Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the risk of potential wildfires in Surrey.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office are the lead Government Department for Wildfire Response and own the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) wildfire risk. Government departments including Home Office, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities and key stakeholders work closely to mitigate the risk of wildfire.
The published Wildfire Framework outlines the work being undertaken to improve the UK’s preparedness for wildfires in England. The Home Office maintains regular engagement with National Bodies including the National Fire Chiefs Council and England and Wales Wildfire Forum to monitor and review sector led improvements to wildfire response and mitigation.
The Home Office have committed to scoping a wildfire strategy and action plan by mid-2024, with support from Defra and its agencies. This commitment is outlined in the third National Adaptation Plan and includes considering prevention, response and recovery actions.
In 24/25, the Home Office is funding a new National Resilience Wildfire Advisor who will assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to the wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.
Surrey County Council has overall responsibility for fire and rescue services in Surrey. The county council will receive an un-ringfenced grant for all of their services including fire, through the Local Government Finance Settlement and they will allocate funding according to their priorities.
All Fire and Rescue Authority’s including Surrey, are required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfires) through their Integrated Risk Management Plan. This will include plans to prevent and respond to incidents.
Individuals should contact their own insurance providers with regard to any potential claims for damage as a result of wildfire.
Apr. 30 2024
Source Page: Defence Land Safety and Environmental RegulationsFound: The term is also commonly used for unsurfaced county roads, many of which are now shown on Ordnance
Apr. 30 2024
Source Page: Defence Land Safety and Environmental RegulationsFound: The term is also commonly used for unsurfaced county roads, many of which are now shown on Ordnance
Apr. 30 2024
Source Page: Defence Land Safety and Environmental RegulationsFound: The term is also commonly used for unsurfaced county roads, many of which are now shown on Ordnance Survey
Apr. 30 2024
Source Page: Defence Land Safety and Environmental RegulationsFound: The term is also commonly used for unsurfaced county roads, many of which are now shown on Ordnance Survey
Apr. 30 2024
Source Page: Planning Act 2008: Pre-application stage for Nationally Significant Infrastructure ProjectsFound: Where a combined authority or combined county authority is in place, applicants are recommended to review
Oral Evidence Apr. 30 2024
Inquiry: Proposals for backbench debatesFound: Westminster try and avoid because, we say, it is the local responsibility of district councillors and county
Correspondence Apr. 30 2024
Committee: Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee (Department: Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities)Found: were Oflog’s key findings from the Early Warning Conversation pilot it conducted with Oxfordshire County
Oral Evidence Apr. 30 2024
Inquiry: Children’s social careFound: numbers of children they can support cut because of the need to provide support more evenly across the county
Mentions:
1: None petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to put pressure on the county - Speech Link