On Wednesday, I shall meet the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Tooting (Mr. Khan), together with a delegation of Members of Parliament from the areas of the 10 fire and rescue authorities in England that have received a provisional grant increase of only 0.5 per cent. for next year and the year after. Tonight, I present a petition signed by hundreds of people from my constituency urging the Government to think again.

The petition states:

To the House of Commons.

The Petition of Kevin Booth, Editor of “The Press” York and the people of York,

Declares that the Petitioners note with concern the proposed increase in Government funding for the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service of only 0.5 per cent. in 2009-10 and again in 2010-11.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to provide a fairer grant settlement to ensure firefighters can continue to respond to fires and other emergencies, and also deliver a comprehensive fire prevention service across York and North Yorkshire.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

[P000297]