Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including additional emergency responders in the blue light system.

The Government recognises that access to warning equipment and road traffic exemptions is essential to allow the emergency services to protect the public. Emergency driving does have an element of risk, and it is equally important that appropriate governance and safeguards are in place to ensure emergency driving takes place only where justified, and with adequate levels of training.

The Government intends to introduce the secondary legislation necessary to commence section 19 Road Safety Act 2006. This legislation, as well as setting a mandatory minimum training level before emergency responders can claim the speed exemption, creates a number of new emergency exemption purposes. It will also create a simplified process for adding further emergency purposes subject to appropriate justification, through secondary rather than primary legislation. Finally, it will also harmonise access to blue lights and sirens for voluntary sector secondary responders working to UK Search and Rescue [UKSAR] guidelines.