Clause 12 - Other services
Fire and Rescue Services Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Phil Hope (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Corby, Labour/Co-operative)
I can give the hon. Gentleman the assurance that he requires. Amendment No. 65 would restrict the power under clause 12 for fire and rescue authorities to provide services extraneous to their core functions as set out in clauses 6 to 9, and it would mean that an authority could take on a service only as long as it did not adversely affect its core duties under those clauses. The amendment is unnecessary; it is implicit that an authority must make provision for the efficient discharge of its core duties as set out in those clauses, and it would be in possible breach of its legal obligation were it not to do so for whatever reason.
Fire and rescue authorities already undertake activities that are of benefit to the wider community; for example, as the hon. Gentleman described, using pumping equipment to help to drain a village or community pond, but not my right hon. Friend's non-existent swimming pool.