Clause 3 - Creation of combined fire and rescue authorities: supplementary
Fire and Rescue Services Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
My hon. Friend accurately focuses on an issue that is of great public concern. The Minister will have to be mindful of those concerns when he considers his national communications programme for the fire service, if the erection of new radio masts is required for such a service. In his response to my points—in which I pointed out that the existing CFAs do not have compulsory purchase powers—the Minister failed to explain why, if those powers are considered necessary, he has not taken the opportunity presented by the Bill to grant them to existing CFAs. I can only conclude that they are not intended to be a permanent or long-term part of the structure. Otherwise, he would give them the powers that he says newly created clause 2 CFAs will need to possess.