Government grant association

The 35th AGM saw a record attendance of 347 members and guests, however Chair Derek Harrington said that companies faced the most competitive environment "we have ever seen. Change is relentless and swift. The global financial market never sleeps. Technology has shrunk the world. Free trade has opened new markets, but it has also created new competitors."

He said the DTI had a critical role in creating a favourable environment for innovation and growth and praised its strategy to be right "being market-based and horizontal in approach, focusing on providing co-ordination and support".

The technological demands had a knock-on effect on trade associations, he said, but the BFPSA had maintained "a very high level of activity".

He said the associations had made significant input into BAFE's third party certification schemes on fire protection systems and halon decommissioning in compliance with European Regulation EC2037.

Moving on to training courses, he said that 1,200 candidates have passed through various courses in the past year and that 10 new courses would be attracting over 1,000 students over the next year. He said that retraining is fundamental with the revisions to BS 5839 Part 1 and 9 and BS 6266.

Mr Harrington welcomed Wilf Butcher as Chair of industry umbrella group, the Fire Industry Confederation, which would continue to build upon and strengthen existing partnerships within the fire protection community. It is through the FIC that BFPSA is represented on the Fire Safety Advisory Board and its six subgroups. "It is a commitment, which we are particularly happy to provide and we are pleased to see its continuing development as the principal stakeholder body responsible for advising the Minister on fire safety issues."

Currently, the board is looking at fire safety legislation, and he urged the board to "establish via the Cabinet Office that proposed reform measures, already agreed by the board, are achievable under the Regulatory Reform Bill; for any serious shortfall will further damage an industry under the attack of deregulation and hence add to the lack of user understanding of their responsibilities in this new deregulation environment.

"Clearly a workable regulatory framework for fire protection is one important element in providing the conditions for our industry to do its job. Another equally important aspect is the economic framework under which we carry out our business." He called on Government support to overcome inequalities in the market as small enterprises strive to meet standards.

Mr Harrington moved onto the European and wider global context, "where Governmental efforts are most important in creating a level playing field." The last Competition White Paper, published in January 2001, began to identify some of the tasks facing UK industry internationally and he quoted: "`We need agreed standards, clear rules and fair dispute mechanisms'." The paper identified the importance of the eternal market in Europe and the importance of working closely with business "`to identify the most important remaining barriers to completion of the single market and the most effective solutions in removing them'."

"I welcome that commitment. Let us hope that it is not a false dawn."

Mentioning the European Union's ten-year programme of reform to make it the most "dynamic and knowledge-based economy in the world," Mr Harrington said more information is required by exporters to "compete effectively".

"So we would appreciate some concrete proposals from the European Commission," he concluded, "and some indication of when such reforms will bite and in this matter we intend to pursue our views with the utmost vigor."

Geraldine Alliston, Director of Electronics Manufacturing at the DTI, followed the Chair, and announced a grant of 77,000 [pounds sterling] towards a concerted marketing and promotional campaign for a halon decommissioning training and certification scheme.

The grant, over a two-year period, will be used to support marketing and promotion of the BAFE Competence Certificate Course. Ms Alliston said halon decommissioning must proceed "as quickly and safely as possible" towards the December 1, 2003 deadline.