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 Lincolnshire.

Whilst the Government is committed to ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work, it is individual fire and rescue authorities that are responsible for recruitment and decisions around deployment of resources.

With the local government finance settlement now agreed, standalone fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £65.5m in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25.