To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance has been given to fire and rescue authorities since the Buncefield fire in December 2005 on the exchange of information on risk assessments between fire and rescue authorities and other agencies. (180175)

[holding answer 21 January 2008]: No advice has been issued. However, the draft fire and rescue service national framework, about which Communities and Local Government is currently consulting, would make it mandatory for each fire and rescue authority to:

have regard to the risk analyses completed by Local and Regional Resilience Forums, including those reported in external Community Risk Registers and internal risk registers

review the effectiveness of their cross-border integration arrangements with neighbouring authorities, and set these out appropriately in their integrated risk management programmes.

Furthermore, we intend to issue “good practice” guidance on the integrated risk management plan (IRMP) and the Civil Contingencies Act after the Major Incident Investigation Board has completed its work on the Buncefield fire, and the Government have produced a single consolidated response to its recommendations.