Introduction I want to begin by saying a huge thank you to the FBU for inviting me to speak today… It’s an honour to be one of the few government ministers in recent years to have addressed this conference. …and I’d like to thank everyone in this room and all your members for the welcome I’ve had… …and for the work you do, day in and day out, to keep this country safe. We owe our firefighters everything. You face ris...
Introduction I want to begin by saying a huge thank you to the FBU for inviting me to speak today… It’s an honour to be one of the few government ministers in recent years to have addressed this conference. …and I’d like to thank everyone in this room and all your members for the welcome I’ve had… …and for the work you do, day in and day out, to keep this country safe. We owe our firefighters everything. You face risks that most people will never understand. Nineteen years ago, four firefighters died in a blaze at Atherstone on Stour just down the road from here. And tomorrow we will mark one year since two fire fighters very sadly lost their lives at Bicester. I know that there will be those in this room for whom this is still very raw. Both incidents act as a devastating reminder of what service and sacrifice really mean. And the Fire Brigades Union has never let that be forgotten. For over a century, you have stood up for firefighters and control room staff… … demanding safer conditions, fairer pay, proper recognition and an improved service. That is a record to be proud of. And that is why this Government values the FBU as a genuine partner in enabling the service to work better… … both for the public and for those who serve within it. We agree with you that, for far too long, firefighters haven’t had the support they deserve. We’re here to change that. Through engagement, not indifference and through partnership, not by diktat. Because only by working together can we fully address the failures of the past. The failures of the past And let’s be clear about the challenges we’ve inherited. For years firefighters raised legitimate concerns about their health, funding levels, service standards. But what did they get in return? Drift. Inertia. [political content removed] And that’s not a criticism of what services have delivered on the ground… It’s a criticism of governments that failed to match that effort…that left the big structural questions unanswered. Well, this government has heard you. And we are acting. A Government that listens In the last twelve months, we’ve engaged seriously and consistently with the FBU on role reform and pay reform… …And we’ve had regular meetings to track progress. We know that pay and conditions are a matter for the NJC and we respect that. But reform of the role, and the structures around it, is where this Government has a part to play. And we intend to play it in partnership with you, not in parallel. That commitment to partnership in driving reform, is why we set up the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform — the MAG… …because we want to build reform with you, not impose it upon you. When the FBU said firefighters must be at the centre of reform, we agreed. When you said health and the future of the role needed urgent attention, we acted. That is what having a government on your side looks like. This is our partnership in action. Funding: Investing in the service The same goes for investing in fire and rescue services. 2026/27 was the first multi-year settlement for local government in a decade. This is a gamechanger for fire and rescue services who for the past decade couldn’t plan beyond twelve months. We listened to what firefighters and services told us, and we acted. That is how you begin to build a resilient service. That is how you work in partnership. For this settlement we secured almost £115m in additional funding for standalone fire and rescue authorities compared to last year… This provided a minimum 3.8% increase in core spending power in 2026/27… … with some services seeing an increase of over 7%. That will lead to an overall boost of almost 13% by the end of this spending review period. We are also reviewing the formula used to allocate funding to fire and rescue authorities. It’s over a decade old and doesn’t reflect the current risk picture. It’s vital that we work together to understand the challenges fire services face. So, in April we held the first workshop with fire and rescue services… … and by July all services will have had the opportunity to have their say and help us map a way forward. In parallel, on pensions, we’re undertaking a comprehensive review of the Firefighters’ Compensation Scheme. This includes a public consultation launching shortly. Our engagement with the FBU on this issue is essential, not optional. We need your support and we’re grateful for it. Pillars of reform So, we’re listening and learning. But let me talk more now about what we are delivering. First, a revised Fire and Rescue National Framework which we aim to present to Parliament before the end of the year. The National Framework sets out the Government’s priorities for the fire and rescue sector. It sets out what we expect from fire and rescue authorities. It ensures those priorities are delivered on the ground, for local communities and their workforces. It has been too long since the National Framework was last updated, and the FBU’s input through the MAG is playing a key role in shaping this work. It is crucial that this continues. Second, the College of Fire and Rescue — the cornerstone of professionalisation. I am pleased to announce that we will be publishing our consultation on the College of Fire and Rescue very shortly. This will pave the way for consistent national standards. Proper recognition of skills. A clear pathway for career development. Third, clarification and reform of the fire and rescue authority role, which hasn’t been updated in a generation, so this better reflects demands on fire and rescue services now and in the future. And, closely linked with this, as I have already mentioned we are actively supporting the FBU’s important work within the NJC. The NJC is grasping and addressing difficult, long-standing issues to put transformative pay reform within reach. Like you, we want to see a national pay and reward structure that is fair and easy to understand and operate. Like you, we want to see a structure that rewards the