Clause 59 - Wales
Fire and Rescue Services Bill
4:15 pm
Mr Phil Hope (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Corby, Labour/Co-operative)
I beg to move amendment No. 168, in
clause 59, page 26, line 6, at end insert—
'(1A) In its application to Wales, section 21(6) has effect with the omission of the words ''and lay before Parliament''.
(1B) In its application to Wales, section 24 has effect as if for ''report to Parliament'' there were substituted ''publish a report''.'.
The amendment seeks to ensure that an appropriate procedure applies to the fire and rescue service framework for Wales. Laying the framework before the UK Parliament, and reporting to Parliament on authorities' compliance and on the steps taken by the National Assembly for Wales to ensure it, would cut across the overall intent of the clause. That is to ensure that the powers exercisable by the Secretary of State for English fire and rescue authorities are exercisable by the National Assembly for Wales for Welsh fire and rescue authorities. The amendment therefore deletes
the references to Parliament in clause 21(6) and clause 24, leaving the method of publication and report to the discretion of the National Assembly for Wales.
Amendment agreed to.
Question proposed, That the clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill.