Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure sufficient recruitment of retained firefighters in Shropshire.

Firefighters play a vital role in keeping the public safe and I am grateful for the work undertaken by fire and rescue services across the country in support of their local communities.

The Government is committed to ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work. Overall, fire and rescue authorities are receiving around £2.87 billion during 2024/25. Standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities have seen an increase in core spending power of £95.4m during 2024/25. This is an increase of 5.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2023/24.

Recruitment practice and processes are the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities who must ensure that fire and rescue services are meeting the needs of their local communities.