Clause 16 - Arrangements for discharge of functions by others
Fire and Rescue Services Bill
11:00 am
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
The Minister says that we will see that later. I am not sure whether he means later in our discussions on the Bill, or later when there is a Conservative Government and he can see how my right hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) discharges the extensive powers that the Minister is generously seeking to make available to him.
I am slightly concerned about what the Under-Secretary said about the definition of the term ''firefighter''. He said that there was no definition. I rather suspected as much—and I rather suspected that that has never been a problem. However, we now have something rather different, because clause 15 specifically limits the class of person with whom an arrangement can be made to a person who employs firefighters. That puts the need for a definition of a firefighter on a different level. The hon. Gentleman might want to reflect upon that, because otherwise it seems to me that somebody who fights fires becomes by definition a firefighter, and the thing becomes completely circular.
If clause 16 is to stand as drafted, I cannot see why there should not be a definition in the Bill that refers to appropriate skills, training and experience, or something of that nature. Otherwise the restriction in clause 15 is meaningless—but as this is a stand part debate, I have said everything that I need to say.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 16 ordered to stand part of the Bill.