Last week in the Commons I questioned Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, over implementation of the EU Working Time Directive. He was under pressure over the impact on the NHS, but seemed unaware that it could also significantly affect provision of fire cover by retained fire-fighters in rural areas, such as Shropshire.

Last December, as unemployment reached 1.8 million, MEPs voted to scrap the opt-out that helps protect British jobs. To reduce the flexibility of our labour market as the country slides into recession is the height of economic madness.

If the new EU rules go ahead, workers' rights to opt-out from the working time rules would be abolished. Employers would have to ensure workers work no more than 48 hours a week.

This will limit the availability of retained fire-fighters to be on-call or on duty. In areas like the Ludlow constituency which depend entirely on retained fire officers, it calls into question how fire protection cover will be maintained without pushing up the fire levy on council tax bills.

The NHS faces significant increases in the number of doctors required to fufill a 24/7 rota - doctors we don't have and who will not be able to be as well trained under restricted hours.