asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the parameters he intends to use when assessing the first three years of the life of the proposed London Joint Board for Fire whether or not the joint board budget and manpower complement is acceptable.

Clauses 66 and 83 of the Local Government Bill now before Parliament provide for my right hon. and learned Friend to exercise transitional precept and manpower controls over the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority. He intends to use them to ensure that it can discharge economically, effectively and efficiently its statutory functions and maintain nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.