Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether fire and rescue services are exempt from bans on controlled burning where it facilitates wildfire training.

Fire and rescue services will not have a general exemption from the requirements of the regulations. We consider that our most protected sites are not the place for wildfire training, and that other more suitable locations exist. We will engage with the Chief Fire Officers Association to understand whether this will impact on their ability to retain their expertise.