Context
The question addresses the health risks faced by firefighters due to exposure to toxic substances, highlighting the reduction in frontline firefighter jobs in Scotland since 2010.
Question
What discussions her Department has had with the Fire Brigades Union on improving protections for firefighters against occupational diseases. Exposure to toxic substances is an avoidable risk and every firefighter should have access to the resources they need to protect themselves. The dangerous nature of being a firefighter has also been amplified as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has had more than 1,400 frontline firefighter jobs cut since 2010, a reduction of nearly 20%. Does the Home Secretary agree that the fire service needs proper investment and a national body with legal standing to set standards on fire cover, training, equalities, and health and safety?
Answer from The Minister for Border Security and Asylum (Dame Angela Eagle)
We engage regularly with the Fire Brigades Union and we take very seriously the health and safety of firefighters, who risk their lives for our communities every day. The Home Office is reviewing recent academic research to evaluate risks posed by contaminants and the effectiveness of decontamination procedures. We will share our findings with the fire and rescue authorities, which hold the legal responsibility to protect firefighters against those risks. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention is looking at all fire and rescue issues and considering all possibilities, including potential reorganisations, as we move the services forward.
Not addressed: Did not provide a direct commitment to creating a national body with legal standing or agreeing that proper investment is needed.
How: Looking At All Fire And Rescue Issues, Considering All Possibilities
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