To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated budgets for the regional emergency control centres for the fire service are; what the original estimated budgets were; and how much was allocated to UK fire services in total for 2007-08. (182386)

[holding answer 25 January 2008]: The current estimated cost of implementing FiReControl in England is approximately £360 million (in 2007-08 prices). The original estimated cost (at 2004-05 prices) was £264 million in England. We currently expect to fund £19 million in 2007-08 of transitional costs in implementing FiReControl in England. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies have responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.