Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a statutory duty for the fire and rescue service to respond to a major flooding incident; and if he will make a statement.

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 detail the roles and powers of fire and rescue authorities in respect of both emergency response and rescue in a wide range of situations, including from flooding. Fire and rescue authorities are expected to produce Integrated Risk Management Plans which identify the full range of risks that an authority’s service is expected to respond to and is subject to consultation. This approach is enshrined in the National Fire Framework which was given statutory effect in August 2012.