The First Minister has recommended that Her Majesty the Queen appoint Mr Brian Fraser, currently Chief Fire Officer with South Wales Fire & Rescue Service, as Head of the Fire & Rescue Advisory Unit in Scotland. The Unit replaces HM Inspectorate of Fire Services.

 

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill said:

 

"I am delighted to have Brian Fraser heading up our new Advisory Unit.

"This is an exciting time for the Service in Scotland as we move towards developing the new Fire Framework and Brian's wealth of experience will be invaluable in that context."

 

Mr Fraser QFSM MiFireE, who was previously an adviser to the Welsh Assembly Government on Fire and Rescue Service matters, is due to take up his appointment in November.

 

Born in Leeds, Mr Fraser joined the Fire Service in 1974 and served in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Merseyside as Assistant Chief Fire Officer and West Midlands as Deputy Chief Fire Officer before taking command of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in 2001.

 

The replacement of the Fire Inspectorate with the Fire & Rescue Advisory Unit was announced in January

 

The new unit will place less emphasis on front-line inspections in order to reduce the overlap with other scrutiny bodies consistent with the Crerar principles. It will advise Ministers and officials while providing support to Chief Officers and challenging them on professional issues where necessary.

 

This appointment will be under Royal Warrant using Section 43 of the Fire (Scotland) Act. This provides for the appointment of Inspectors of Fire Services and therefore the appointee will nominally hold the title of Chief Inspector of Fire Services although the operational post will be known as the Head of the Fire & Rescue Advisory Unit.

 

The appointment, which is full time and based in Edinburgh, has a salary of £100,000 a year. The appointment will be for three years with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement.

The Fire & Rescue Framework for Scotland was published in 2005 and is now under review. The Framework is a requirement of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and sets out priorities, objectives and guidance to fire authorities in the carrying out of their functions.