To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect of changes to the level of revenue support grant received by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority on its ability to respond effectively to large-scale disasters.
Answered on
4 August 2017
Fire and Rescue Authorities have delivered significant savings since 2010.
Fire incidents in Merseyside are down by a third since 2010. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority will receive a broadly flat settlement, with core spending power reducing by one percent in cash terms over this spending review period. Merseyside held £28.2 million of non-ringfenced reserves at March 2016, up by £10.4 million since 2010/11.
The Government provides funding and equipment for national resilience capabilities which gives the fire and rescue sector the resources necessary to respond to specific types of large scale incidents. In 2017/18 Merseyside received £0.8 million to support the capabilities they host.