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Plenary, 08 Oct 2003

08 Oct 2003 · S2 · Plenary

Item of business

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Goldie, Annabel Con West of Scotland Watch on SPTV

Yes, and I was comforted by the observations in that connection. I do not think that there is any objection to the need for the Executive to have a strategic overview of what it thinks is necessary for the domestic provision of fire services and, as has already been alluded to, for the possible implications of terrorist activity or, as Mr Morgan suggested, of activity on ferries. I accept that at some point there has to be a co-ordinating strategy to cope with that, but it remains to be seen exactly how the balance falls in relation to the details of those proposals.

Sensible progress can be made—indeed, I think it is already being made—with a fully co-operative approach in partnership with all the stakeholders. Rather than be in any sense prescriptive, that may be a more constructive way forward. It is paradoxical that the Executive's proposals to which I have referred go against the grain of decentralisation and more local control by local fire service authorities. There are implied concerns in the proposals. For example, the integrated risk management plan reeks of centralisation but also presents an untested, and therefore unquantifiable, operational strategy for fire authorities. Frankly, far from managing risk, such a plan seems to me fraught with risk. It is essential that such a radical change to operational activity is piloted.

By their nature, the proposals are heavily flavoured with centralised—[Interruption.] I am sorry, Presiding Officer—I have gone backwards in my speech. I am pleased to say that it made as much sense the second time as it did the first time.

On the centralised nature of the proposals, my party's overriding concern is with the whole thrust of what is being contemplated. If one examines the practical framework within which the fire service in Scotland has to operate, a markedly diverse pattern emerges, which is partially attributable to the geography of Scotland and partially attributable to varying population densities. The 2001-02 report from Her Majesty's chief inspector of fire services for Scotland graphically illustrates that diversity. Of the eight brigade areas, geographical extent varies from Fife, with 1,323km2, to the Highlands and Islands with 31,348km2. After Fife, the second smallest geographical area is Central Scotland with 2,652km2, but while Fife serves 350,400 people and Central Scotland serves 278,000, the vast area of the Highlands and Islands serves 277,700 people.

Within that configuration, local decision making, local operational autonomy and flexibility are absolutely vital, which is why my party has a sense of suspicion and opposition to any framework that includes top-down targets and performance indicators and which interferes with the local autonomy of our fire services. That gets to the nub of the matter.

I listened to what the minister said about the possible situation in respect of the number of fire brigades in Scotland.

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Plenary, 08 Oct 2003

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