Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department plans to share services between the (a) fire and rescue and (b) police services; and if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of establishing Police and Fire Service Commissioners.

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 requires ambulance trusts, fire and rescue bodies and police bodies in England to consider collaboration opportunities.

These include, where appropriate, sharing estates and assets where it is considered that it would result in improved efficiency or effectiveness for one or more partner.

Police and Crime Commissioners in several areas have also taken responsibility for governance of local fire and rescue services, and the Government is bringing forward legislation to establish more mayoral authorities which could be responsible for both police and fire and rescue.