Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a rise in cases of covid-19 on the (a) capacity and (b) response capability of the Fire and Rescue Service in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England.

It is the responsibility of each fire and rescue authority to determine their operational response based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances, and drawing on national operational guidance provided by the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC).

This remains a priority for services as they deal with tackling the challenges that have arisen during this pandemic.

The Home Office has worked closely with the NFCC throughout the pandemic to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on fire and rescue services in England.