§ John McDonnellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Government intend to review the funding formula for the fire service with regard to the funding of specialist non-fire services undertaken by the fire service. [87802]
§ Mr. RaynsfordOn 5 December, as part of the provisional local government finance settlement for England for 2003–04, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced proposals resulting from the review of the local government grant distribution system. This includes a new fire distribution formula which takes account of the widening role of the fire service as a fire and rescue service. The Bain report, published on 16 December 2002, recommended that the Government look again at the formula.
We will consider this and Bain's other recommendations in a White Paper to be published next year.