Chamber
Plenary, 18 Nov 2004
18 Nov 2004 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Fire (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
I, too, welcome the opportunity to take part in this debate on the stage 1 report on the Fire (Scotland) Bill.
A considerable amount of evidence was given to the committee and I thank all the main players in the fire service for giving up their time to come to the committee. They certainly all agreed that the existing legislation—the 1947 act—needed to be brought up to date. In its policy memorandum, the Executive states that the 1947 legislation is still mostly perfectly adequate, but that it
"would do little to progress the modernisation agenda."
I believe that the new bill will achieve what the Executive wants, which is to bring the fire and rescue service up to date and to allow it to modernise. No organisation can stand still, and the public expect a modern and efficient fire and rescue service to deliver in a modern society.
Of course, much of the detail of the new framework will be set out in secondary legislation, which has already been referred to, and in a new national framework. There is still considerable consultation to be had, as there has been during the passage of the bill so far. Like Annabel Goldie, I think that it might have been better if that consultation had been at a more complete stage by now. It would then have been easier for the committee to reach more robust conclusions on various parts of the bill—for example, on the national framework, charging and the new advisory structure.
The Chief Fire Officers Association and the Fire Brigades Union expressed concern about control and lines of responsibility. The minister has said something about that already, but I hope that he will do a little more to clarify the exact position.
In considering the overall provisions of the bill, there was real disagreement in the committee only on the future structure of the fire service. I stress that the bill will make no changes to the current structure of the fire services. Some written and oral evidence gave rise to the concern that part 1 of the bill puts the power to amalgamate fire boards into the hands of the minister. Members have already discussed that matter. In evidence, Ian Snedden said:
"the bill's provisions would allow amalgamation orders to provide for a smaller number of larger joint boards. However, in essence, that part of the bill restates the current arrangements. The current boards are set up through such amalgamation orders."—[Official Report, Justice 2 Committee, 9 September 2004; c 918.]
Therefore, any proposals for amalgamation currently have to be approved by ministers.
A considerable amount of evidence was given to the committee and I thank all the main players in the fire service for giving up their time to come to the committee. They certainly all agreed that the existing legislation—the 1947 act—needed to be brought up to date. In its policy memorandum, the Executive states that the 1947 legislation is still mostly perfectly adequate, but that it
"would do little to progress the modernisation agenda."
I believe that the new bill will achieve what the Executive wants, which is to bring the fire and rescue service up to date and to allow it to modernise. No organisation can stand still, and the public expect a modern and efficient fire and rescue service to deliver in a modern society.
Of course, much of the detail of the new framework will be set out in secondary legislation, which has already been referred to, and in a new national framework. There is still considerable consultation to be had, as there has been during the passage of the bill so far. Like Annabel Goldie, I think that it might have been better if that consultation had been at a more complete stage by now. It would then have been easier for the committee to reach more robust conclusions on various parts of the bill—for example, on the national framework, charging and the new advisory structure.
The Chief Fire Officers Association and the Fire Brigades Union expressed concern about control and lines of responsibility. The minister has said something about that already, but I hope that he will do a little more to clarify the exact position.
In considering the overall provisions of the bill, there was real disagreement in the committee only on the future structure of the fire service. I stress that the bill will make no changes to the current structure of the fire services. Some written and oral evidence gave rise to the concern that part 1 of the bill puts the power to amalgamate fire boards into the hands of the minister. Members have already discussed that matter. In evidence, Ian Snedden said:
"the bill's provisions would allow amalgamation orders to provide for a smaller number of larger joint boards. However, in essence, that part of the bill restates the current arrangements. The current boards are set up through such amalgamation orders."—[Official Report, Justice 2 Committee, 9 September 2004; c 918.]
Therefore, any proposals for amalgamation currently have to be approved by ministers.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S2M-1960, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, that the general principles of the Fire (Scotland) Bi...
