Fire Prevention
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on commissioning firefighting planes.
Answered by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Fire and rescue services have been responding to an exceptionally challenging period of wildfire activity, with multiple significant incidents being managed simultaneously across England and Wales.
Fire and rescue services, working through Local Resilience Forums, are responsible for planning and responding locally. Where aircraft are needed, that is usually arranged locally with commercial providers. We have made emergency funding available to help services in England deploy aerial firefighting support where needed.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has recently announced a £97 million investment to upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment. Part of this funding includes a pilot for a national wildfire response capability with specialist firefighters, equipment and training, with teams positioned across England to support Fire and Rescue Services during major incidents. Ministers are convening a summit in the autumn to consider further measures to strengthen capabilities in which aerial capabilities will be discussed.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →