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Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Answer

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research relating to Humberside he has commissioned to provide the evidential basis for his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. [149587] Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reseach relating to Cheshire he has commissioned to provide the evidential basis for his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. [149415] Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research relating to Humberside he has commissioned to provide the evidential basis for his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. [149401] Mr. Raynsford: The White Paper "Our Fire and Rescue Service" (Cm 5808) made clear that where voters choose to have an Elected Regional Assembly there will be a Regional Fire and Rescue Service. Until this occurs, local Fire and Rescue Authorities will continue to be responsible for the service. They are, however, expected to establish, by 1 April 2004, Regional Management Boards to deliver the functions which are most efficiently and effectively performed at a regional level. The Government's conclusions about the benefits of a regional approach to the delivery of services are set out in the White Paper, and are informed by a number of reviews of the service, culminating in the report of the Independent Review of the Fire Service published in December 2002. These reports are listed in the White Paper. Since then, further reports have been published which indicate the benefits of a regional approach. The Mott MacDonald report on the "Future of Fire and Rescue Service Control Rooms in England and Wales", published in December 2003, concluded that the optimum solution to secure efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of fire and rescue service control rooms would be nine control rooms in England matched to the areas of the Government Offices for the Regions. The government broadly accepts the conclusions of Mott MacDonald report, and is consulting on implementation. Copies of the report and a related one by Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate are available in the Library of the House. A recent report by Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate also concluded that local purchasing arrangements based on individual preferences are not the most efficient means of obtaining goods, services and equipment. A copy of this report is available in the Library of the House.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

416 c1459-60W; 149587

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Fire and rescue services Humberside Reform Research

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk