Fire services
105. The Government says in its evidence that there
was no specific activity within the Fire Service focused on CBRN
terrorism in the period before 11 September 2001[118].
Mr Peter Morphew, HM Senior Inspector of Fire Services, told us
that ODPM was now spending £860,000 on two main research
strands. The first is looking at the decontamination of people,
in collaboration with the DoH and the police and ambulance service.[119]
The second, working with the police, is into the design of protective
equipment - into protection of the airways and the protection
of skin through impermeable clothing.[120]
All of this research is being carried out externally. Mr David
Peace, Director of the ODPM's Fire Research Division, said the
Fire Service had a small research group of 15 professionally qualified
staff who, before 11 September 2001, spent about half a million
pounds annually on a variety of issues in support of the Fire
Service. This work expanded significantly after 11 September 2001.[121]
New Dimension Programme
106. Following the terrorist attack on 11 September
2001, the DTLR Minister with responsibility for fire (now ODPM)
requested HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services for England and
Wales to examine the fire service's ability to respond to such
catastrophes. A "New Dimension Group" was established
"to evaluate Fire Service capabilities and to make recommendations
to ensure that it is sufficiently trained and equipped to deal
with catastrophic, CBRN and conventional terrorist incidents".[122]
Before 11 September 2001 individual fire authorities would procure
their own equipment. A decision has subsequently been made that
central government will buy the key bits of equipment such as
radios and mass decontamination equipment.[123]
107. Twelve specifications for equipment associated
with mass decontamination of the public were completed:
- Casualty decontamination structures
- Casualty pre decontamination packs
- Casualty post decontamination packs
- Firefighter decontamination equipment
- Radiation monitoring equipment
- Radiation dosimetry
- Chemical monitoring equipment
- Biological monitoring equipment
- Air sampling/flammability detection equipment
- Casualty carrying equipment
- Firefighter gas tight suits
108. As a result of the programme, ODPM will provide
77 Incident Response vehicles for carrying mass decontamination
equipment and 190 purpose built decontamination units. Each vehicle
will carry decontamination units, each capable of decontaminating
large numbers of people (200 people per hour) and ancillary equipment,
including temporary clothing for affected members of the public.
This equipment will be deployed flexibly, on the basis of a comprehensive
analysis of risk, to meet the needs of all fire authorities. The
new equipment being purchased includes 4,400 additional gas tight
suits, doubling the fire service capability, to enable firefighters
to work safely. The new decontamination Disrobe and Re-robe packs
contain insulated clothing which provides good protection from
inclement weather. Investment through the programme amounts to
£56 million. We understand that money comes from the £330
million announced by the Chancellor in his Budget 2003. An update
on the progress of the programme to September 2003 has been published
as evidence.[124] The
Local Government Association, in its evidence to the Bain Review
(commissioned by the ODPM to inquire into and make recommendations
on the future organisation and management of the Fire Service)
had commented that "The extra resources in 2003/04 (£66m)
are insufficient to fund even a 3.5% pay award, price increases,
and the additional cost of pensions. This apparently leaves nothing
whatsoever for probable commitments". One of these is "Additional
activities relating to the new threat of terrorism".[125]
The New Dimension programme seems a sensible and comprehensive
attempt to address the CBRN terrorist threat, for which we commend
the Fire Service.
109. After its formation of the New Dimension Group,
HM Fire Services Inspectorate started to publish a series of newsletters,
informing the stakeholders - fire authorities, brigades, partners
and interested groups - of the progress of the programme. This
was a welcome initiative and in the first three issues provided
detail on the procurement of mobile decontamination units. Also
presented was information on the input of Professor Sir David
King' Science Working Group on 14 February 2002, which as far
as we can ascertain is the only public statement of its activities.
110. It was disappointing, therefore, that publication
ceased after three issues in August 2002. We pursued this matter
with officials from the ODPM's Health and Safety Directorate when
they gave evidence on 16 May 2003. We had been told by Nick Raynsford,
Minister of State at the ODPM, that this session needed to be
in private for security reasons. The implication was that the
remainder of the programme, such as chemical, radiological and
biological monitoring equipment, was of a sensitive nature and
so the newsletters had been stopped. We were very surprised to
hear from witnesses during the session that this was not the case;
rather, the ongoing fire dispute had been the real reason for
the Government's secrecy and nothing in the New Dimension programme
was classified.[126]
Mr Morphew reassured us that the publication of these newsletters
would resume. However, as this report was being finalised we can
find no evidence of this.[127]
We had been assured that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
would resume publication of the New Dimension newsletters to inform
the fire community of the programme's progress. To our knowledge
this has not occurred and we recommend that this takes place without
delay.
111. Government had shown a willingness to communicate
the progress of the New Dimension programme, which we welcome.
It is our view, however, that the fire dispute did not provide
adequate grounds to change this policy. We regret that Ministers
apparently felt unable to give the real reason for not cooperating
with this part of our inquiry. It is a sorry indictment of the
Government's policy on releasing information on security issues
that Government witnesses were unaware of, or unwilling to stick
to, the reasons advanced by Ministers for refusing permission
for them to appear in public.
CUSTOMS AND PORTS
112. The Home Office says that the strength of the
UK's border control lies in the specialist expertise and close
co-operation and co-ordination of the key agencies, namely the
Police (including Special Branch), the Security Service, Immigration
and HM Customs and Excise. The Home Office says they operate an
intelligence-led approach, targeting those who pose a risk to
our security, while not causing endless disruption to passengers,
trade and freight.[128]
113. Since the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US
the screening and searching of passengers and baggage at airports
and seaports has been stepped up. Examining Officers for Police,
Immigration and Customs now have the power to stop, question,
search and detain any individual entering or leaving Great Britain
or Ireland if they believe that person is connected with terrorist
activities. Air and sea carriers must now supply information to
an Examining Officer, upon written request, about passengers,
crew and freight on all journeys to, from and within the UK. The
Home Office is setting up joint immigration controls in France
and Belgium, so that people can be checked, and if necessary refused
passage, before they leave for the UK.
114. The BBC reported on 14 May 2003 that customs
officers in the UK are to be issued with new detection equipment
in an effort to stop terrorists bringing in material for a radioactive
bomb. New detection technology has been installed at the Channel
Tunnel entry points and the port of Calais to check for people
concealed in lorries or trains. This technology is currently being
extended to other ports in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.[129]
In a written answer in the House of Lords on 3 July, Home Office
Minister Baroness Scotland of Asthal said that investment in this
detection technology represented a "significant" part
of the £330 million announced in the 2003 budget for counter-terrorism.[130]
We welcome the move to install radiation detectors at ports
and its public announcement. This will contribute to the public's
confidence in the measures taken by the Government and could act
as a deterrent to potential terrorist groups. The communication
of this initiative is at odds with the Government's usual policy
on CBRN countermeasures. We urge the Government to take a more
consistent and open approach.
118 Ev 135 Back
119
Q 602 Back
120
Q 605 Back
121
Q 640 Back
122
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, The New Dimension Newsletter,
Issue 1, May 2002 Back
123
Q 628 Back
124
Ev 258-260 Back
125
Local Government Association, First submission to the Independent
Review of the Fire Service, October 2002, para 66 Back
126
Qq 654-655 Back
127
Q 625 Back
128
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/terrorism Back
129
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/terrorism Back
130
HL Deb, 3 July 2003, Col 124WA Back
