§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made in the procurement of a national radio network for the fire service; and when he expects the budget to be complete. [90434]
§ Mr. RaynsfordA notice announcing the procurement was published in the official journal of the European Communities on 24 October 2002, approximately three months ahead of schedule. As a result 45 companies requested pre-qualification documentation. Subsequently 33 companies submitted a response; of these 17 wished to be considered as the main contractor and 13 as possible subcontractors. The evaluation of these responses is continuing and due to be completed during February 2003. Invitations to submit formal proposals will be issued to the pre-qualified organisations in May 2003.
The budget for the ongoing costs of the project team is complete already: it is being funded from within the office of the Deputy Prime Minister resources. The budget for the main project investment will be in place before contracts fall to be signed, in financial year 2004–05.
§ David DavisTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister when fire fighting personnel, including those military personnel on Operation FRESCO, have been redeployed from their home fire stations in each month since October 2002; and whether such stations are classified(a) rural and (b) urban. [90223]
§ Mr. RaynsfordFire service redeployments are arranged at local level and are not recorded by Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate. In a number of fire brigades responsibility rests at station level to arrange short term redeployments to maintain crewing on a day by day basis. In such cases the overall crewing level for the brigade would be recorded, but individual movements would not be directly measured. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not aware of any significant movement between rural or urban areas.
Armed Forces personnel were not attached to individual fire stations.