Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jon Pearce and Andy Burnham

Wednesday 2nd September 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

No borrowing to fund day-to-day spending, debt falling as a percentage of GDP by the end of the Parliament, and yes, we will.

[Jon Pearce (High Peak) (Lab)]

In my constituency and across the country, we suffered devastating wildfires this summer. I am grateful to the Prime Minister for the action that he took, including the temporary ban on disposable barbecues, but we must face the fact that our climate is changing and communities such as mine are suffering the consequences. What more will the Prime Minister do to ensure that we are better prepared to prevent and tackle wildfires next summer, and will that include making the ban on disposable barbecues permanent?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend was an important voice during the summer. I am aware of the problems in his constituency on the border of Greater Manchester, and they are problems that we have seen for a number of years. He was right to mention the need for a ban on disposable barbecues but, more broadly, this is a bigger challenge, so I am going to call a wildfire summit, which he will be welcome to attend.

Our fire and rescue services are not set up properly for the changing climate. We do not have the most modern equipment, we do not have the same aerial support to tackle wildfires that we see in France, Italy and other countries, and dealing with the flooding that is expected in the latter part of this year is not even a statutory responsibility of the fire and rescue services. If my hon. Friend will join me at that summit, we can make further progress.