skills we’re asking fire service staff to develop. We will continue to work with you to achieve these shared goals. Fourth, on governance, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act received royal assent on Wednesday 29 April. This will empower Mayors to take on fire and rescue functions in some areas. My assurance is this…. …any decisions on fire governance will be taken through engagement with sector partners to deliver the best service for our communities. And most recently, health. We have made a serious, long-term promise to make sure every firefighter gets the health and wellbeing support they deserve - during their career and beyond. Significant progress has already been made to reduce risk faced by firefighters… …from improvements to health and safety practices, to protective equipment, breathing apparatus and decontamination standards. But action must go further. Your members spend their careers risking their lives to keep their communities safe. The least we can do is ensure they get the health support they need. We will do this in partnership, signing a health concordat with the partners across the sector – a formal agreement to make sure it happens… …. building on what already exists, the package will include regular, bespoke health checks, government-backed research into long-term health risks… … and recording firefighter occupation in NHS health records. As the Health Secretary said when he spoke to your Health conference in April, firefighters’ health matters. Our pledge is to protect those who protect us. I can’t speak to you today without paying tribute to our on-call firefighters. Their contribution is invaluable to the local communities they serve… … but the retained duty system is fragile. We are supportive of actions needed to protect and strengthen on-call recruitment, retention and provision and we are funding the NFCC to identify how we can work together to make that happen. To ensure the opportunities are there for on-call firefighters. To ensure communities get the protection they need. Facing the challenges ahead We know that demands on firefighters and fire and rescue services are changing fast… …and it’s crucial we enable the service to respond. Non-fire incidents have increased by more than 50% in a decade. Climate change is causing severe flooding and wildfires. The risks your members face are becoming more challenging and complex… …We must future proof the service to adapt to those challenges as they continue to emerge. As part of this future proofing, we’re conducting reviews into flooding and civil protection… Collaboration in government is key to us tackling climate risk too… …so we are working to address the wildfire risk, and are focused on increasing operational capabilities…… …and mitigating the impacts and risks faced by frontline firefighters. At the same time, we’re looking at how we can develop our capabilities to deal with terrorist incidents… …Which are among the gravest threats to our national security. My officials are meeting with the FBU to discuss this directly. It’s crucial your voice is heard. Your views can help shape the path we take. The future of the firefighter role Which brings me back to role reform. Because the question of what a firefighter does, and what a firefighter could do, is one we can no longer afford to defer. With demands on our fire and rescue service evolving, we must have clarity and consistency in expectations – so the system can better recognise, resource and support these. That’s why we’re looking seriously at how we can achieve this – bringing greater national consistency to the service that firefighters deliver and exploring where we can make the case for a genuine expansion of the fire fighter role. The next step is to take this forward through the Ministerial Advisory Group, where the FBU has an important voice and where diverse perspectives from across the sector enrich our understanding. I value Steve and Ben’s collaborative contribution. Through the shared leadership among national partners that the MAG is fostering, we are unlocking stronger outcomes – that will benefit your members and help keep the public safer. That is the right forum for this work, and I want us to use it well. Decisions on role reform will be taken within the next year… … decisions that align with the wider reform programme… …and which, if supported, could require legislative change. We will need to agree a plan to implement any changes. A plan that is fair and sustainable for firefighters and their employers. And, while you wouldn’t expect me to guarantee the outcomes of the next government spending review, I can assure you the Secretary of State and I will be gathering and presenting the strongest possible evidence… to secure the investment Fire and Rescue Services need to meet their current and future needs. We recognise there is much for us still to do. But this year, we will use the National Framework revision to lay the foundations for change — so that when those decisions come, we are ready to move. And through it all, we want to work with you. Not around you. Not through you. But with you, as true partners to deliver this change. You can have confidence in that. The road ahead And as we embark on the next stage of this journey together… …it’s worth looking back on the progress we’ve already made. In twelve months, … we’ve delivered the first multi-year funding settlement in a decade… ….we’ve laid the foundations for the most significant reform of the service in a generation… …and we’ve announced a landmark health concordat… … building on what already exists, to support firefighters’ health and wellbeing during service and beyond. The FBU has been a vital sounding board as we have built this reform programme… …And you will be key to helping us map the journey ahead. I will not promise what I cannot deliver. But what I can promise you is this… … We will keep working. We will keep listening. And we will keep building. Reform by reform, step by step. Moving forward together with you and our other partners in the sector to make the service better… …to improve the lives of firefighters and give them the support and backing they deserve. [political content removed] We must embrace this once in a generation opportunity for change. You have shown you are ready for this moment. And so are we. Let’s work together to make it happen. Thank you.
Speech Brief