Stunell: New Measures to Protect Fire Fighters Needed
April 12, 2005 9:17 PM
Tomorrow afternoon Andrew Stunell, Hazel Grove Parliamentary Candidate for the Liberal Democrats, will visit Offerton Fire Station as part of his campaign to end assaults on emergency workers. Lord McNally, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, will return to his old stomping ground in Offerton to join Mr Stunell in calling for new powers to prosecute those who assault fire fighters, ambulance crews and doctors and nurses.
Their appeal comes after a number of recent attacks on fire fighters in the Greater Manchester region. In one shocking incident two fire fighters had to be taken to hospital after having missiles thrown at them.
Andrew Stunell has already raised the issue in Parliament with a Parliamentary Motion, and hopes to change the law in the next Parliament if he is re-elected as Member of Parliament for Hazel Grove on May 5th.
Mr Stunell said:
"Fire fighters do a fantastic job under challenging and dangerous circumstances. They have a right to protection.
"Those who attack fire fighters or put their equipment out of order endanger us all. It is a scary thought.
"Greater protection is needed for fire fighters, and all emergency workers. Only 2% of reported incidents lead to prosecution, with the CPS refusing to take incidents to court. By making it a summary offence, it would make it easier for prosecutions to be made."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. Andrew Stunell and Lord McNally will visit Offerton Fire Station, Lisburn Lane at 4.30 on Wednesday 13th April. Members of the press are very welcome to join the visit. Please ring Jane Allen on 07779 595609 or 0161 4067070 for more details of arrangements.
2. Lord McNally was the Member of Parliament for Stockport South from 1979-1983. He is now the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.
3. Lord McNally was originally a Labour Member of Parliament, and became one of the founding members of the Social Democratic Party in 1981. He became Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords in October 2004.
4. The text of the Parliamentary motion submitted to Parliament is:
That this House notes that a summary offence for assault against a police officer was created in the Police Act 1996 and that the Scottish Parliament has introduced The Emergency Workers (Scotland) Bill to create a specific offence of attacking an emergency worker; and further considering the rise in assaults on public sector workers, such as fire fighters, paramedics and nurses, calls upon the Government to make an assault on emergency workers and medical staff undertaking their duty a summary offence.
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