The provision of a fire service, including the provision and maintenance of fire-fighting applicances and equipment for its brigades, is the responsibility of the local fire authorities.
My Department obtains information from the fire authorities on their fire vehicle fleets from time to time; the latest information relates to the position at 31 December 1996. I propose to circulate in the Official Report a tabular statement setting out the information supplied by the authorities in relation to the year of manufacture of their front line fire-fighting appliances.
My Department provides capital grants towards certain expenditures incurred by the fire authorities on the provision of a fire service. The provision of £5.033 million for the fire services capital programme in 1998 is the highest since 1991.
Front-Line Appliances Year of Manufacture