Inquiry launched into exam errors

Almost half a billion pounds was wasted in a project to build fire control rooms that was flawed from the start because it failed to win the support of fire and rescue services.

The National Audit Office said the Firecontrol project to replace the 46 fire control rooms in England with nine purpose-built regional centres was mismanaged by the Department for Communities and Local Government under Labour.

The Department was accused of committing itself to the project without getting accurate estimates of cost or knowing the detail of what it would involve. The project, which wasted at least £469m, was scrapped in 2010, seven years after starting.