Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ministers in his Department have held recent meetings with representatives of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service on proposals to reduce the number of fire stations and engines in the Manchester city region; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my Hon Friend to the answer given to him on 21 February 2019, UIN 222621.

Operational decisions are for each fire and rescue authority to make as part of the integrated risk management planning process. The authority is best placed to act on the professional advice of their Chief Fire Officer.