This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New fire service Bill
01/10/2003
Proposals for a new Bill to modernise the fire
service inScotlandhave been published for consultation.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson unveiled the
'Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Proposals for
Legislation' which will form the basis for a new Bill
to replace legislation that is now over 50 years
old.The formal consultation period for these proposals
ends on31 December 2003.
It will ensure that brigades are equipped to meet
modern day demands placed on the fire service.
Included in the consultation paper is:
- The creation of a national framework for fire
and rescue services
- A move toward a stronger fire prevention
ethos
- Putting core duties on a statutory
footing
Cathy Jamieson said:
"The past year has been an unsettling and uncertain
one for the fire service inScotland.
"Scotlandcontinues to have the unenviable record of more fire
related deaths per head of population than any other
country in theUK. Our modernisation agenda is about reducing the risk
of emergencies arising in the first place whilst continuing
to improve the emergency response.
"The Fire Service Act 1947 is well out of
date. During the last fifty years the fire
service's role has been evolving and developing and the
time is right to give the fire service in
Scotlanda new vision and direction.
"A modern and efficient fire and rescue service
makes sense because a service which fails to change,
fails.
"One of the key changes in the proposed
legislation is the establishment of a national
framework that will provide strategic national
direction and a clear statement of our expectations of
the service.
"It will set out areas of national priority 96 such
as protecting the public from and responding to the threat
from terrorism. But the framework will also
strengthen the responsibility of authorities to deliver the
service in the best possible way for their local
community.
"Currently, the fire service has a role in
firefighting, fire prevention, attending some road traffic
accidents, dealing with serious non-fire emergencies and
enforcing fire safety. Most people inScotlandwould be surprised to learn that not all of these are
statutory duties. The new Bill will incorporate
these roles into the core duties of the service.
"Stakeholder input to policy development will be
provided through a 'practitioners forum' which
management and their employees will be required to
form. I want to work together with stakeholders in
driving the service forward.
"The Executive is committed to both modernising and
investing in our fire and rescue services. The funding of
the fire service per head of population inScotlandis 15 per cent higher than inEnglandand around 18 per cent higher than inWales. And we will continue investing in the fire and
rescue service. Between 2003 and 2006 the service's
share of GAE will increase by over £29 million.
"So this is not about cuts. Fire service
modernisation is about a smarter fire service that will
help makeScotlandsafer."
The proposed new Bill will also:
- enhance the Fire Service's role in fire
investigation work
- involve stakeholders in decisions about the
remit and responsibilities of a new Common Fire
Services Agency - which would have the aim of
incorporating those functions that would be carried
out more efficiently and effectively on an
all-Scotland basis
- propose a technical review of control room
arrangements be carried out
- require Fire Authorities to have Integrated
Risk Management Plans which would seek to put the
right response in place at the right time to
protect the public
- reduce the burden on businesses by reforming
the current fragmented workplace fire precautions
legislation whilst at the same time improving the
protection of those at work
The Scottish Executive consultation document 'The
Future of the Fire Service inScotland' (launched April 2002) formed the basis to address
issues of modernisation.
A new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Bill will
be introduced to Parliament next year.