internationally agreed harmonized plan for use of Public Safety radio spectrum.
Both the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities have concluded that the Public Safety Radio Communications Project (PSRCP) meets technical requirements and offers value for money at a national level. However, a number of Police Forces and Police Authorities have raised the question of affordability of the PSRC Service.
405WI have also received various representations from the Fire Service about future radio communications and control room requirements, including views on costs and on their participation in the PSRC Service.