Funding for fire and rescue services

That this House supports the Fire Brigade Union’s calls for urgent investment in the UK’s fire and rescue service and has heard their warning that cuts kill; expresses deep concern that proposed cuts and chronic underfunding that have hollowed out the UK’s fire and rescue services leaving communities without adequate fire cover; acknowledges that since 2010, 12,000 firefighter jobs have been cut, leading to fire engines arriving at emergencies without enough crew on board to respond to them safely, putting both firefighters and the public at risk; notes that any reduction in firefighter numbers or station closure leads to longer response times with fewer crews available and longer distances to travel, and that in an emergency every second counts; further notes that underfunding also means inadequate supplies of the vital equipment firefighters need to save lives and keep themselves safe; commends the bravery and dedication of firefighters across the UK and believes their service deserves the funding it needs to keep communities safe; further acknowledges demands on firefighters are increasing fast, with climate change causing more extreme wildfires, flooding and severe weather, and an increase in lithium ion battery fires, yet the service responsible for responding to these incidents is being asked to do more with less; calls on the Government to urgently provide increased funding to the UK’s fire and rescue services, restore firefighter numbers to pre 2010 levels; and vehemently opposes any further cuts to the fire service.