Clause 31 - Negotiating bodies
Fire and Rescue Services Bill
12:00 pm
Mr Nick Raynsford (Minister of State (Local and Regional Government), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Greenwich and Woolwich, Labour)
The current negotiating machinery, which is under discussion by the parties, is crucial to the modernisation of the fire and rescue service. As I expect that we will have a more ample debate on the wider principles of the negotiating machinery, I shall make no further comments about it now, other than to repeat the obvious point that it was the subject of a central recommendation of the Bain review of the fire service. In this, as in so many other areas, we are working on the basis of recommendations in that report.
As I said, the existing negotiation arrangements are under review. We hope that the review will lead to improved arrangements that meet the needs of a modern fire and rescue service. The clause provides the Secretary of State with reserve powers to establish statutory negotiating bodies for England should the review fail to deliver appropriate improvements.
Amendments Nos. 149 and 150 seek to ensure that a negotiating body established under the clause would negotiate conditions of service for employees of fire and rescue authorities in Scotland and Wales, as well as England. As the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge has rightly pointed out, the existing negotiating arrangements work on a UK-wide basis. We would prefer that to continue.
If, however, we were to decide to draw down the powers in the Bill and establish a statutory body, it would make sense for England and Scotland to legislate in their respective areas of competence. That is logical, in view of the fact that responsibility for the fire and rescue service is already devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland and will be devolved to Wales as part of the Bill. The financial and policy framework is already devolved. It is therefore possible that over time our financial and policy positions may diverge and we would not wish to be bound by statute to negotiate as one. However, I repeat that we have no intention at
present to vary the existing arrangements for UK-wide negotiation.