Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Florence Eshalomi (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Fire Prevention

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on commissioning firefighting planes.

Answer

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.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
23245
Session
2026-27
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Aircraft Fire prevention
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk