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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the recruitment of firefighters in line with demand.

Firefighters play a vital role in keeping the public safe and we are grateful for the work undertaken by fire and rescue services across the country in support of their local communities.

The 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement, published on 3 February by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG), sets out funding allocations for all local authorities, including Fire and Rescue Authorities. Standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £65.5m in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25.

Decisions on how resources, including staff, are best deployed to meet their core functions, including meeting response times, is a matter for each Fire and Rescue Authority, based on risks identified within local Community Risk Management Plans. This includes ensuring that their Fire and Rescue Service has sufficiently trained, qualified and competent persons to meet their legislated functional requirements.