To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps are being taken to control the FiReControl project budget. (311543)

The Department works to deliver the benefits of FiReControl, at least cost to the taxpayer.

We have professional finance and contractual expertise to control the budget and manage contracts with suppliers. FiReControl follows the Department's finance and procurement processes. We follow best practice set out by the Office of Government Commerce, who rigorously review the project on a regular basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) original and (b) most recent cost estimate is for the (i) Firelink, (ii) Firebuy Integrated Clothing and (iii) FiREControl project. (311629)

The information is as follows:

(i) On a comparable basis the Firelink cost estimates are:

Original contract award 29 March 2006: £353 million.

Current estimate, August 2009: £313 million.

(ii) There is no recent separate cost estimate for the Firebuy Integrated Clothing Project. This is one of a number of contracts established within the fire and rescue service procurement remit of Firebuy.

(iii) For the FiReControl project, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Copeland (Mr. Reed) on 2 November 2009, Official Report, column 764W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his latest estimate is of the cost to the public purse of the FiReControl project since its inception. (312008)

The current estimated overall cost of implementation of the FiReControl project is £420 million.