Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department has given to ensuring that council tax flexibility for fire and rescue services is applied across different governance models, including services delivered through county councils and standalone fire and rescue authorities.

Local authorities are responsible for deciding the level of their council tax. The Secretary of State sets referendum principles for a range of local authorities with different responsibilities, including fire services. The principles are considered on an annual basis, taking into account any changes in those responsibilities, and are consulted on as part of the annual Local Government Finance Settlement.