Decisions on the provision of new fire pumps and other equipment are matters for the local fire and rescue authority.
However, Northamptonshire fire and rescue authority has successfully bid for £3.16 million from the £75 million Fire Transformation Fund to replace their current fire service incident command unit vehicle with a purpose built vehicle to be jointly crewed by police and fire staff. In addition, the funding will enable Northamptonshire to purchase joint rural response units. This funding will be made available in 2015-16.<\/p>
Fire and rescue authorities are best placed to assess and manage their performance through the integrated risk management plan.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-20T15:22:53.273Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fire Services: Northamptonshire"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what new (a) fire pumps and (b) other equipment is being provided for Northamptonshire Fire Service; what recent assessment he has made of the overall performance of that service; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1581", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Peter Bone"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wellingborough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Peter Bone"} ], "uin" : "214655"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155753", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155753/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
There are currently over 1,000 firefighters in the Service aged 55 or over, all of whom provide a valuable contribution to the fire service. The pension reforms protect those who are closest to their scheme\u2019s Normal Pension Age and therefore no firefighter will need to work beyond their current scheme\u2019s Normal Pension Age over the next five years. The Government commissioned report Normal Pension Age for Firefighters<\/em> found that there was no reason why every firefighter who stayed physically active could not remain operational until age 60. The report can be found at http://www.clg.heywood.co.uk/node/658<\/a>. There is no single fitness standard in fire and rescue authorities and Dr Williams' assessment was based on current practices amongst fire and rescue authorities. The Government supports and encourages fire and rescue authorities to share estates with the the police and ambulance services in cases where the opportunity to do so is locally identified. The recently announced £75 million fire transformation fund includes, for example, £4.5 million for new fire stations in Merseyside which will be shared with the police and ambulance service. Sharing estates can of course help drive efficiency savings and further collaboration between the emergency services.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-20T15:21:02.237Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Emergency Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on the fire service, police service and ambulance service sharing the same buildings; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1581", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Peter Bone"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wellingborough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Peter Bone"}
], "uin" : "214658"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155764", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155764/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Ministers regularly meet with firefighters and their representatives on a range of fire related issues, undertake visits to fire stations across England and firefighters are regularly updated on key issues through open letters.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-20T15:30:37.197Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fire Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he and other Ministers in his Department have had with firefighters and their representatives.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dudley North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ian Austin"}
], "uin" : "214633"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155432", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155432/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are supportive of fire and rescue authorities looking at new and innovative ways of delivering their services to best meet the needs of their communities. <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-17T16:02:06.13Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fire Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act to permit fire authorities to contract out the full provision of fire and rescue services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4037", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Blenkinsop"}
], "uin" : "214403"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155433", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155433/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I and my officials meet representatives from fire and rescue authorities from time to time on a range of matters. Since becoming Fire Minister in July, neither my officials nor I have had a meeting with Cleveland Fire Brigade to discuss the introduction of public service mutuals. My Department does not hold the specific information requested. Acts of Parliament are a matter of public record and can be found by consulting a legal journal such as Halsbury\u2019s Statutes. Details of any 19th century pier companies, created by local Acts of Parliament, that are still in existence may be found by consulting the online search register at Companies House at http://companieshouse.gov.uk/<\/a><\/p> <\/p> According to the National Piers Society, there are 58 surviving piers in the United Kingdom of which 33 are in private sector ownership, 21 are owned by local authorities and 4 are in community or other ownership.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-18T16:58:00.553Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Piers"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many pier companies created by local acts of parliament in the 19th century are still in existence.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bellingham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Norfolk"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Henry Bellingham"}
], "uin" : "213783"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101072", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/101072/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Exercise Senator 2011 tested the multi-agency response to an incident involving a UK nuclear weapon convoy travelling in Scotland and the simulated release of radioactive material. The Ministry of Defence is the lead Government Department responsible for emergencies involving defence nuclear assets (other than an emergency arising as a result of a terrorist event where the Home Office is appointed as lead).<\/p> <\/p> The Ministry of Defence works closely with devolved administrations (Scotland in this exercise) and local responders to ensure an effective coordinated response. The central government\u2019s concept of operations sets out UK arrangements for responding to and recovering from emergencies.<\/p>
On 28 October I published a consultation to put the key fitness principles onto a statutory footing through the Fire National Framework. These proposals underpin the fitness and capability processes that exist within individual fire and rescue authorities and complement the work being undertaken by the joint fitness group facilitated by the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, Peter Holland. These important initiatives will help reassure firefighters that they will be appropriately supported throughout their career.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-20T15:55:35.6Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fire Services: Conditions of Employment"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of how many and what proportion of firefighters between the age of 55 and 60 will fail the fitness test in each of the next five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1581", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Peter Bone"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wellingborough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Peter Bone"}
], "uin" : "214656"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155755", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/155755/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have no current plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act and I refer the hon. Member to the previous Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for fire services (Brandon Lewis) speech in an Adjournment Debate on 13 May 2013 (Official Report<\/em>, column 470 onwards) where he set out the Government's position on mutuals very clearly.<\/p>
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4017", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Penny Mordaunt"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Penny Mordaunt"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-17T16:03:51.983Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-11-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cleveland Fire Brigade"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Cleveland Fire Brigade about the introduction of public service mutuals.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4037", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Blenkinsop"}
], "uin" : "214402"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/142146", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/142146/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "