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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of fire service coverage in West Dorset constituency.

The government provides support to Fire and Rescue Authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement and wider reform programme. In 2026/27, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority will have a core spending power (CSP) of £79.5 million, an increase of 4.1 % compared to 2025/26.

Fire and rescue authorities are responsible for making decisions on the deployment of their resources, including fire station provision, based on their assessment of local risk. Each authority is required to produce a Community Risk Management Plan, which sets out how it will assess and respond to risks in its area and ensure appropriate fire and rescue cover for local communities.