To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements his Department has put in place for contingency fire cover in the event of a national fire fighters' strike. (284338)

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 lays down duties for specified “category 1 responders”, including fire and rescue authorities, to assess, plan and advise in relation to emergencies. For a fire and rescue authority, an emergency includes a period of industrial action. Therefore the provision of contingency fire cover within a fire and rescue authority in the event of industrial action, is the responsibility of that fire and rescue authority, whether the dispute is local or national in extent.