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Written question asked by James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 29 May 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 June 2026. It was answered by Al Carns (Labour) on Monday, 8 June 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.


Military Aid: Fire and Rescue Services

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of tasking the Royal Air Force with providing a national aerial firefighting capability in the United Kingdom to combat wildfires.

Answer

Fire and Rescue Services in England are the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and is a devolved matter in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Any Defence support to Fire and Rescue Services would be considered under the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) process, which ensures Defence capability and capacity are protected for core tasks.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
5016
Session
2026-27
Related items
Fire and Rescue Services: Military Aid
Thursday, 25 June 2026
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Military Aid: Fire and Rescue Services
Monday, 14 September 2026
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Subjects
Air force Fire and rescue services Military aid
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk