PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
NATIONAL FIRE CONTROL PROJECT (24 May 2010)

That this House notes the fiscal downturn and its effects in the UK caused directly by the global recession; further notes the recent change of approach by the new coalition government strategy of cut and burn economics, particularly towards public sector jobs and services; believes that rather than reducing public sector jobs, the Government should instead examine the expressed views of trades unions, notably the Fire Brigades Union which has regularly aired its concerns about the National Fire Control Project, initially intended to be completed by 2007 and to be self-sufficient within five years, and which is instead now considerably over budget, time, unlikely to deliver any savings and is facing further delay with the national network not now likely to be in place and able to be rigorously tested in time for either the 2012 Olympics or Paralympics; and further believes that the large projected overspend on this project, if cancelled, represents a better and more viable option than the loss of other important public sector jobs, which in the same timescale will deliver other essential services to those in need whilst giving existing fire service control rooms the time to be swiftly upgraded to ensure the communication benefits sought by Government are both in place delivered instead by local fire brigade control rooms.

Sponsored by:
Sir Alan Meale (Labour)