The Deputy Minister for Justice (Hugh Henry):
Lab
I am delighted to open the debate on the general principles of the Fire (Scotland) Bill on behalf of the Executive. Our partnership agreement gave a commitme...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
Some of members' unease might be to do with the possibility of that power being used to reduce the number of fire control rooms around Scotland, a proposal t...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
I will deal with the issue of fire control rooms in a minute; if I may, I will stick to amalgamation.The power to amalgamate fire authorities has existed sin...
Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Does the minister understand that the unease that is shared by members of different parties and by many people outside the Parliament concerns the fact that ...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
There is no intention to rule by diktat. Any action that the Executive took on any such issues would follow thorough consultation and full discussion. We hav...
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab):
Lab
There has been a great deal of interest in, and some controversy about, the discussion on the future number of control rooms. I accept some of the assurances...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
I would be happy to do that. It is my intention that, after we have reflected on the comments that have been made and done further work on the calculations, ...
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
The minister mentioned that 23 of the 32 local authorities came down on the side of having three control rooms. The question that Mott MacDonald asked was wh...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
No, I do not, because a number of the responses argued for the status quo. The issue now is whether we are prepared to do further work and give the matter fu...
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the minister for his clarification of many points and for the tenor and tone of his speech. The fire service has served Scotland and her communities ...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
I hope that Mr MacAskill recognises that, as I explained to the committee, only one of the powers that he refers to—that of emergency direction—is exercisabl...
Mr MacAskill:
SNP
I accept that and welcome the tenor of the minister's words. However, the devil is in the detail and we must ask further questions about the use of ministeri...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
Kenny MacAskill has indicated that others in his party will comment on the issue of fire control rooms at some length, but I must point out that the bill is ...
Mr MacAskill:
SNP
The minister's words are factually correct, but many members of the public and many members in this chamber—not just those in my party—are concerned about th...
Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I take this opportunity to thank my fellow committee members, the clerks to the Justice 2 Committee and the witnesses who gave evidence during the stage 1 pr...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
I am baffled and would welcome further discussion with Annabel Goldie about exactly how the situation would change. The power has existed since 1947. All we ...
Miss Goldie:
Con
That is the nub of the disagreement between us. My reading of the bill is that it will provide for a ministerial power that could be instigated by the minist...
Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD):
LD
I, too, welcome the opportunity to take part in this debate on the stage 1 report on the Fire (Scotland) Bill.A considerable amount of evidence was given to ...
Miss Goldie:
Con
If that is the member's understanding of the situation, will he confirm that that is what section 2(1) says?
Mike Pringle:
LD
That is my interpretation of it. There was considerable discussion of the matter in the committee, and we must take a view. That is my view of the bill as it...
Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
The fire and rescue services—especially the local brigades—are held in high regard by the people of Scotland. The area that I represent has only one full-tim...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
Maureen Macmillan's point relates to an issue that was also raised by Kenny MacAskill. Section 45 clearly states that any negotiating body should include rep...
Maureen Macmillan:
Lab
I am glad of that assurance, as I hope others will be.The Mott MacDonald report has, as the minister knows, caused anxiety in most brigade areas. I ask the m...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I know that my colleagues will elaborate on this point, but listening to what the minister had to say about the reduction in the number of control rooms, I s...
Hugh Henry:
Lab
Will the member tell us how many local authorities are represented by those three brigades?
Ms White:
SNP
I was just about to say that the three fire brigades or authorities that indicated that three control rooms would be their preferred option represent 23 loca...
Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP):
SSP
Two years ago today, the first national fire strike in 25 years began. I was on the picket line at Liberton fire station in Edinburgh. Little did I realise t...
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab):
Lab
As a new member of the Justice 2 Committee, I did not have the opportunity to take part in any of the evidence sessions, but I nevertheless welcome the oppor...
Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
I heard what the member said about having a single control room, but what is his view on the prospect of having three control rooms?