Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken recent steps to ensure that fire service employers hold discussions with representatives of the Fire Brigades Union on a settlement to avoid potential industrial action.

Setting firefighter pay is the responsibility of employers, working through the National Joint Council: the Home Office does not fund firefighter pay.

A significantly increased 5% pay offer has been made by employers and I hope that industrial action can be avoided.