Fire Services Act 1947

17 Conditions of service.

(1) The Secretary of State may, subject to the provisions of this section, make regulations as to the conditions of service of persons employed as members of fire brigades maintained in pursuance of this Act, and in particular—

(a) as to ranks, pay and allowances;

(b) as to hours of duty and leave;

(c) as to the maintenance of discipline;

(d) as to appeals against dismissal or disciplinary action (including dismissal on disciplinary grounds). References in this section to the conditions of service of persons employed as aforesaid include references to welfare arrangements for such persons.

(2) Where—

(a) the Secretary of State is satisfied that proper arrangements are in force for the consideration, by persons representing the interests of fire authorities and of persons employed as members of fire brigades maintained in pursuance of this Act, or any class of persons so employed, of questions arising as to the conditions of service of persons so employed or of the class of persons in question, as the case may be; and

(b) a recommendation is made in accordance with the arrangements as to any matter falling within the last foregoing subsection,

then if the Secretary of State approves the recommendation he may by regulations under this section give effect thereto.

(3) Where the Secretary of State does not approve any recommendation made as mentioned in the last foregoing subsection he shall refer the recommendation for further consideration in accordance with the arrangements, and for the making in accordance with the arrangements of a report thereon within such period not less than twenty-one days as he may specify, and shall take into consideration any report so made before proceeding to make regulations under this section as to any matter to which the recommendation relates.

(4) Where, without any such recommendation as aforesaid in that behalf having been made, the Secretary of State proposes to make regulations under, this section, then, if such arrangements as aforesaid are in force as respects the persons to whom the regulations are to relate, he shall before making the regulations refer his proposals—

(a) for consideration in accordance with the arrangements; and

(b) for the making in accordance with the arrangements of a report on the proposals within such period not less than twenty-one days as the Secretary of State may specify,

and where a report is so made then if the Secretary of State approves the recommendations in the report he may by regulations under this section give effect thereto, but if he does not approve the recommendations the last foregoing subsection shall apply as it applies where he does not approve recommendations made as mentioned in subsection (2) of this section.

(5) In the proviso to subsection (1) of section nineteen of the [8 & 9 Geo. 6. c. 17.] Wages Councils Act, 1945 (which excludes from the operation of Part III of that Act workers whose remuneration is fixed under other enactments), after the words " the Education Act, 1944," there shall be inserted the words " the Fire Services Act, 1947. "