Well, they also said that the proposed objective seeks, somewhat bizarrely, to preserve the current high standards of fire and rescue services by reforming the arrangements that have produced them. The White Paper lacks coherence in that it proposes solutions to problems that it accepts do not exist, and the White Paper speaks of a perception that fire and rescue authorities are unaccountable. Are you, therefore, at least sympathetic to this statement? 

'As for public accountability, we do not accept that fire and rescue authorities are unaccountable. Our meetings are open to the public and are now webcast so they can be watched remotely, spending and other plans are published annually, people have the facilities to make requests under freedom of information legislation, and the service goes out of its way to meet with representative groups and to take an active part in collaborations with other public voluntary and public sector organisations.'

And it goes on to financial information being accessible and so on. I appreciate that you can't prejudge your response to the consultation, but are you at least sympathetic to the concerns that are here being raised?